Why Supporting Season of Justice Matters More Than Ever in Times of Economic Uncertainty
Angela Mew, Executive Director
December 2025
Economic uncertainty has become an unavoidable reality for families, businesses, and nonprofits alike. With shifting trade policies, the ripple effects of prolonged government shutdowns, and significant cutoffs or delays in government grant funding, many organizations are being forced to scale back or suspend critical public-safety initiatives.
But at Season of Justice, our mission cannot pause. Cold cases do not wait for the economy to stabilize and families searching for answers certainly cannot. Now more than ever, your financial support is essential to ensuring that truth, accountability, and justice continue moving forward.
Economic Instability Hits Public Safety Systems First
When tariffs disrupt supply chains and government shutdowns halt federal operations, many agencies face tightening budgets and hiring delays. Crime labs, already burdened by backlogs and staffing shortages, often experience:
- Reduced forensic testing budgets
- Delayed procurement for advanced DNA technologies
- Restrictions on overtime or specialized investigations
- Short-term freezes on non-essential spending
These pressures create even longer waits for families desperate for answers. Season of Justice exists to fill those gaps, especially during the moments when institutions are stretched too thin to act swiftly on their own.
Government Grant Cutoffs and Delays Make Private Giving Critical
Many forensic and public-safety initiatives depend on federal grant cycles that can be disrupted by shutdowns or policy shifts. Recent federal instability has led to:
- Terminated or paused programs
- Delayed reimbursements to police agencies
- Greater uncertainty around future funding availability
When a government shutdown happens, or when a program is canceled, cases don’t just pause, they risk stalling indefinitely. Private philanthropy is often the only reason critical forensic testing can move forward during these periods. When donors support SOJ, they are ensuring that:
- Cold cases keep advancing
- Agencies aren’t forced to choose between active and cold cases
- Families don’t lose hope because of political or economic circumstances outside their control
Your support protects progress even when government funding cannot.
Justice Cannot Be a Line Item: It’s a Lifeline
Economic turbulence impacts nonprofits broadly, but for Season of Justice, the stakes are uniquely high.
Shrinking public budgets and increased financial uncertainty lead to:
- Longer forensic lab wait times
- Reduced access to specialized testing like forensic genealogy, SNP analysis, and next-generation sequencing
- Fewer resources for investigators to revisit older cases
- Less visibility and public awareness for unsolved homicides and sexual assaults
Families who have waited years, or decades, cannot afford for the system to fall further behind because it increases the likelihood of cases not being solved at all.
Your donation ensures that SOJ can continue:
- Funding advanced DNA testing
- Elevating cases through awareness campaigns
- Bringing national attention to cases that have gone cold
Economic uncertainty may slow institutions, but it does not slow our commitment, or yours, to justice.
Your Support Creates Stability When Systems Are Unstable
By supporting SOJ financially, you help build a dependable, resilient pathway to justice that does not rise and fall with political or economic cycles. In moments when institutions are uncertain, your generosity keeps cases moving, keeps hope alive, and keeps families supported. We remain steadfast in our mission, and your support ensures we can continue to fund the forensic testing and investigative resources that lead to answers, regardless of what is happening in Washington or Wall Street.
Thank you for standing with us, especially now, because justice depends on it.
With sincere gratitude,
Angela Mew