Dear Friend,

Most of our mailboxes are full of requests for financial support from charities.  This, too, is a request for your financial support.  If you are willing and able to support our work, please consider helping people affected by poverty right now as we are gearing up to assist households in Dane, Jefferson and Waukesha counties facing tough economic times. 

Here are some examples of how we help people move toward self-sufficiency:

• Collect, sort and deliver food to over 90 sites in our three county service area.  These sites include food pantries, meal sites, senior and low-income housing developments; in addition, we delivered 2700 turkeys and other fixings to  pantries  so they could share Thanksgiving baskets with those in need;

• Help people avoid homelessness through eviction prevention assistance or help with first month’s rent or other entry costs to ensure acceptance into housing;

• Provide budget counseling and financial  literacy education to help people manage what resources they do have;

• Provide case management services to people who are homeless and need extra help in finding and keeping housing and other basic needs;

• Provide free clothing for anyone in Dane County;

• Support a community gardens program that enables people to grow their own food, increases food security and builds a stronger sense of community in the process of working alongside neighbors;

• Support over forty relationships between citizens and people who have been marginalized in our communities, most of whom are affected by a disability;

• Support over forty relationships between citizens and people who have been marginalized in our communities, most of whom are affected by a disability;

• Support a comprehensive network of volunteers who are critical to our work;

• Advocate, network, organize and collaborate with people like you who believe that everyone has a right to have the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter met with dignity, fairness and respect. 

At the end of each day, we know we have made a difference in the lives of many people.  We wish we could help more.  With your support we can and we will.

In appreciation,
Greta C. Hansen, Executive Director