Good morning -- I’m Stephanie Miller (and I’d like to add my welcome and thanks to all of you for being here with us today.) I’m fortunate to have been involved with Southwest Solutions for six years, first as a partner and now as a Board member of Southwest Counseling Solutions.

I love this agency because I’ve seen firsthand that it really has made a difference to many, many people – youth caught up in delinquency, parents and children troubled and separated by abuse, adults with severe mental illness, homeless or troubled youth.

The strength of our community – and our society - depends on as many people as possible participating fully.  In the economy, as good neighbors, as volunteers, as contributors.  I hope you are inspired as I am by how much Barbie learned and benefited from the counseling she received. It is nothing short of a miracle to see a young child able to work through tragedy like Barbie has started to do in counseling.

I bet that you came today because you believed there was a possibility that by being here you could make things better for someone else. I congratulate you for having such stamina and success in your life that you came here today. It is truly my privilege to give you the opportunity to participate in the work that Southwest Solutions is doing

There are many opportunities for you to help.  When we looked at what we wanted to ask you for, we decided to request FIRST what we really need most – financial support for our day-to-day operations. 

In times such as those we encounter today, people need our services more than ever.  We will be called upon more often and our services will be stretched.   

We will strive to do more with less.  If you have been inspired by what you’ve seen today, I ask you to consider joining me this morning as a member of our Community Builders Multi-Year Giving Society.

Some of you who are here today attended this event last year and pledged your support for several years.  We thank you sincerely.  We ask you to consider making an additional gift and/or increasing the amount of your pledge.  Please note that there is a special section on the back of the pledge card for you.

Now I’d like to ask the Table Captains to pass out the pledge sheets.

Starting at the top of the sheet, the Community Builders Multi Year Giving Society pledge level names are meant to give you a sense of what your contribution will do.  Your contribution will go toward the unrestricted operating funds of Southwest Solutions.

The first giving level in the Community Builders Multi Year Giving Society is a Building Families pledge of $1,000 each year for five years. 

Here is one example of the difference such a gift would make.  It costs us on average $1,000 to provide counseling to family for a year to help them survive and recover from a mental or emotional illness.   Our Hispanic Mental Health program counseled 250 individuals and families last year, and not one of them needed to enter a psychiatric hospital.  An investment in family counseling not only helps parents and children recover and participate – it can save taxpayer dollars by reducing the need for hospitalization.  

The next giving level is the Community Builders Multi Year Giving Society is the Building Neighborhoods level, $5,000 a year for five years.  Our family literacy program serves less than half the families who want to enroll.  $5,000 is about what it costs for three families to participate in the family literacy program for the entire year.  The average annual income difference between a college grad and a high school drop out is $35,000. And that is the difference this program makes.         

We know that some of you may have had such success in your life that you are in a position to give more.  I congratulate you for your hard work and success.  The next level is the “Building Community” level:  a gift of $10,000. It costs us $10,000 to provide foreclosure prevention counseling to 50 families facing foreclosure. At our current success rate, 9 families would be able to stay in their home. This amounts to $630,000 worth of preserved value and incalculable benefits to the family.   

(If you are willing to join today as a member of the Community Builders Multi Year Giving Society I give you my personal thanks for your generous support.)

We know that you may prefer to give at a different level or for a different span of time, so we provide the next line on the pledge sheet for you.  On this line, please tell us how much you would like to give and for how many years.

We truly appreciate whatever level of support you can give and ask that you make the first payment on your pledge today, if you can.  Please check the payment option you choose at the bottom of the page.

Perhaps you would like to participate in the mission of Southwest in other ways.  You might want to volunteer or partner with Southwest Solutions.  Or, you might have some great ideas for us.  Maybe you would like to serve as a Table Captain, or would like to take a Southwest Solutions bus tour. 

If so, please check the appropriate box.

And finally, if all you would like right now is to be added to the mailing list, please fill out your contact information on the pledge form.  We would love to send you our email and newsletters.

I know that some of you are still writing but if I could have your attention here for just a minute.  It’s important that you really hear what I am about to say.  Whatever gift you have chosen to make today – whether you have become a founding member of our Community Builders Giving Society, made a gift at a different level or have simply enjoyed your hour with us, we sincerely thank each and every one of you on behalf of the people we serve.

I’ll give you another couple minutes to finish filling out the cards; when you are finished, please pass your envelopes to your Table Captain.

Whether or not you were able to make a pledge today, we really appreciate that you took the time out of your busy lives to learn more about Southwest Solutions.