Those who really know me, know that I have neither the interest nor the temperament to live in yesterday. I am all about the excitement of today and the promise of tomorrow.
So, as we report some pretty terrific numbers at the end of our second year, know this: There is no boasting here and there certainly will be no resting on our laurels. Because, while our progress has indeed been significant, we’ll never be truly satisfied until everyone in the District of Columbia has dinner at night. And, we are a long way off from reaching that goal!
Having written that, I am pleased to report to you that our young Foundation has now delivered more than 200,000 cans of food and 10 tons of fresh produce, milk and eggs, meat and poultry. Given our first year record of just under 63,000 cans, that means we more than doubled our deliveries in 2015! And we are poised to continue to collect and deliver a minimum of 100,000 cans a year moving forward.
We also dramatically increased our delivery of our signature items, fresh produce, milk and eggs, meat and poultry. And, as we continue to develop new and important partnerships, we’ll see major increases there in the new year.
Most importantly, however, is the number of folks we have been able to help. Each of our pantries more than quadrupled their client base last year. Last month, for instance, we served over 500 families in the three neighborhoods we serve! We have had a major impact and bettered the lives of so many, with your help.
But guess what? The reason we don’t boast or rest on our laurels is because however impressive these numbers are, those 200,000 cans of food and 10 tons of signature groceries have already been consumed! It is a lot like what Earl Weaver used to say: “The home run you hit yesterday doesn’t help us much today.” So, it is a constant process of begging, collecting, delivering and restocking…all done through the goodness of donors like you. And it is a labor of love that we are committed to continuing.
Our Gala – A CAPITAL EVENING II – was a great success. Last year, you will recall, we reported a net profit of 66%, unheard of in fundraising circles, where a Herculean result is 50%. Well, we bested that result as well, with a 71% profit this year, while increasing our attendance 45% over last year! So, how do we do that? First, with generous corporate donors like GREYSTONE, The Capital Hilton, EPI Printing, EVOKE, and Caruso Florist. Secondly, with expert management and extraordinary chairs like Jodi Moraru, Greta Kreuz and Susan Reaman. We also have extremely generous auction donors (the auction more than doubled last year) and generous attendees, not to mention a world class Board of Directors. And, as my Dad would say, we’ve learned how to squeeze a nickel. We are fortunate to say that every vendor either donates their goods and services or provides them at cost.
So, as we enter this New Year, we do so with scores of volunteers, hundreds of donors, and thousands of folks who drop off a can of food at their place of worship, place of business, school or civic organization. We are fortunate to have so many friends and supporters who refuse to sit on the sidelines while our beloved city continues to struggle with the worst hunger crisis in the Nation.
I’m thinking of you this evening with gratitude that you have joined this important journey and a prayer that you will continue with us in our third year.
God love you.
