Newsletter

May 2008

Hello A Room to Heal Friends,

We wanted to give you an update on all that has been happening since January!

First, let’s introduce you to our Board of Directors for 2008-09.  They are: Laurie Abess (President) , Linda Salomons (Vice President) , Lynn Orlando (Secretary) , Anne Strahm (Treasurer), Ron Abess, Joe Cerra, Anna M Addonisio, Liz DeVivo, Nancy Heichemer, Janet Levine, Wendy Neuberger, Jeffrey S. Pilarchik, and Carol Yeager. 

The Room to Heal Board recently completed a Strategic Planning Session facilitated by staff from Binghamton University. We have identified a clear set of priorities for the next couple years focused on growth of the organization, and increasing support of the children and families we serve.

We have been fortunate so far this year to be recipients of many grants, business fundraisers, family foundations and individual donations.  This has enabled us to approve many room projects, 3 done already this year, with 3 more on the way!  We have created healing environments in the homes of 14 children to date, a number we are very proud and grateful for.

We are also still proud to boast that we run 100% by volunteers and that 100% of fundraised dollars goes toward room projects.  Thankfully, we have secured a grant specifically earmarked for bettering our infrastructure  -- which helps us internally with expenses such as postage, copies and marketing materials. 

Over the past few years, we have received many different types of interest (from people like you) in A Room to Heal.  Many can offer services, materials, volunteer time, and funding connections.  Some want to just stay “in the loop.”  In the next month or so, we are hoping to set up an on-line opportunity for volunteers, friends, donors or others interested in the organization to sign-up with A Room to Heal and specify what you can do for the organization.   We are hoping that this will allow us to manage volunteers and others who are interested in a way that is most effective.  Utilizing volunteers we do not know personally has been a tough situation, especially when it comes to our responsibility and liability of bringing someone into a family’s home.