Desert Mission 2009 Annual Report:
Moving Forward in Challenging Times
Letter from the vice president
The beginning of 2009 was distressing. By the end of the first quarter, we were on track for a 40 percent increase in household food stamp enrollment; and, patient enrollment in public health insurance was up 80 percent from the same period.
The lines were getting longer and government support was being slashed because of shortfalls: the Department of Economic Security indefinitely suspended funding for case management and state health care dollars were reduced by 15 percent.
Yet, with grace, that same sense of humanity that gave rise to the Desert Mission back in our earliest days manifests today.
As we experienced a 25 percent increase in families seeking assistance from the food bank, we also saw a 28 percent increase in volunteers to help sort, package and distribute the food. People continued to give of themselves; for some it was in a different way. They were giving more of their time.
Those that could still give financially gave, and creative new ways of giving emerged. Foundations collaborated to maximize impact.
I can’t help but leave 2009 with an invigorated sense of hope.
Thanks to your generosity, we were able to stay true to our mission. You did not let your neighbors go hungry. You saw that the children got the care they needed. And, the Desert Mission continued to prove a sound investment for your charitable dollars.
Still, tough times lie ahead. The year 2010 is going to call for even more creative solutions, but I can’t wait to see how you continue to surprise me as we move forward in these challenging times.
Cindy Hallman
Executive Director, Desert Mission
Vice President, John C. Lincoln Health Network