Update on NAM from Carol Little NAM director

I hope this letter finds you well and hopefully off to a wonderful start this New Year. I was extremely delighted when the weather finally turned a little cooler, which seemed much more in line with the season. I know others felt the same as donations definitely picked up! It was tough for many, including me, to get into the spirit of the season with unseasonably warm weather.In an effort to continue addressing the ever-growing demand for social services in northwest Harris County, NAM's budget has grown to its current projected $9.2 million. This figure does not include the NAM Endowment Fund, which has a current annual fundraising goal of $250,000 to add to the $1.4 million already raised. In hopes of keeping you informed of the general happenings at NAM, I will attempt to update you between Clergy meetings with a brief summary of events.For those of you who are new to NAM, the last quarter of the calendar year is always the busiest time, much like it is for the congregations. During this time, we raise the majority of the contributions that will serve as the financial foundation for NAM's programs the rest of the year.During November and December, NAM staff members worked diligently to meet the needs of the thousands of children and their families who depend on us to provide a brighter Thanksgiving and happy December holidays in an effort to offset their day-to-day struggles. This year the need was unprecedented as NAM provided toys to more than 3,000 children through the generosity of the community. NAM staff and volunteers distributed holiday food to more than 900 families for Thanksgiving and to more than 1,200 families for the December holidays. During this time, NAM continued to provide meals to the more than 900 families who receive food each month throughout the year. NAM volunteers and staff logged more than 250,000 hours throughout these last two months to make our community a better place. NAM's lobby was filled with holiday cheer this year as Caldwell Watson provided music and entertainment that put smiles on many faces. We were graced with the Harbor Light Choir for several days and the Cy-Fair ISD Singers joined us as well.The Executive Board's Planning Committee has been moving forward in its exploration of expanding the Children's Clinic to include primary adult healthcare to the uninsured in the space formerly occupied by Kelsey Seybold. We prepared a presentation for the January board meeting, and board members made a decision to further explore the possibilities of expansion.The Congregational Liaisons on the NAM Executive Board have been busy putting together a strategy to renew ties with existing congregations, and the second clergy meeting of the fiscal year will be held on February 8th. The meeting's purpose is to discuss the corporate structure of the NAM By Laws with the NAM clergy. The By Laws currently list the Trustees as holding the fiduciary responsibility for NAM .In addition, the Spring Seventh Day Adventists - Pastor John McFarlane was presented to the Board of Trustees in January as a new covenant congregation, which brings our total number of Covenant Congregations to 49! If you would like a link from our website to yours, please e-mail Randy Cypret at rcypret@namonline.org and let him know. Also, we respectfully request you include a link to NAM's website as a missions link, volunteer opportunities link or for those seeking social services.We are pleased to inform you that during December we received a number of sizeable gifts from area foundations so although it will be a tight year, we are on track for a stronger fiscal year than the last one.The NAM Endowment Fund Board members this year will focus on raising enough money to pay down the building note which is approximately $1.2 million.As with many organizations, NAM has faced its share of staffing challenges this quarter. Our food pantry coordinator was in a serious car accident in November and has not been able to return to work. NAM's Director for Service Programs, Selena Mason, was forced to resign last week after struggling for more than two months with complications from pneumonia. Peggie Ney, NAM's Volunteer Coordinator, retired after more than ten years of faithful service to our community, and Alisha Roberts, NAM's Events Coordinator, left us to accept a position in the private sector.We remain on course, in spite of the challenges, thanks to the generosity of our community and the hard work and efforts of Board members, staff and volunteers. We have much to be grateful for in 2006 and much to be hopeful for in 2007.