My friends: 

It's a tough time for you, but for the non-profit centers that help those less fortunate than us, it's even tougher.  And I need your help.  Let me cut to the chase: I need lots of small donations for the Lucy Daniels Center. Please consider giving $25 to the Center, and with enough people, it will make a huge difference.  Of course, feel free to give more, too!!!

My initial goal is to get at least 40 people making a $25 donation.  I know I've asked you for help before, but I'm going to send this email out and hope you respond.  No letters or other solicitations.  Can you help, please?

Did you know that one child in five has an identifiable social or emotional problem? That translates to more than 20,000 kids under age 12 in the Triangle who may need help. Fortunately for children and parents, we have the Lucy Daniels Center for Early Childhood, a world-class treatment Center for children’s mental health, conveniently located in Cary, NC. The Center is the largest nonprofit provider of mental health services exclusively to children in the Triangle. I have the privilege of being the Vice Chair of the Center and seeing how children are being helped every day. I’d like to share one family’s story with you:

One father put it this way:

  “Without the support of the LDC, I don’t know where we would be right now. We went from a family in crisis to a family who has been blessed. Our son’s emotional challenges were keeping him from having a productive life and nearly tearing our family apart. Now our son is an engaging, happy second grader who has great relationships with his schoolmates and family and is a source of joy to us all. This would not have been possible without the support of donors from the community.”  

You can see why the work of the Lucy Daniels Center is so important and why I’m pleased to play a small part in it.

Mental health disorders are more common than childhood asthma or obesity,yet many children who need care do not receive it. This lack of support at an early age can lead to school failure, incarceration, economic insecurity, and unnecessary disability. On the flip side, the positive impact of supporting children like the little boy noted above is exponential. Not only does a child get help when it has the highest probability of making a life-changing impact, the ripple benefits to that child’s schoolmates, family and community, including you and me, are huge. Frankly, you might not notice how much good the Lucy Daniels Center does, but you might notice a difference if we weren’t here.

The Center is committed to helping as many children and families as we can,regardless of income, but we can only do that with the full support  of folks in the Triangle community, like you. Currently about 90% of children and families, nearly 550 who are treated at the Center each year, pay less than the actual cost of services provided and about one-third receive services free of charge.

In the current economy even more families will need some assistance.

My request to you today is simple: Children and families need your help, and now is a great time to give. My personal goal is to raise $1,000 from family and friends by May 1, 2009  That's forty people giving $25 each.  If you can only give $10, that's great, too.  I believe in the power of numbers -- lots of people coming together and collectively making a difference.

Please join me today by making the most generous gift you can to the Family  Support Fund. You can make a gift now through First Giving, by using the  Center’s secure web site: www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx or mailing a check to the Lucy Daniels Center, 9003 Weston Parkway, Cary, NC 27513.

Thank you so much.