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Annual Report - VINE Faith in Action

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2<br />

FROM <strong>VINE</strong>’S<br />

BOARD<br />

PRESIDENT<br />

Karl Friedrichs<br />

Dear friends,<br />

I’d like to thank all volunteers, staff, board members, and<br />

contributors for your <strong>in</strong>volvement with <strong>VINE</strong>. S<strong>in</strong>ce jo<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />

the Board, I have always been amazed by the way new<br />

opportunities arise, which Pam and the staff put <strong>in</strong> motion<br />

when approved by the Board, and our annual meet<strong>in</strong>g<br />

began with program updates.<br />

A few months back, we received the surpris<strong>in</strong>g news<br />

that the M<strong>in</strong>nesota Department of Human Services had not<br />

approved <strong>VINE</strong>’s grant application for over $239,000, which<br />

<strong>in</strong>cluded fund<strong>in</strong>g to expand exist<strong>in</strong>g programs and add<br />

some new ones. Needless to say, this added some stress<br />

to the lives of the executive director, staff and Board of<br />

Directors. However, when times were tough, many people<br />

who understand the need for the work done by <strong>VINE</strong> staff and<br />

volunteers stepped forward <strong>in</strong> an amaz<strong>in</strong>g way to provide<br />

the fund<strong>in</strong>g needed to cont<strong>in</strong>ue the exist<strong>in</strong>g <strong>VINE</strong> programs<br />

for the year. For all of you that provided this f<strong>in</strong>ancial help,<br />

I’d like to give a huge THANK YOU! We couldn’t cont<strong>in</strong>ue<br />

without your support and prayers.<br />

While the Board has struggled with this loss of<br />

fund<strong>in</strong>g, our executive director <strong>in</strong>creased her efforts to f<strong>in</strong>d<br />

fund<strong>in</strong>g through other sources. In light of the loss of the<br />

DHS grant, the Board has authorized the restructur<strong>in</strong>g of a<br />

number of programs and is explor<strong>in</strong>g alternative fund<strong>in</strong>g<br />

sources. However, we all cont<strong>in</strong>ue to struggle with these<br />

changes. We would prefer to simply focus on our mission of<br />

coord<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g volunteers and services to assist people with<br />

long-term health needs or difficult life circumstances.<br />

Therefore, it is important for everyone who<br />

understands the benefits of <strong>VINE</strong> to cont<strong>in</strong>ue our personal<br />

f<strong>in</strong>ancial support and encourage others to support these<br />

programs. Perhaps the best way to do this is to share this<br />

annual report with friends, family, and co-workers. As you<br />

can see by the statistics <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong> this report, thousands<br />

of people receive thousands of hours of services each year.<br />

These services, provided primarily by volunteers with the<br />

guidance and direction of the excellent <strong>VINE</strong> staff, enable<br />

<strong>in</strong>dividuals to obta<strong>in</strong> or reta<strong>in</strong> personal freedom that<br />

otherwise would not be available to them.<br />

In clos<strong>in</strong>g, please remember <strong>VINE</strong> <strong>in</strong> your prayers<br />

and actions over the next twelve months. I’m sure the<br />

executive director, staff, and Board will cont<strong>in</strong>ue to enhance<br />

the f<strong>in</strong>ancial stability and breadth of programs <strong>VINE</strong> offers<br />

to persons <strong>in</strong> need.<br />

Karl Friedrichs

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