The holiday season has always been for me, as for so many, a time for celebration and to reflect and express gratitude. As I look back over the past 15 months, I cannot remember a more challenging and yet meaningful time in my 23-year tenure as Executive Director of the Brooklyn Bureau, nor a time when our staff, our board or I felt more compelled to express our deepest gratitude to our supporters.

As we enter our 137th year, tough economic times will make it increasingly difficult to provide those with disabilities, children and families in need with the wide range of services we have offered for so many years. We are all aware of the looming dramatic cuts in funding from government sources, as well as the prospect for reduced philanthropic giving. At the Bureau, we will face enormous budget constraints. A large portion of our time in the coming months will be spent developing ways to deal with the hard times ahead and thus ensure that we will be able to maintain our programs on as large a scale as possible.

Much remains to be done.

Too many people are still out of work. Many have exhausted their unemployment benefits and are now finding themselves without the resources to pay for basic necessities: shelter, food and medical care for themselves and their families.

As the employment outlook worsens, more and more families are finding themselves homeless and at the doors of city shelters that are already filled beyond capacity. Many of these families face other challenges including substance abuse, domestic violence, and HIV/AIDS - circumstances that increase the likelihood that children may be neglected or abused, and eventually end up in foster care.

All of us will feel the impact of City and State budget cuts. Municipal services will almost certainly be reduced, which will make life less comfortable for all New Yorkers. But the long-term consequences to education and childcare are of greatest concern - cuts that will translate into fewer services for children, the poor, the mentally ill and the retarded. Those who are most vulnerable will be especially hard hit. Ultimately, this will impact us all.

Over the past year, the role of the Brooklyn Bureau in our community has grown more vital than ever. Even as I write this, an increasing number of individuals and families are turning to us for food, for help finding a job, and for financial help to prevent eviction, mortgage foreclosure or the loss of utilities.

As we enjoy these days of celebration, I want to take this opportunity to once again thank our Board of Directors, staff and volunteers, without whose compassion and devotion we could not operate, as well as all who have given to the Bureau over the past year. The continuing support of our partners - government, corporations, foundations and individuals - allows us to offer help and hope to so many of the neediest members of our community. With the generosity of friends, both old and new, we can look forward to a productive year in 2003.

With my warmest wishes to you and your loved ones for the New Year.

Sincerely,

Donna A. Santarsiero
Executive Director