Dear Community Members, September 2018
Our “COMMUNITY ALERT” letter that recently went out, explaining our current shortfall of funds, was answered with genuine concern and support for assisting Dixon Family Services (DFS) keep the doors open to serve families and individuals in need in Dixon.
Responses included contributions ranging from checks or credit card gifts in various denominations, to setting up delivery from Staples every 5 weeks of a case of paper towels for our dispensers in each of our 4 bathrooms. Quote “Just our small way to help. You (DFS) do so much for the community.”
Another donor set up an automatic withdrawal from their checking account of $50 every 3 months. Quote “This way we will be contributing a total of $200 per year without feeling it or having to remember to send it.”
To save the cost of postage I have been calling, texting and emailing donors to express gratitude on behalf of everyone at DFS and the people we serve. In case I have missed reaching you. . . THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!!
The donations we’ve received in recent weeks are all very helpful but –
WE DO NEED MORE PEOPLE TO RESPOND WITH KINDNESS
Helping us can look many different ways, such as the examples above and those below.
If you send a financial contribution it will be used in the most critical area(s). If you, as an individual, a business or club/organization prefer to sponsor a particular program, you can talk to me about that. Many service organizations, churches and businesses over the years have “sponsored” programs and services that we offer at DFS.
As I shared in the recent letter, this fiscal year (2018/2019) we have the lowest amount of government funding coming into our organization’s budget than we have had in decades. We need the support of our community now more than ever!
If you want to cover of one of our tangible needs, similarly to the paper towel donors, I have a list for the many items we use to operate our organization, such as:
Copy Paper = $330 per year, or 60 reams
Copy Machine Maintenance Agreement = $2,500 year
Toilet Paper = $555 per year, or 832 rolls
Sewer = $1,350
Garbage = $1,900
Water = $2,800
PG&E = $6,500
Pest Control = $720
Phone & Internet = $5,300
Insurances = $3,300
And here is the list of “Many Ways to Help” from our August letter:
- Write a check payable to DFS. Send or drop off to 155 North Second Street.
- Use your credit card or PayPal on our website dixonfamilyservices.org
- Sign up for automatic payroll deductions through your employer, United Way or other charitable giving programs.
- Sponsor or partially sponsor a particular program you have personal interest in. Perhaps a service that helped you or someone you know in the past.
- Sponsor one of our operating expenses for the year. Examples include utilities (electricity, water, sewer and garbage), office supplies, liability insurance, phone and internet service.
- Donate tangible items to us that we can use rather than having the expense of purchasing them with our lean budget. Examples include copy paper, toilet paper, cleaning supplies.
- Host a yard sale, bake sale, car wash, barbeque, or other ways to raise funds in the name of Dixon Family Services.
- Memorial contributions in the name of a loved one
- For future giving consider putting DFS in your will and estate plan
The services provided at Dixon Family Services are vital to a healthy community.
When I am out and about talking with people in town, it is rare that I find someone who can say they have not sent someone they know, referred one of their family members or utilized one of the various DFS programs themselves at one time or another. We help hundreds of people each year achieve goals such as increased financial stability, improved employment, improved nutrition, sobriety, emotional wellness, positive parenting and family cohesiveness. Many of the people we help become active and contributing members of this community.
Please take a moment to think about what it would be like if DFS did not exist. If you have been thinking about writing a check or of getting involved in any way, please make now the time to do it. Right now is when we need your help the most. We do not expect this lack of government funding to go on forever but in the interim we must count on your support, in as big or as small a way that you can. Everything is appreciated!
I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thank you in advance!
Sincerely,
Cookie Powell
P.S. We’re using purple paper today because it was donated! J