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Annual Report for the year 2000

                                                                              (our most pressing need is more volunteers)

This year’s financial picture is definitely more positive than last  year’s as almost every category of donor showed an increase.  A review of our audit will give the particulars.  The client demand for our emergency food, clothing, shelter, financial assistance and prescription voucher program has kept pace with the increase in donations.

Many of our clients are experiencing, for the first time, the ups and downs of employment: reduction in work hours, layoffs, last-hired-first-fired policies, transportation problems, budgeting, etc.  Even though these lessons are sometimes hard and trying, they will ultimately be of assistance along the road to independence.

The Mother and Child Nutrition Program (MAC) also available at this site, has expanded to cover an additional senior living center.  This federal food program mainly reaches out to pregnant women and children under the age of six but also includes a senior component.  Of the approximate 500 food packets we distribute monthly, more than half go to seniors.

Our prescription voucher program continues to be in high demand.  We have had to switch to a new pharmacy because the original one closed.  This new site is part of a nationwide chain, which should ultimately result in partially lowering our costs.  Unfortunately prescription costs remain very high so we are still forced to make difficult decisions with regard to amounts of medicines to be purchased and how often the service can be provided to the same client.

A major concern is that of the dwindling volunteer corps.  As some of our volunteers are getting older and less capable of handling the stress and physical aspects of our agency, they have had to "retire".  We have been unable to recruit a sufficient number of younger people to balance the workload, which means that the existing paid and volunteer staff have had to work harder and the in-office waiting time of our clients has increased.

In summation, Respond Now continues to enjoy a good reputation for its willingness to tackle emergency problems in a speedy and an individualistic manner.  That reputation brings about much goodwill and in-kind donations from the community at large.  We take seriously the role of the board and staff to be good stewards of that generosity.

  Respectfully submitted: 

  - BOARD OF DIRECTORS -                                - STAFF -
JACK COOGAN - PRESIDENT             DENNIS CONDON - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
JOAN COOGAN - SECRETARY           BARBARA FIELDS - ASSIST. DIRECTOR
NANCY LIBERMAN - TREASURER    MAGDALENA COCA-CONDON - MAC DIRECTOR
ANITA PELLETTIERE                            CHARLES JOHNSON - PROGRAM MANAGER
EILEEN DAW                                            EDWARD VENTURA - SECURITY GUARD
ELLEN KAPLAN                                      APPROXIMATELY 30 VOLUNTEERS
MICHAEL ARKES
RON FEIGENBAUM
REV. JOHN SIEMANOWSKI