Message from Leigh Derby - President & CEO
What We Do Today, Right Now, Will Have an Accumulated Effect on All Our Tomorrows” Alexandra Stoddard
LifeSpan is facing the biggest financial struggle in our 36 year history. We are faced with knowing that our decisions on closing programs or reducing services will have an effect on the children and adults we support in the future.
The fiscal year budget at LifeSpan relies heavily on state and federal funding. We continue to receive memos concerning additional, drastic cuts being made due to the North Carolina budget. Our United Way funding decreased by 35%, three municipalities are no longer able to provide financial support, charitable dollars dipped 31%, and state funding in one area is 43% below state guidelines. We are now faced with Medicaid cutting another 5%. Our programs in Iredell and Surry counties received a 50% reduction in funding.
Our CFO and our recovery team are working feverishly to determine how to survive when we are looking at an additional $500,000 loss in funding for this fiscal year on a budget that was already operating at a loss. At LifeSpan, we remain optimistic as doom and gloom permeates our economy. Our team is working on a recovery plan. We continue to quickly make changes that will ensure solvency and provide much needed programs for people with developmental disabilities. Drastic changes are being made to ensure programs for tomorrow. Our commitment is to provide programs today and in the future for children and adults with developmental disabilities. Like all non-profits, corporations, foundations, and even our houses of worship, we are making rapid changes to ensure viability.
The economic situation may be challenging, but, the programs of LifeSpan continue to operate as we ride through this intense economic struggle. The mission of LifeSpan will not be complete until all children and adults with developmental disabilities are woven into the fabric of their communities...
We need your financial support today more than any other time. Remember the words of Alexandra Stoddard and help us today provide programs that will affect children and adults with developmental disabilities today and in the future.
