I also question if government can ever teach moral values. And I question even further if agencies that rely heavily on government funding are rendered impotent by that very reliance. This is the thinking that has motivated our operation over these 20 years to bypass bureaucracy. To turn to church pews, civic organizations, and humanitarian individuals for hands-on volunteer help. And at the same time to embrace the entire Sacramento populace for our needed financial support.
Some people are in a position to give money, others are in a position to give of themselves.
We've been fortunate to have an advisory board of business and community leaders who have done both. Rather than preoccupy ourselves with problems or bogging ourselves down with bureaucratic solutions, we've chosen to focus on the many opportunities for doing good each day. Our work could not be done without the energy and generosity of nearly 800 volunteers. I spend many hours acknowledging the generosity of our donors, personally signing notes to approximately 15,000 people each year. Each time we've tackled one need, another has become apparent, and we've seized the opportunity to develop new programs.