2021 Annual Appeal Letter

November 2021

Dear Friend,

I met Alyssa outside our Morristown Neighborhood House on one of her rare days off from work. Her 5-year-old daughter Kayla held her hand and introduced her to her many friends and the Cornerstone Family Programs staff she loves. The first thing Alyssa did was thank me for changing their lives.

Alyssa is a struggling single mother who is working double shifts to make ends meet. She lost her job as a home health aide during the COVID-19 pandemic but eventually found a job in a warehouse to support herself and her daughters.

Alyssa has no family nearby to watch her daughters during the day and she can’t afford a sitter on her already stretched salary. When Alyssa learned about Cornerstone Family Programs and Morristown Neighborhood House from a friend, she felt like a huge weight was lifted from her shoulders.

Only with the support of our donors can we provide children like Kayla and Jasmine with a safe place to go to receive a warm meal, participate in enrichment and recreation activities, and meet other children. With Kayla in our after-school program and Jasmine in our full-time preschool, Alyssa can concentrate on work, knowing that her daughters are safe and well cared for all day. The girls’ social skills and class work are improving, and they are excited for their days spent at ‘The Nabe’.

“Kayla loves music, art, and dance at ‘The NABE’, but her favorite activity is STEM. Now she wants to be a scientist! Cornerstone Family Programs has offered us hope and a path to brighter opportunities.” —Alyssa

Alyssa is just one of many people of all ages who counted on us to be there for them with food, childcare, support, and basic human interaction during the pandemic. Helen, 101, has been with us for many years at our Adult Day Center and our virtual social interaction during the pandemic helped her get through those trying times. Our challenges are not yet over and your generosity would allow us to serve nearly 6,000 members of our community each year – children, teens, families, seniors and their caregivers, and female veterans.

“I didn’t have much of a social life before I became part of the Cornerstone family years ago. Last year, because of the pandemic, I took part in their activities online, but now I see people again in person. It feels so good to be back!!” —Helen

For over 200 years we have been committed to helping people in our community build better lives for themselves and their loved ones. After all, strong communities are ones that look out for one another. While the need for our services has increased dramatically over the past year, our resources have been stretched even thinner. We need your help now more than ever to prepare for whatever challenges may lie ahead. By giving today, you can make a difference in the lives of your neighbors and help them cope with whatever they are facing.

With warm regards,

Patrice Picard, Chief Executive Officer
Cornerstone Family Programs

PS: Your gift today of $250, $500, or $1,000 will make a difference in the lives of your neighbors tomorrow. Can I count on your support?