#02 - Community Thread Presentation

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Sharon King President, Board of Directors Sally Anderson Executive Director Dear Friends of Community Thread, As we reflect on 2021, we are overjoyed that Community Thread was able to continue its mission of serving our community and humbled by the generous support of our volunteers, donors, and supporters. We have two key messages from last year that we would like to share with you. Our first message is how pleased we were to see everyone working together toward forming another “new normal”. This is evident in the favorable increases in direct services offered to our participants, as well as in visits from older adults who attended social or educational programs. Community Thread served more people in 2021 than 2020; however, this is still only half of the number we served, prior to the pandemic. We look forward to continuing to offer the direct services and experiences that keep people engaged. The second message is how exciting it was to celebrate setting a new “record”. Our community prides itself on volunteer involvement and Community Thread coordinated the efforts of over 2,500 volunteers in 2021! This equated to nearly $309,000 in labor. These volunteers were engaged with our organization in many different opportunities, ranging from the Stuff the Bus school supply drive to serving as special “Covid relief” volunteers, and assisting the most vulnerable in our community. A demand that continues to increase, and has become especially relevant, is the need to help older adults age in place in their homes and in their communities. As adults age, some may experience countless barriers to creating and maintaining their independence. Many face challenges in finding safe and affordable transportation, while others have trouble finding reliable and cost-effective help for routine home repairs and chore assistance. These needs have been especially relevant over the last two years. At Community Thread, we are well-positioned to help adults age in place and can fulfill this need with our new model for programming: Thrive at Community Thread. In 2021, we introduced Thrive through a “soft launch” and began to offer expanded services to the participants enrolled in our Older Adult and Chore Services and Transportation Programs. Thrive at Community Thread will help us deepen our connection with the community and increase our ability to better serve our neighbors for decades to come. Finally, throughout the year, the Community Thread Board of Directors worked to advance the financial sustainability of the organization. In 2020 and 2021, Community Thread applied for and was awarded two loans through the Paycheck Protection Program; both loans were forgiven in 2021. We also received a record number of generous gifts from foundations, municipalities, and individual donors who recognized the value of our work. We are in a solid position to continue to advance our mission. Thanks for your support in keeping our community a caring place. Sharon King Sally Anderson