Unplugged - Happy New Year!

Dear PEPS community of supporters!

I would like to thank everyone who made it possible for us to serve more than 1700 families in over 200 neighborhood based peer support and parent education groups in 2011! It feels like there is small army of wonderful, dedicated and passionate people who are all critical to the success of PEPS. 

More than 220 volunteer leaders and orientation facilitators, 50 local professionals who volunteer their time as expert guest speakers for our groups and our Lecture series, event volunteers and our fabulous Board of Directors and Community Volunteers.  One third of the PEPS operating budget is offset by the generous hours donated by these volunteers, and we couldn’t serve the volume of families without them.  THANK YOU!

An additional one third of the PEPS operating budget comes from generous contributions from individuals who give back to PEPS financially to ensure the organization's long-term sustainability and to assure universal access to our programs, and from local companies supporting our events and our community.  THANK YOU!

We serve an amazing community of new parents, and we are lucky to be alongside them during the highs and the lows, the excitement and the fear of this wondrous transition to parenthood.  In joining a PEPS group, not only are these parents supporting themselves, but they are supporting the journey of 8-10 other families and parents.  It is a model that both gives and gives back.  THANK YOU!

So much has happened at PEPS. If you haven’t checked in lately, we invite you to reconnect with us.  From our new Dad's and Second Time Around groups, to the expansion of  Baby Peppers and Little Peppers site based programs into more neighborhoods and communities, to our growing and expanding music festival, PEPSapalooza!  Reconnect with PEPS today by visiting our website. Since 85% of PEPS participants join a group because of advice from a friend, we encourage you to especially look at our “share” page and see how easy it is to share PEPS with your friends and family and encourage parents you know to get themselves their own support group. 

THANK YOU ~ For an incredibly successful 2011 and for a bright 2012! Hope to see many of you at our Annual Benefit Luncheon on Tuesday, March 6!

Laura Kussick
Laurak@peps.org
206-547-8570 ext. 25