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The following is an excerpt and revision of a letter originally sent by Greg Dorrien, Executive Director, to our donors in October 2009. Bad news turns out great! The Center was saddened when the State of Michigan decided to cut funding for all non-profit operated preschools by 50%. This funding for non-profit preschool programs is based upon a competitive application process and WMFC is in the fortunate small group of agencies that did not have to absorb any cuts. All 63 of our preschool children are all going to have an opportunity to start kindergarten next fall much more ready to learn. For that we are most grateful. A similar organization to us, the NORTH Midland Family Center (no official connection) wasn’t as fortunate. The State did not fund their two preschool classrooms (36 children total). But in the spirit of community collaboration, all of Midland county’s State funded preschool providers have banded together (under the Success by 6 initiative, lead by Alan Oman) and agreed to do whatever was needed to keep ALL the Midland County Preschool Programs operational. And this collaboration has paid off, not only did we get the WMFC Preschool Program fully funded, but our proposal for an expansion grant to offer preschool to 18 more children…was approved as well. After getting approval from the Department of Education we will now subcontract these expansion funds to North Midland Family Center so they can serve 18 of their children. Kinder Kare also received an expansion grant and they are doing the same. This way NO Midland County preschool child has been adversely affected this year by the State budget cuts! If we were a business that viewed our success based on income we would say 2009 is progressing, under difficult challenges, reasonably well. But we are an organization that views our outcomes as our true measure of success. We’re really about helping children and parents become socially productive citizens. Things like our preschool program, the After School and Summer programs, College Opportunity Program, the parenting, mentoring and counseling are all long term strategies that payoff big dividends for society year after year. And by those standards we’re all proud to say that so far 2009 has been our most successful year to date! Hope you and your family are doing as well. Sincerely, Greg Dorrien Executive Director