With that growth comes the acknowledgement that there will continue to be plenty of regional challenges ahead of us - and plenty of opportunities to collaborate with our member governments, agency and non-profit partners, and private sector supporters in our combined effort to sustain a healthy region. We have a proven track record of identifying and addressing unmet needs through available resources, and as you will see in this report we have worked hard to increase those resources in pursuit of our vision through the provision of direct services and programs we offer to children, families, and seniors. Additionally, we have returned focus to our member jurisdictions through the introduction of a small cities workshop series.
As significant as our accomplishments have been this past year, they are not ours alone to celebrate. If not for the commitment, support, and sacrifice of so many caring and dedicated individuals, the true measure of our significance in the region would never materialized. My sincerest thanks to the numerous volunteers, Advisory and Governing Board members, partners, and member jurisdictions for all their contributions and for being better leaders building better lives.
Eric M. Bridges, Executive Director