Executive Director’s Message

Dear Friends,

Taking stock of how well we performed in the year just passed will help us chart a surefooted course for Pinebrook in 2008.

• Our 2006-2007 Performance Report (which you can view by clicking on "Updates"
  then on “Publications”) is highlighted by outcomes in safety, reunification/
  permanency, placement disruption/stability, re-entry, and adoption finalization that exceeded state and federal standards.
  
• Pinebrook received re-accreditation from the national Council on Accreditation (COA) in September, affirming that we continue to meet the highest national standards of service.
  
• The agency was bestowed the 2007 “Angels in Adoption” award by Congress in October on the strength of Congressman Charles Dent’s endorsement.
  
• In December, we received three-year funding approval from the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley for our "Making the Grade" truancy reduction, family support pilot program. Operations will coincide with the opening of the 2008-2009 school year in the Allentown School District, the project’s focus area.
  
• Full licensure for our Behavioral Health Services was granted recently. The license opens up new opportunities to serve more clients in the counties with which we have service contracts.

Now, a look forward to what’s in store for the rest of 2008.

• Services for young adults are being mulled, particularly for youth who exited the foster care system at 18. There is an urgent need for services that will provide a “safety net” for these young adults, and enable them to establish self-sufficiency.
  
• New family services that will enhance our current programs are in the pipeline. It is a move anticipated by our three-year Strategic Plan, which called for a re-thinking of our mission.
  
• A curriculum is being developed for "The Road Ahead," a Pinebrook partnership with Mack Trucks and the America on Wheels Museum. This career motivation and character education alliance will serve students who are at-risk for juvenile delinquency. We look forward to welcoming other businesses and community stakeholders as the partnership evolves.
  
• Groundwork for a Planned Giving Program is being set in partnership with consultant David Foster, JD, CAP, CLU, ChFC. David is an expert in charitable giving instruments that provide donors with annualized income and tax benefits. Apart from conducting workshops on Planned Giving, he will pen a series of articles on the subject, which will be accessible from our website.

We look forward to your frequent visits to this site, and to your ideas on how we can work together in serving our community.

Sincerely,
Robert M. Jacobs, MPA

A New Beginning

Every child needs a safe and nurturing family, one that loves them unconditionally. For many children, this is unfortunately not the norm. They need help. Some of these children just need a little support, a comforting hand, a shoulder to lean on. Others with more severe psychological and emotional problems require a more substantial, determined and sustained effort. Since 1979, Pinebrook has been helping thousands of children in northeastern Pennsylvania to grow and thrive, one child at a time.

Families come in all shapes and sizes. Many of them, thought to be broken beyond repair, have been mended and made whole again through Pinebrook’s nurturing support.

Whether you need help, know someone who needs assistance, or wish to lend us a helping hand, please contact Pinebrook today.

Pinebrook Services is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW) and is nationally accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA).

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