 Most of us choose to live in Santa Cruz County, not only because we treasure the beauty and the lifestyle, but also because we value our families, our friends, and our neighbors. We respect the environment we live in. We pull together when help is needed, and we take care of each other. What many people don't know is that for over 25 years there has been a network behind the scenes making sure what we value is available for everyone. The Human Care Alliance is a unique collaboration of over 60 nonprofit health and human service agencies serving the entire Santa Cruz County area. Our long history of advocacy for low-income individuals and families makes us a leader in nonprofit agency collaboration and resource sharing and ensures a safety net for our county's neediest people. They're there to really protect and to advocate for those people who may not be able to do that for themselves, such as seniors and children and people with other disabilities as well. As a business owner, the graffiti removal program and people have taken me off the street doing it myself. I can be in here at my desk working and doing what I want to do. Not out cleaning graffiti off of signs and benches and whatever it's on. Through the graffiti program and the related areas, what I found is it's actually a tip of the iceberg. There's a whole support structure in this county, in this community and county that we can rely on for different services and you don't know it's there until you start using it and you begin to realize that there's other things and it's linked to other people and organizations that come out and provide these services many times without any cost to me as a business owner. It's probably one thing that makes this county and community as pleasant to live in as it is. These nonprofits are widely cast across four sectors and are working to meet daily needs in our community. Giving youth and families, providing health and human services, strengthening community and increasing independence for seniors and the disabled. With such a vast range of services, almost every resident of Santa Cruz has a neighbor, friend or family member who has been helped by a human care alliance agency. Perhaps it was a family needing childcare or a senior trying to live at home. Maybe it was someone needing help with dental care or possibly it was a parent struggling to learn to read. Meals on wheels brings me an entree meal every day, Monday through Friday and on Thursday and Friday brings me an extra one for over the weekend so that I have one, I'm sure, nutritionally planned meal per day from Meals on Wheels and they have very pleasant drivers who bring the meals and stop chat for a minute or two. While no individual expects that government or social service agencies will be there to solve all their problems most of us have at some point felt the weight of life struggles and it is at such moments that the true meaning of community becomes relevant. It is comforting to know that there are agencies willing to provide a voice to those in need, a safeguard in times of uncertainty and willing to leverage our community dollars for the greater good so that every child in our community has an equal opportunity to succeed and every individual has the opportunity to maintain hope for a better tomorrow. Together human care alliance agencies act as the eyes and ears of our community using their expertise to efficiently respond to needs and give community members faith in their daily dreams. I think it's really important that the community understand what the human care alliance is. We come together on their behalf and we stand together. I think even for a small group we are very powerful in that we stand together and it's a good message for everyone right now that together we can make a difference and our voices together can be heard and make good changes for our community. We become communities of a vibrant life. So I just think it's invaluable. More communities need a human care alliance. It's the way all communities should be. Thank you human care alliance. Thank you human care alliance. Thank you human care alliance.