Dear NAACP Presidents,
Over the month, we have all heard about Hurricanes Harvey & Irma as they forged a destructive path through the Caribbean towards the eastern seaboard of the United States. Both Hurricanes brought rain, flooding and treacherous winds to the Caribbean, Florida, Texas and some other states.
We do not know how many of our NAACP Presidents and members have been impacted by the hurricanes. We should feel compassionate and compelled to take some form of action.
As your State President of the NAACP California/Hawaii State Conference, I would like to provide these states impacted by the Hurricanes some financial assistance. If we say we are our brothers/sisters keeper, then we must walk the walk. Trophies are great, rankings even better—but at the end of the day, when no one is looking, I choose supporting people in need over all of the public recognition available.
Many of you have reached out offering to help in any way possible. Not unusual for the NAACP community! We expect there may be many families with additional financial burdens, so I think the best way for us to help is by generating a contribution fund where every branch in the NAACP California/Hawaii State Conference can contribute.
We need each branch to reach out to your members to request a small to large substantial contribution for the purpose of helping the hurricane victims. Let’s not leave anyone out; please call all of your members and friends. Your financial contributions can be made by mailing your checks to the NAACP State Office by October 23, 2017 attention: LaJuana J. Bivens, Area Director – Central whom I have asked to work with the branches and the Area Directors. Please indicate on your check in the memo area re: Hurricane Contribution Fund. Mrs. Bivens will be making contact on a weekly basis to ensure that we reach a minimum goal of at least $20,000, which equates to less than $385.00 per branch. If your branch can do more please do it.
I will present our contribution to our Chairman of the Board and National President/CEO at the President’s Dinner at our State Conference in October 2017. If your branch is not attending (we hope that is not the case), please submit your contribution check to the State Office in Sacramento by October 23, 2017. We want to report that all of our active branches participated.
I have heard it said that the true measure of a person is what he or she does when no one is looking. While no one is looking, let raise monies for our NAACP members, families and friends from the Caribbean to Texas, Florida, Georgia who are suffering. Let’s also show that the NAACP California/Hawaii State Conference is concerned for their personal safety and well-being as we are our Brothers/Sisters Keeper.
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers, and a special thank-you for all that I know you are going to do.
Alice A. Huffman, NAACP
STATE CONFERENCE PRESIDENT
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Many Thanks for your support. Our Unit is Santa Maria-Lompoc NAACP 1072. Please help us raise the $385.00 or more.
Many Thanks again,
Lawanda Lyons-Pruitt
President