It is with great personal sadness that I tell you of the death of my dearest friend and colleague Debra J. Kossow Rosenblum, a founding member and the Treasurer of the DACKKs Group. Debbie died in April after a very long and courageous fight to overcome cancer. She was 56.

Despite her personal challenges, Debbie always brought wisdom and humor to our work. Though she is terribly missed her legacy remains in the ongoing success of the DACKKs Group.

That success is quantifiable. This year we received two substantial grants that will ensure the long term operation of our properties. With grant money from the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, we will be making much needed capital improvements –roofing, siding, windows- to our two family homes. A second grant, the State Rental Assistance Program, will help us to meet our housing expenses not covered by the low rents we receive from our tenants. Finally, with our challenge grant from the Domain Fund -and your ongoing support- we will continue to raise the capital we need to begin our next project, LINKs Two, serving five chronically homeless individuals in permanent supportive housing.

Why focus on the chronically homeless? A 1998 study by a University of Pennsylvania sociologist showed that the majority of people who stay in shelters do so only briefly while ten percent cycle in and out repeatedly for years while accounting for half of the total bed use. According to Philip F. Mangano, director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, it is cheaper to put the chronically homeless right into apartments, providing support services there, than it is to watch them cycle endlessly through shelters and other service organizations. By addressing first –and successfully- those who use the majority of the services, those in less frequent need of the services will be able to access them. It is this cost benefit approach to the problem that has refocused the government's approach to ending chronic homelessness, and is a factor in the development of countless Ten Year Plans to End Homelessness around the country.

Our success comes from the continuing support and enthusiasm that our volunteers have shown. Our ability to move forward demonstrates to foundations, grantmakers and supporters that we have the capacity to deliver on our stated mission. We do it with your help. Thank you for your continued support.

Karen E. Amy President

June 2006