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Government funding only goes so far at David Lawrence Centers, where private gifts and donations are indispensable for the work we do.

When it comes to state spending for mental health, Florida ranks 49^th in the nation, almost at the bottom. Florida spends just $39.55 per capita on mental health. As a comparison, Washington D.C., which ranks No. 1, spends almost ten times that per capita—$360.57 per person.

The funding we receive from the federal and state governments does not come anywhere near meeting our costs. Collier County has been exceptionally generous in recent years, giving $2.3 million to David Lawrence Centers in 2017.

Even when you add it all up, it is still not enough to meet our expenses. In 2016, we came up $600,000 short of our expenses. While it appears we will do better in 2017, we may still be in the red by some $200,000.

That is why your gifts are so important. We rely heavily on compassionate, generous friends like you to fill the gap . . . and especially with your year-end giving. 

Collier County’s population keeps growing, which means more people need mental health services every year. But our funding from state and federal sources does not grow accordingly, meaning we rely more and more on donors to make up the difference.

Please consider a generous year-end gift today. You truly can make a difference… by helping to make THE difference in our annual budget. 

Thank you!