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5 <br />Immigrants are suffering disproportionately from our current economic crisis. We see this in ow <br />patient population -for instance, our clients' average annual income per person has gone down ' <br />$449.00 compared to a year ago. When you consider that for a family of four this is a $1,796 <br />reduction in annual income, with average annual family income $14,9701ast year, you start to see ~. <br />the impact that is having on standards of living. The median household income in our county is <br />$42,6801. <br />These mentally ill, uninsured, marginalized families, paying Chapel Hill and Carrboro prices for <br />necessities and scrimping on housing, food, and transportation, contribute almost $50,000 per y <br />cash money to our agency in payments of $10 or $20 per visit. <br />As you know, it is difficult to find and keep well-qualified bilingual and bicultwal professional <br />personnel in ow area. We are very proud of ow staff, including six therapists, a psychiatrist, <br />business manager and clinic assistant, from Honduras, Nicaragua, Columbia, Argentina and the <br />United States. If we have to let some of them go or keep piling on to their work load after already <br />eliminating cost of living expenses we may never recover in terms of services or the financial <br />snowballing as fenders lose faith in our ability to complete ow plans. <br />Orange County's loss of El Futwo's services most importantly will have a human impact in terms' <br />of substance abuse, anxiety, depression, and children's problems not treated. It will also impact <br />other sectors, such as our landlord, the InterFaith Council, another receipient of county funds. <br />They are counting on the $21,600 we pay them in rent each year. <br />El Futuro has re uested financial su rt from Oran a Coun ev <br />q ppo g ty ery year since 2005. This may ; <br />truly be yow last chance to help us. Thank you very much for whatever you can do, and for your <br />service on behalf of our entire community. <br />Sincerely, <br />D. Lucas Smith, M.D. <br />Executive Director <br />Cc: Laura Blackmon, County Manager <br />Gwen Harvey, Assistant County Manager <br />i North Carolina Economic Devebpment Intelligence System, <br />hops://edis. tom merce.state.nc. us/dots/rnuntyProfile/NC/37135. pdf <br />