My son, Corey, had the opportunity to shadow students in the Collegiate Academy at Leto last week.  One of the classes he observed was psychology.  The class was doing a study on gratefulness and its therapeutic use with anxious and depressed patients.  I was so intrigued that high school students were having the opportunity to study this relatively new concept as it relates to the therapeutic process.  It started me thinking on the power of gratefulness and its tie to the Thanksgiving season.  

Many of us reflect upon Thanksgiving as a chance to appreciate the abundance in our lives.  If you think about it, this reflection is really about acknowledging our gratefulness for the gifts we have received.  These gifts can be physical, mental, emotional or spiritual.  Being grateful means that even  in our most challenging times, we have opportunities to learn, grow and extend our compassion to others (gratefulness.org).   At the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, gratefulness is the by-product of our daily work:  we ensure that no one in our community has to face crisis alone.  We are all grateful for the work we do and our clients are grateful for the help they receive.  It is truly a full circle!!!

I want to express my gratitude for the amazing results our staff have accomplished this year.  We produced the following outcomes for the Hillsborough County community:

*    The 2-1-1 contact center handled 111,843 calls
*    2,981 suicide prevention safety plans were developed for veterans
*    Sexual Assault Services provided 299 forensic examinations and provided advocacy and support to 505 survivors

At its most granular, our incredible outcomes mean that people in crisis contacted the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay when they needed us most.  They found help, hope and healing. 

I am also extremely grateful for you - our community members and political leaders who provide your time, talent and treasures in support of the Crisis Center.  As I say all the time, the Crisis Center cannot meet its mission without your generosity!!!  THANK YOU!

I want to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving.  Please know how GRATEFUL I am to have you as a friend of the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay!