Posted on 09/09/2004 2:45:29 PM PDT by Lizavetta
Statement by Dr. Laura Regarding The Dr. Laura Schlessinger Foundation Closing
"It is with equal pride and regret that I share the decision of the Board of Directors to close the Dr. Laura Schlessinger Foundation on December 31 of this year. As you can imagine, we reached this decision most reluctantly after months of soul searching.
Because it was you – my listeners and sponsors – who so lovingly participated in the distribution of My StuffTM Bags to 250,000 children in crisis over the past six years, I want you to hear this news directly from me.
You have been extremely generous in donating items for the bags and in donating your time, as well. But the Foundation also requires significant ongoing underwriting which is becoming more difficult to find and, as we continue to grow, will require ever increasing amounts of money, despite our staff’s admirably consistent record of keeping expenses under 10% of revenues. Most of the underwriting for the past six years has come from my husband Lew and me.
We have thought long and hard about whether or not we want to continue to commit the bulk of our charitable contributions to this one cause – dear as it is to us. When we first started the foundation we had a three-fold mission: abused children, adoption and abstinence. The instant success of our first initiative for abused children caused us to put the other two goals on the shelf.
It is time to take them down. While we still care deeply about the children, we want to be free to devote our energies and our resources to other pressing needs in the future. Thus our decision, to close the Foundation at a high point. We will continue to pack and ship bags through the end of the year and ask that no more donations be made past October 15th. Rest assured that every item in our inventory will go into the hands of abused children.
Since the enthusiasm and commitment to My StuffTM Bags has been so pervasive throughout the country, I urge those of you who have been involved to start local community efforts to continue to provide bags to children in crisis. Much of the growing cost involved in the national effort has been maintaining inventory and shipping the bags. These costs would be minimal on a local level. Additionally, it would involve local people in the important work of relieving the suffering of these children and raise awareness of the needs of children in your own backyards.
We are extremely grateful to have partnered with all of you and with our wonderful staff in bringing love and light to hundreds of thousands of children who have experienced very little of either in their short lives. Thank you for always being there for me, for the Foundation and for the children. We eagerly await news of your local efforts on their behalf."
If you listen to what Dr Laura says about this you would know she doesn't condemn you or other women in similar situations. What you have done is admirable and honorable for your family--your husband left you; what she rails against are the families that have two working parents with kids in daycare or unattended after school.
It wasn't easy finacially for me to stop working when our first was born but we managed until the youngest started kindergarten before I went back to work to substitute teach (and only at my children's school).
We could have had many more material things had I kept working and put the boys in daycare but we made a choice and sacrifices for me to stay home.
Yes, she makes a lot of money. So??
She has been a great advocate for a children. As a stay at home mom myself, it's been wonderful having an advocate out there confirming my decision to actually raise my own kids.
God where am I??? The DU?
She has said over and over and over again that there are certain situations - unavoidable and tragic situations - wherein a mother must daycare her kids such as a husband who walks out or dies, and in those cases mothers MUST work. And to those women she has nothing but compassion because there is no other choice for those mothers.
I find it hard to believe that you listen to "half her shows" and haven't heard that. Your comment about her 'raking in the cash' makes me think you have other reasons for disliking her.
Men? Most of the people who hate Dr. Laura are women.
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