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To the Editor: 

As Board Chair of Collaborating Agencies Responding to Disaster (CARD of Alameda County), I am writing to publicly thank the leadership of three communities in Alameda County- San Leandro, Newark, and the Unincorporated Areas-who have embraced and supports CARD's efforts. CARD's mission is to help community based organizations (CBO's) learn to sustain themselves during and after a disaster, ensure that their clients, staff and volunteer stay safe, and how to successfully participate in community-wide response to a disaster. CARD targets organization that serve our most vulnerable residents including, but not limited to, people with disabilities, frail and elderly, children, low income, non-English speakers and others at greater risk. 

All of these groups have special needs that will be most suitably met by the agencies whose primary focus is on them. Traditional response agencies such as the Red Cross and FEMA are not designed to provide highly specialized services to people with special needs. 

Mayor Shelia Young of San Leandro, Mayor David Smith of Newark, and Charles Plummer, Sheriff of Alameda County, support CARD and our mission to prepare community service organizations and their vulnerable clients. The agencies in these communities have been provided free support, information and guidance in getting prepared, and are moving ahead in true partnership with local government. We thank these three leaders for their support, and their commitment to the safety of their community service provider, faith-based organization and the many thousands of residents who rely on these organization to survive. Thank you. 

James F. Harris 

Board Chair- Collaboration Agencies Responding to  

Disaster of Alameda County