Dear South Central LAMP Community,
Capturing an entire year in one letter is never easy. It feels even harder this year, when so much has happened. Yet as I look back, one truth stands out: the greatest gift of 2025 was discovering how many allies we had walking with us through some very tough moments.
This year taught me that our world is shaped as much by our actions as by our inactions. I learned that we cannot be everything for everyone—and we don’t have to be. When good people come together, more becomes possible, and the load becomes lighter for each of us. I learned that most of us want the same simple, essential things: health, peace, love, safety, and the means to sustain them. And as John F. Kennedy reminded us, “what unites us is far greater than what divides us.”
I am profoundly grateful to every person who found ways to support not only us, but others as well—during the fires in January, the ICE raids in June, and the shutdown that froze SNAP benefits and left many families without food. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for choosing compassion when it mattered most.
Your generosity, your concern for one another, your kindness, and your willingness to take action have not only supported families, but you have also lifted the energy of the world around you.
Thank you for being the change you wish to see. Thank you for making this world better for all of us.
With gratitude and love and on behalf of everyone at South Central LAMP, we wish you a wonderful holiday season full of joy, love and hope, and a happy New Year!
Diana Z. Pinto
Executive Director