This document is the product of many groups and individuals. The most important group was the Needs Assessment & Funding Emphases (NAFE) Committee. The Committee lent leadership, expertise, time and energy over the past year to produce this document. The Committee was very ambitious in its pursuit to complete the update of the Needs Assessment, gather input on community needs and develop Interim Priorities in time for the FY95 Allocations process. To the surprise of many, including some of those within the inner circle, we completed ,our task within the time frame required.

The leadership of our chair, Maria Elena Rivera-Peņa, is singled Out for keeping us on track, and more importantly, for her wonderful summations worthy of a high court presentation. Her summations were extremely helpful whenever the Committee began to stray off course and was losing cognitive discourse.

Special thanks to Elizabeth Gheleta and Don Cameron, agency representatives on the Committee, who participated as full and active partners in the deliberations and decision-making process.

Thank you also to The United Way San Mateo County staff Brian Kelly, Lilian Gutierrez, Ann Cagney, Lareen Cerelli, Amy and Myrie Wedertz, and Kate Bordin, Loaned Executive.

Special acknowledgment to our consultants for their analyses. Ed Schoenberger; David White; Kristin Rains, from the Northern California Community Services Council Inc.; Elena Chardon-Pietri, consultant to the Committee for gathering qualitative data.

Finally, thank you to the community members who participated in the focus groups for their invaluable input.