A Note of Gratitude

November 25, 2025 | Written by Adrian Jamieson, CASI Executive Director 

Every year around this time, I find myself slowing down just long enough to look around and take stock of the people who make CASI what it is. In the middle of the chaos, the surprises, the late-night planning, and the endless “do we have enough food?” moments — there’s a constant: the people who show up with heart.

To Our Staff…

I wish everyone in our community could see what I see every day.

The quick teamwork over the radios.
The way someone quietly covers a shift so a co-worker can make a doctor’s appointment.
The creativity in our classrooms.
The patience at the front desk on hectic mornings.
The way you treat every person who walks through our doors with dignity.

None of this shows up in a data report. But it shows up in the lives you touch.

Thank you for being a team that leans in — even when the day is long or the task is messy. Thank you for caring not just about the work, but about each other. It matters more than you know.

To Our Board of Directors…

Thank you for being steady, thoughtful leaders during a year that has asked all of us to stretch in new ways. You ask hard questions, you celebrate wins alongside us, and you understand that the work we do here isn’t abstract — it affects real families in our neighborhoods.

Your support gives us room to be bold, and that’s a gift.

To Our Partners and Supporters…

I’m constantly amazed by the generosity in Southern Indiana.

Whether it’s a business dropping off food for the pantry, a volunteer giving up a Saturday, a foundation believing in one of our ideas, or a local organization saying, “We’ll show up — count us in,” every act of support ripples outward.

You help us do more than we could ever do alone. Thank you for choosing to link arms with CASI.

To the Families and Clients that we serve…

Thank you for trusting us — sometimes on some of the hardest days of your life.  Thank you for letting us be part of your story. 

You are why we do this work. And you remind us, every single day, that community action still matters.

This year stretched us, challenged us, and made us proud. We expanded programs, tried new things, grew our partnerships, and welcomed so many new families into our building.

And next year will bring its own mix of opportunities and unknowns — but I feel confident because of who we have around the table.

If you’re reading this, you are part of CASI’s story — whether you visit our pantry, volunteer, give, partner with us, teach in a classroom, serve on our Board, or work behind the scenes so our doors can stay open.

Always with gratitude,

Adrian