As we look back at 2012 the past few months have been ones of leadership transition and refocusing at Renew Lehigh Valley (RenewLV), but we have never been more dedicated to our mission to promote regional collaboration and the continued revitalization of the Lehigh Valley’s core communities. The need for smart growth planning and development is still immense in our region.

Renew LV is currently acting to meet that need and to advocate for our core beliefs: that regional thinking can foster more effective planning and public investment that, in turn, lead to strong core communities and preserve the natural and historical assets that make the Lehigh Valley such a special place. Renew LV has refocused its initiatives to include:

Leading the public outreach efforts for Envision Lehigh Valley aimed at furthering the current Comprehensive Plan and establishing a regional sustainability plan
Advocating for a regional water authority to offer a fair price to the City of Allentown and for the City to favor proposals that maintain local, public control of water and wastewater operations
Advancing a police regionalization plan within the Slate Belt
Exploring inter-governmental cooperation that could lead to more efficient delivery of services, such as multi-municipal land use planning and permitting
Supporting the Lehigh Valley Regional Intelligence and Investigation Center and expanding its reach into Northampton County
Engaging in state policy discussions to advocate for state-level policy changes that enable effective regional governance

I am writing to you as a historic supporter of Renew LV’s efforts in the region and an influential member of our community to see if you might consider a financial contribution to Renew LV to support these efforts in 2013. This support will help Renew LV maintain the staff capacity and other resources needed to engage community members in working together toward a high quality of life in our region.

Thank you for giving this request your consideration, and thank you for supporting Renew Lehigh Valley's efforts in the Lehigh Valley. Happy Holidays and best wishes for 2013!

Best,

Rachel Bradshaw, Director

484-893-1060 ~ rbradshaw@renewlv.org