would pay huge dividendss for a sparely -- fairly small -- think of it as akin to a job corps or an americorps or whatever it is. think of it as health core for america. it is quite simple. there are ideas. people ask about this issue and say how bad is it? surely this has happened before. in boston town they come and go. that is certainly true. here is what is different about this. this is a crisis that is slow burning. there is a continuum here from the robust health the town on one end and the almost sugar town on the other end. ellis is on the robust side of things. one or two things happen and you slide inexorably toward the other side. there are thousands of towns along this continuum. this isn't just a frontier issue. this isn't just a boom and bust cycle that happens so rapidly a town springs up from the earth and disappears five years later. this has taken decades to happen. if we don't start thinking about it now, in ten or 15 years, there will be many more towns towards the shorter end of things. with that, thank you for your incredibly rapt attention. thank you for not throwing thi

and again, think of it as a can to a job for or americorps or whatever it is. think of it as a health corporation for america. it's quite simple. there are ideas right now, there are things. people ask about this issue and i say well, how bad is it? surely this has happened before. boom and bust towns come and go. and that's certainly true. here's what's different about this. this is a crisis that is slow burning, there's a continuum from the robust town on one end of the india almost shuddered how the other end. ellis is on the robust side of things. one or two things happen and you slide inexorably toward the of the side. there are thousands of towns along. this isn't just a front your issue. this isn't just a boom and bust cycle that happens rapidly, springs up from the earth and then disappears five years later. this has taken decades to have been. and if we don't start thinking about it now in ten or 15 years of time there will be many more counts toward the shorter end of things. so with that thank you for your incredibly rapt attention. thank you for not

and again, you know, think of it as they can to a job quarter or in americorps or whatever it is.hink of it as a health court for america. it's quite simple. there are ideas out there. there are things. people ask about this issue and they say well, how bad is that? and surely this has happened before. counts go on the come and they go. and that's certainly true. here's what's different about this. this is a crisis that is slow burning. there's a continuing year from the robust healthy town on one end into tom on the other end. ellis is on the robust side. you slide inexorably towards the other side. there are thousands of towns dotted along this continuum throughout america. this isn't just a frontier issue. this isn't just a boom and bust cycle that have been so rapidly that a towel springs from the earth and then disappears five years later. this is taken decades to happen. and if we don't start thinking about it now, in ten or 15 years, there will be many more towns towards the shattered end of things. i guess we have been completely read the book yet but we have skimmed throu

we have a few americorps/vista workers, so that might be some federal money coming into the program. but we have not sought any federal funding. we raise about $24 million per year. that is almost all through private charitable events. we worked extensively with the restaurant and food-service industry. chef-participated events at the food and wine events to help raise funds. lots of individual donors. host: food network? guest: yes, could not work is a huge partner. we have a six-year relationship with them. they have counted on all their stars who have put on p.s.a.'s for us. host: what are you seeing it as far as private donations of the last couple of years during this recession? guest: we have seen just the opposite of a big draw. we have found in the case of hundred that people are more aware of this issue than ever before. over the last 20 years we have been trying to convince people we have conquered in this country. now people know it. we have seen a powerful surge, totally unexpected. there has been of high volume of low-dollar giving. it has resulted in share our strength

as americorps alumni, i would love to go and help rebuild, but i am not a military tide.it is not safe. i would like to see more of an effort towards rebuilding their. host: and you would go yourself? caller: oh, yeah. but i'm not good at being in the military. that is not me. but there are more people like me. by this and the military has to be there to be saved, but why can't we ask every day americans to actually help rebuild? host: ok, let's go to dixon in cleveland, ohio. caller: i have two points. first, this is on obama's watch even though he did not get us in this situation. he needs to clean house for us over there. if he does not clean house, then he will be put in a situation like the democrats got put in a situation with jimmy carter back in the '70s with a weak president your -- president. host: the stohr online is that the afghan announcement may be soon. in the body of the announcement it could have at least three options. one would entail the 40,000 troop increase the general mcchrystal had requested. a middle option by senior defense officials would send