A Greater Need
We’re lucky to live in a community that responds to the call of action. Around this time last year, I wrote about need. The need in our community was greater than ever before. As a community, you responded by helping us build our Community Emergency Support Fund that has granted more than $225,000 to nonprofits in need so far.
We see this responsiveness in action every day in first responders, essential workers, civic leaders and elected officials, those who work in the health care and human services, educators, and so many others.
Another way we see this is in the nonprofits throughout our community. They rise to the occasion to feed the hungry, shelter the unhoused, enrich the community and so much more. This is the time of year we think about supporting them, but they need help year-round. They can only do this work with our help.
While we often think of monetary donations, you can also give of your time and talent. Serve at a food pantry, make cards for those who won’t get to see family, donate extra goods (coats or food), bake cookies for a neighbor. Simply call a nonprofit to find out what they need. Some may need paper products, gas cards, an extra set of hands or anything in between.
The end of the year is also an opportunity to engage your family in giving. Collect cans for a free pantry, vote on an organization to donate to, or pool what you might spend on gifts to give as a family to a cause important to you and yours.
As we look to 2022, we once again face many unknowns. One thing is certain: local nonprofit organizations will continue to support our community no matter what the future holds. We have the chance to help these agencies in the critical work they do. The need is greater than The Community Foundation, greater than the nonprofit sector and greater than the private sector. The only way to overcome is by coming together with the resources we have available. We must come together this holiday season to support our friends, family and neighbors during what continues to be a challenging season.
If you’re interested in a permanent gift, consider any of the nearly 500 endowment funds at the Foundation, which benefit nonprofits across the county, or establish a fund of your own at the Foundation. A gift to your Community Foundation will help support the causes and organizations you’re passionate about in perpetuity. Consider making a gift as a family to an organization important to you, honor someone who’s made a positive difference in your life, or remember a loved one who has passed with a memorial gift. Thank you for your generosity by including the Foundation in your end-of-year giving. Your gift will help us make a lasting community impact.
This editorial was originally printed in The Courier Wednesday, December 22, 2021.
