January 2022 CEO Blog
“Everybody can be great … because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”
– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
A new year is upon us, and with it comes opportunities to learn, grow, connect, and serve. As we look at the year ahead, perhaps we can shift our attention to how we can be of service to our community, neighbors, and each other. What is possible if we collectively look beyond ourselves when creating resolutions and goals? What can we change in our own communities? Even small efforts to serve can produce meaningful impacts.
On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, our community celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. King. Some celebrations were virtual, and other groups found safe ways to commit to a day of service by volunteering and making a difference. What a beautiful way to honor Dr. King’s legacy while connecting and lifting the spirits of others while giving back to our community.
There are some great opportunities coming up to learn, grow, connect, and serve. The Community Foundation is hosting a “Power of Endowment” webinar on January 27th that is open to non-profit staff and board members, as well as community members interested in learning more about contributing to the over 680 endowment funds we have here at the Community Foundation.
I hope you will consider participating in the Racial Equity Institute Phase One virtual training sponsored by the Community Foundation on February 15th and 16th. The Community Foundation is proud to support community members interested in learning more about diversity, inclusion, and equity. If you would like to participate in the training, please email communications@peoplewhocare.org or give our office a call at 440.984.7390.
Also, if you have a student in your life, encourage them to submit an essay for the Toni Morrison Essay Contest for Young People. This contest is a unique opportunity to engage our young people with our hometown hero’s prose. We are astounded at the creative submissions that Ms. Morrison’s legacy inspires our young people to produce every year.
As January ends, we encourage anyone in Lorain County pursuing trade schools or higher education to apply for a Community Foundation Scholarship. Our scholarship process is open to Lorain County residents until March 2nd at 11:59 p.m.
Finally, it continues to be a challenging time in our schools. Please keep our teachers, administrators, school employees, and students in your thoughts. We can all consider making an impact in our local schools by volunteering, mentoring, and offering our support.
I hope you are finding unique ways to learn, grow, connect, and serve in your corner of the world. Be gentle with yourself, and I hope to see you soon.
Be well,
Cindy
