During this holiday season, there are so many great organizations and people asking for support. The question is – where should you give?
Sometimes those closest to us are the ones we inadvertently overlook. Yet these nonprofits and local groups in the community are often the ones making the most impact.
Just think of all the places right in our backyards that are doing great things – the school where we learned to excel; the schools that now educate our children or grandchildren; the organizations that feed and house our needy or assist the veterans that we honor; the church or synagogue where we worship; and the organizations that bring us joy through the arts and culture.
Supporting Our Communities
I grew up in a family with parents that believed to their core that to whom much is given, much is expected. I believe it is our obligation, as a part of a community that has given us so much, to give back to that very community.[pullquote]To whom much is given, much is expected.[/pullquote]
I have raised my family in a community similar to where I grew up – one that has supported me and provided great opportunities to my children. In return, it is important for me to share the gifts I have been given and help preserve the quality of life in that same community for residents today and into the future.
I choose to live out my family values of charity and community as a member of my local community foundation, through The San Diego Foundation Regional Affiliate Program. In addition to joining a network of hundreds of other likeminded philanthropists, The Foundation enables me to play an active role in addressing the needs of my community.
Get Involved
Before the year comes to a close, I encourage you to make a donation to your regional affiliate foundation that can connect your generosity to causes that matter, right in your own backyard.
One of my favorite quotes is by Ralph Waldo Emerson – “To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”
The Regional Affiliate Program fulfills this message by enabling friends and neighbors to give back to programs making a difference for people in our communities.
If you aren’t a member yet, the Regional Affiliate Program is the perfect way to become an active participant in your community’s growth, wherever you live.
Totaling more than 700 members, affiliates reside in communities from Carlsbad, Chula Vista, Escondido, La Jolla, Oceanside, Ramona, Rancho Bernardo, San Ysidro, and 4S Ranch-Del Sur.
How do you give back to or support your neighborhood? Let us know in the comments below!
About Trudy Armstrong
As The San Diego Foundation’s Regional Affiliates Director, Trudy Armstrong built the Escondido, Rancho Bernardo, 4SRanch-Del Sur, Ramona, and La Jolla affiliates. She currently oversees the Regional Affiliate Program and shares oversight of each affiliate with other Regional Outreach staff.
Let us know in the comments below!