“For many, this moment has solidified the importance of our local connections. The social networks and supports that keep society running need our attention so that all in our community can weather this moment and be prepared to thrive.”
Dear Friends,
Just under a month ago we said bon voyage to our dear friend Jeff Hirota. It was a gift to spend two weeks overlapping with Jeff, absorbing his wisdom as I began my service as CEO of your Community Foundation. It’s a strange time to make this transition (I’ve heard it referred to as “quarantime”), when the very nature of time feels surreal. It’s also a profoundly meaningful time, as we work together to support our friends and neighbors. For many, this moment has solidified the importance of our local connections. The social networks and supports that keep society running need our attention so that all in our community can weather this moment and be prepared to thrive.
One thing I have heard repeatedly over the last few weeks is an awareness that community foundations were built for moments like this. Our knowledge of and relationships with our grantee and community partners are vital in this moment. Our ability to take in and steward funds where they’re most needed is unique. And, our understanding of how today’s acute needs overlap with pre-existing inequities, grounds our decision-making. To that end, your gifts totaling $1.6M to the foundation’s COVID-19 Response Fund, have supported those most vulnerable during the pandemic, and your contributions are shaping our community’s relief and recovery efforts.
The Community Foundation also raises funds to support its operations. Without your annual gifts, the foundation would not be poised to deploy grants, gather and share community data, and serve as a convener and thought partner. We stand ready to listen, be responsive and act when needed. My arrival coincides with the foundation’s mid-year operating appeal, and I hope you will consider empowering us to continue this work by supporting our annual fund today.
You make this work possible.
Over the next month, I will host a series of virtual meet-n-greets with members of the community (this means YOU). I invite you to join me so we can get to know each other. A community foundation thrives when all voices are at the table. Thank you for continuing to be an engaged member of this community that we all love. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on how we can continue to be of service towards cultivating a more equitable and resilient Boulder County.
Warmly,
Tatiana
