When I speak to groups about the Maine Community Foundation, I often begin by telling them that I’m in the gratifying business of giving. It’s true. Every day, my colleagues and I work with leaders running nonprofit organizations whose very missions are centered on making Maine (and the world!) a better place. We also work with generous people whose gifts of time and money make a significant difference in the lives of many.
Listeners to Maine Public Radio know that we were a partner for the recent Feed Your Radio; Feed A Family pledge drive. For each pledge to MPBN, MaineCF made a grant to the Good Shepherd Food-Bank to feed a family of four for about a week. I did a couple of live radio spots with on-air celebrity Jennifer Mitchell--probably as close as I’ll ever come to having my own radio program for advice-about-anything.
I also met Rick Small, director of the Good Shepherd Food-Bank, who was deeply grateful for the support and proud of their work, which extends to all parts of the state. The campaign was hugely successful for the three partners, and more than one MPBN member told me that they had increased their pledge, inspired by MaineCF’s grant to the food-bank.
In this season of giving, giving abounds. While there are countless examples of Mainers’ generosity, here are just a few. Yesterday, Bill Nemitz, in his Maine Sunday Telegram column, highlighted a couple in Massachusetts who were moved to help some struggling residents of Washington County. People for People, a volunteer group in my hometown of Belfast, is once again raising funds for the hundreds of Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets they make up for local residents. And the Washington Hancock Community Agency is once again raising funds for their heating fuel assistance program.
We might not be the richest state in the nation as defined by per capita income levels, but I suspect there are few other states that can claim our levels of generosity. So here’s to all of us, and Thanks for Giving!