Saturday, December 26, 2020

What ‘Being in Community’ Means to Adirondack Foundation

adirondack foundation logoAs Adirondack Foundation and our partners continue to respond to the impacts of the pandemic, our work is guided by meaningful participation from business, faith, nonprofit, education, and civic leaders who understand that we all must join together to build a better tomorrow.

Since March, we have awarded $1.1 million through 175 grants specifically supporting COVID-19 response and relief efforts. This portion of our overall grantmaking is thanks to more than 500 donations from people deeply concerned about the social, emotional, health, and economic toll this pandemic is taking on our region.

Behind these numbers  –  in our grant recipients, partners, and donors  –  we see quiet compassion and selfless commitment making a difference in Adirondack communities. We see it in the home visitor who is helping families raise strong kids despite daunting circumstances; in the nonprofit leader pairing mentors with kids who have limited access to opportunity; in the counselor working every day to battle against the opioid epidemic; in the restaurant owner delivering food to isolated seniors; in the families sharing their own resources to help their neighbors and our region thrive.

Right now, it is more important than ever to celebrate acts of generosity, dignity and grace  –  to come together in that way Adirondackers do so well. Being ‘in community’ means doing what we can with what we have, right where we are at.

We are in awe of the ways in which so many people continue to build and weave and strengthen community through this time of unprecedented challenge. It gives us confidence that even as the infection rates rise in our region, we can, and we will, get through this together.

–Cali Brooks
President & CEO
Adirondack Foundation

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Cali Brooks is president & CEO of Adirondack Foundation. After working with nonprofit organizations in Southeast Asia, Central America, and the United States, Cali returned home to the Adirondacks and worked for the HKH Foundation where she conducted a survey to assess the economic, social, cultural, and environmental strengths of the Adirondack region. She then joined the Public Affairs office of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and co-founded the Wildlife Conservation Society's Adirondack Communities and Conservation Program. She and her family live in and love the Adirondacks.




2 Responses

  1. Gary LEE says:

    Hi Cali, Nice message in these tough times, long ways from looking for invasive plants so many years ago now, Stay safe, Gary

  2. Nora says:

    I agree it was a beautiful message and I know I am very grateful and very happy to be a part to the Adirondack Community.

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