It is no secret that 2020 has been a difficult year for all of us. As we approach Thanksgiving this week, it is another sign of how things are different this year. We will not be gathered around the dinner table with large groups of family and friends as we normally are every fourth Thursday in November, but as I reflect back on this year, there is plenty that I am thankful for.
Frederick County is a generous community. So many of our citizens are eager to extend a helping hand through their generosity, compassion, and empathy. I am thankful to live in a place where people care deeply about their community and want to see it succeed well into the future, and that The Community Foundation of Frederick County has a role in translating our community’s simple good intentions into powerful acts of philanthropy.
I am thankful for the Community Foundation’s founders. It is because of the selfless dedication and extraordinary vision of Charles V. Main, Donald C. Linton, CPA, and W. Jerome Offutt, Esq. that the Community Foundation is what it is today and has given back more than $71 million to the community since its inception in 1986.
I am thankful for our board of trustees. Our board is a dedicated group of 24 volunteers that works to promote philanthropy that keeps Frederick County thriving now and for future generations. All trustees take their roles and responsibilities seriously, and the Community Foundation is fortunate to be guided by their leadership.
Our generous donors and fund founders enable us to do the work that we do on a daily basis. Their consistent show of support and desire to see Frederick County be a vibrant community will positively impact our citizens for generations to come, and for that, I am thankful.
I am thankful for the Community Foundation’s competent and dedicated staff, who work each day in serving the Community Foundation’s mission. Our staff is experienced, they work hard, and they uphold our excellent reputation for trustworthiness, accountability, and transparency.
As I reflect back on this year, I am also thankful for Frederick County’s nonprofit community. It is collaborative, innovative, and is always striving to respond to the changing needs of our community. This was perhaps most evident as soon as the pandemic hit our community back in March. The COVID-19 Philanthropic Funders Collaborative quickly formed, consisting of major local funders within Frederick County. These organizations worked together to respond quickly and decisively to provide emergency relief funding throughout our community.
This year has been a year unlike any other. The Community Foundation of Frederick County will continue its work to ensure that Frederick County is forever. We know that through this community’s support and all of our collaboration that #NothingStopsPhilanthropy.