Most of the time, we don’t let the door open on what goes on in the office, we show you the outcome. But every one of those moments begins somewhere.
National Nonprofit Day gives us an opportunity to look a little closer at the people and organizations working behind the scenes to make those moments possible.
At Pima Foundation, we are fortunate to see that work every day we come into the office. Many of you know that our story is closely connected to Pima Community College and to the people throughout Southern Arizona who believe that education can transform a life.
And you may also know that it takes more than one person to make that happen.
We have our donors who believe in changing lives, our community partners who see a need and ask how they can help, faculty and staff who continue showing up for their students, even when the path isn’t easy and even our alumni who remember what someone once did for them and decide it’s their turn to give back.
Sometimes philanthropy is that large gift that makes a new facility possible, but a lot of the times it’s something much smaller. Between the conversations we have that ignite a fire to enact change, to in-kind donations or payroll deductions and even those who volunteer their time to give a tour or attend an event.
Often times, we don’t always know which small act will become a turning point, and that tends to be the beautiful thing about nonprofit work. Yes, you might give a gift today, but the impact doesn’t necessarily happen instantly. It could be years from now when a student graduates or transfers or even starts a new career.
Somewhere along the way, the original act of generosity becomes part of a much bigger story, and that is what community looks like. It isn’t one organization doing everything but rather bringing people together to give what they can and putting it toward something they believe matters.
At Pima Foundation, we have the privilege of being one piece of that larger picture.
Through our donors and community partners, we help connect resources to students and programs at Pima Community College. We get to watch ideas become opportunities and opportunities become stories of success.
Personally, I believe the most meaningful part is knowing that none of it happens alone. And maybe that is the message I am trying to convey on this National Nonprofit Day. It isn’t simply a day to celebrate us and other organizations, but rather the people behind them, the ones who continue to champion our mission.
You, the community, are the reason nonprofit organizations, like us, can continue doing what they do.
At Pima Foundation, we are grateful for everyone who continues to show up for Pima Community College, it’s students, faculty and staff and for Southern Arizona.
Remember, behind every opportunity is someone who believed it was worth creating, and behind every lasting change is a community willing to build it together.
