Resources for supporting our community, now more than ever
As we head into the holidays, we hope you and your family are finding many things to be grateful for even during these uncertain times. Despite the disappointments and inconveniences the pandemic has presented to all of us for months now, we’ve heard from many of you that you appreciate some of the silver linings this strange time has provided. While juggling work-from-home and distance learning has been incredibly challenging for many families, many of us have discovered that we really appreciate more time at home with our kids, pets and close family members.
All of us at the Skjersaa Group feel fortunate to work for a progressive company that is active in the local community. Inspired by 1% for the Planet, which was created by Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard and Craig Matthews of Blue Ribbon Flies, Terry and Jason pledged one percent of their revenue to environmental causes when they formed the Skjersaa Group.
While our passion for the environment has only strengthened as we face the affects of climate change, we realized there were other local and regional non-profit organizations that needed our help, and we expanded the purpose of our 1 Percent campaign to included educational and other community initiatives. Additionally, every one on our team is generous with their time to help local community organizations with events, fundraising and hands-on work.
If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that no one is immune from crisis. Everyone we know has been touched in some way by this pandemic and its resounding shock waves. Now, more than ever, our community needs each and every one of us to give back. And there are so many ways to give, whether it’s financially, volunteering time, or just extending daily gestures of kindness and tolerance.
This year’s Giving Tuesday (on December 1) gives all of us the chance to pause and be mindful of how we can support our local community in ways both big and small. We hope you’ll join us in finding opportunities to especially support those most vulnerable in our community right now, including people who are isolated and lonely, children who are detached from their school communities, and families who are struggling to pay their bills.
We are fortunate to have a robust non-profit community in Bend, and there is an organization for every passion. You can find an alphabetical listing of non-profit organizations in Central Oregon on the Bend Chamber of Commerce website, and the Volunteer Central Oregon website is a great resource for matchmaking you with a rewarding volunteer role based on your interests, skills and available time. Additionally, Pandemic Partners is doing great work specific to the pandemic, and you can join their Facebook Group here.
However you decide to honor Giving Tuesday, we hope it will inspire you to make giving back to our community an ongoing part of your Bend lifestyle. Happy Thanksgiving and Stay Safe!
– Mollie
