Lately, so much seems to be happening at the national level, it can really feel hard to keep up, especially when what’s happening nationally starts to affect our day-to-day lives at the local level. I’ve heard colleagues, friends and family all describe a level of burnout that feels unsustainable. And, while I’ve had that feeling come and go over the last few months, I was reminded at a recent conference that we, in the philanthropic sector, are in the business of hope. 

Not toxic positivity, and not denial, but real, messy and relentless hope. Hope that acknowledges all the warts and bruises, while keeping a fierce focus on what can be improved. The kind of hope that we, at the community level, can shape where we live. We continuously work toward a goal where we can make our community somewhere that everyone can thrive and prosper—even when we know that goal will likely not be fulfilled in our lifetime, we don’t give up on trying. Hope helps us remember that philanthropy means “for the love of humanity.” Hope makes sure we don’t forget that. 

The day-to-day tasks of running a foundation, like paying bills, answering emails, and attending meetings, can take up a whole day and week if I let it. But the real work is in taking time to have a vision for Wayne County that incorporates the hopes and dreams that our community members value. That can only happen when you are close to the community, ask them what they want and most value, and aggregate and distill that information into something that we can actually work on. That’s why you’ll notice our staff focusing on being out in the community more than at our desks when we’re able. 

So, consider this to be your gentle reminder to get in the business of hope. Don’t let the barrage of information at the national level distract you from what’s possible at the local level. There’s so much that we can work on together to build a community that we’ve envisioned—one that prioritizes improving the quality of life for all people. But we must all continue to hope. 

Ryanne Jennings is the president/CEO of the Wayne County Community Foundation.