A year later, COVID-19 has made us more aware of many needs in Manatee County | Opinion

It was just about this time in 2020 when the team at Manatee Community Foundation was mapping the seating arrangements for the Spirit of Manatee, an annual celebration honoring local nonprofits and givers. Each year, our guests enjoy being physically close to each other while they visit, chat and celebrate people who make life better for others.

With the annoying increase of a new word, “coronavirus,” we felt a slow, sinking feeling that we would need to postpone the event. We wondered if we might feel foolish once we sent the email notification to nearly 500 people. Was it an overreaction?

Shortly after we chose to do so, a flurry of event cancellations from nonprofits followed. We will reschedule in the early fall, we all thought.

A year later, with more than 570 people in Manatee County having lost their lives from COVID-19 and many small businesses and service workers trying to catch up, we are still strong and hopeful. We marvel at the resilience of our medical professionals, public health professionals, government staff, School District leaders, teachers, parents, journalists and nonprofit leaders. We are grateful for people who never stopped their charitable giving, and in many cases, increased it.

This has been a time of innovation — a time to re-imagine the way we work and live, including in philanthropy.

At Manatee Community Foundation, we have taken the past year to look hard at ourselves — how we respond to need, how we can work better in and with the community, the way we communicate the nature of complex issues to people who want to make a difference. Most importantly, we are continuing our journey to include diversity and equity in the heart of our processes. Like many organizations, we seek more representation from people of color on our board of directors and committees, not because it is the popular thing to do, but because we will be stronger. Learning and listening are shaping better, more inclusive work, and we are a work in progress.

COVID-19 has exposed inequities in ways that we must acknowledge and address. Across the nation, we know that African Americans have experienced greater impacts from the disease than white Americans. The Tampa Bay Partnership Foundation’s 2020 Equity Report details comparative Manatee-specific data by race and ethnicity in educational attainment, home ownership, digital access, and health insurance rates. (Visit tampabay.org) Whether you are a new or seasoned student of racial inequity, even glancing at the data will provide essential insights into the work that is needed.

Some of Manatee Community Foundation’s largest grants during this time have been awarded in partnership with people of color working in health and education. Investing in their expertise, trusted relationships and lived experiences is critical. Dr. Lisa Merritt, founder of the Multicultural Health Institute; Luz Corcuera, executive director of UnidosNow; Dr. Sharon Jefferson, founder and president of The Rosalyn Walton Education and Enrichment Services; and James McCleod, CEO of Genesis Health Services are some of the heroes who have worked tirelessly during COVID-19 and have guided us in helping and learning from under-resourced people.

Derrick Randall, the CEO of United Community Centers, is currently raising $25,000 to match an investment from the Manatee Matches Giving Circle that will provide nutritious food and information about accessible health care to families who have trusted relationships with the center. We approached him about education-related supports, but we quickly learned that food insecurity and health care are Randall’s top concerns. Until they are addressed, these children and adults cannot focus effectively on education.

In many cases, lack of access to resources is not about a lack of resources in the community. It is about resources being in the right place, at the right time, shared in connection with the right (trusted) people.

Over the last year, we have offered nine virtual Town Halls and learning sessions to expose our community to critical issues in local education, health, human services, the arts, and environment and to enhance informed decisions about giving for people who are in a position to donate. We continue to offer free virtual meetings every month for nonprofit professionals who want to connect and learn about ways to increase their own effectiveness. And our team of board and staff members continues to learn.

Our community is different today, one year later. We are more aware. And with that awareness comes responsibility.

What is phenomenal and uplifting is that our community has a better grasp of our true strength, resilience, and possibilities. We have more compassion and empathy for others and a more robust understanding that complex societal issues not only impact vulnerable people, but all of us.

We hope you will join us for our inspiring virtual celebration of philanthropy, the Spirit of Manatee, on March 24 at noon. Get your link online at ManateeCF.org. Five random attendees will be selected to choose a Manatee-serving nonprofit organization to receive a grant from Manatee Community Foundation.

Susie Bowie is executive director of the Manatee Community Foundation.

This story was originally published February 27, 2021 at 6:00 AM.