How to enrich our souls: Book of Dreams gives us an opportunity to help others
How do we give now that so much has been taken away? How do we find in our hearts to think about others as we’re so rightfully concerned about our health, our jobs, our families, our future?
This is part of the pandemic plight, as we sometimes succumb to shouting, isolation and despair. And yet we’re easing into the holiday season searching for harmony, togetherness and joy.
We are in a coronavirus lock-down rhythm now, though. If we wave, we bid farewell on a screen. If we meet, we visualize the distance between us, not how close we could be. If we smile, we do so behind a mask. We hope our eyes speak.
How do we say hello, close the gap, make others smile? We can pause on Thanksgiving, say thanks for however we connect and appreciate the good in our lives. And we can open our hearts and give.
Giving nourishes our souls. We feel better, are better, when we consider others. Search online for variations of “giving” and you will find the soothing words of Anne Frank: “No one has ever become poor by giving.”
As we try to cope, we can recognize we can help others in need. And that simple act can enrich us, too.
If you prefer, you can print out this form and mail in a donation. To claim a tax deduction for 2020, donations must be postmarked by Dec. 31, 2020. All contributions are tax-deductible and none of the money received will be spent on administrative costs. Partial contributions are welcome on any item. In cases where more money is received than requested for a given need, the excess will be applied to meeting unfulfilled needs in this Book of Dreams. Funds donated in excess of needs listed in this book will fulfill wishes received but not published and will be donated to social service agencies benefiting children at risk. The Sacramento Bee has verified the accuracy of the facts in each of these cases and we believe them to be bona fide cases of need. However, The Bee makes no claim, implied or otherwise, concerning their validity beyond the statement of these facts.
To claim a tax deduction for 2020, donations must be postmarked by Dec. 31, 2020. All contributions are tax-deductible and none of the money received will be spent on administrative costs. Partial contributions are welcome on any item. In cases where more money is received than requested for a given need, the excess will be applied to meeting unfulfilled needs in this Book of Dreams. Funds donated in excess of needs listed in this book will fulfill wishes received but not published and will be donated to social service agencies benefiting children at risk. The Sacramento Bee has verified the accuracy of the facts in each of these cases and we believe them to be bona fide cases of need. However, The Bee makes no claim, implied or otherwise, concerning their validity beyond the statement of these facts.
We know you face pleas for help from all corners. We join that full chorus today with our annual Book of Dreams project, and hope you take a moment or two in the coming weeks to hear our voices. Your voices. Your neighbors’ voices. In a series of stories, we will offer ways you can participate in fulfilling the wishes of people who want to make our community better for all and, simply, do good this holiday season.
Three decades of giving
The Bee annually, for more than 30 years, has reached out with Book of Dreams to find what organizations and people need to brighten our lives. And then we turn to you to make those dreams come true. Last year, your generous donations totaled more than $165,000. We fulfilled 12 dreams and provided grants to more than 17 community organizations.
We helped provide warm clothing for the homeless, new shoes for refugee children, gardening tools for an elementary school and baby supplies for a child development center. Your donations helped a fawn rescue center and buy bowls for pets displaced by disasters.
Today, as we embark on our 33rd year, you can read Patricia Macht’s piece about the Sacramento Meadowview Navigation Center for Women in south Sacramento and its request for money to purchase art supplies, writers’ journals and pens, a karaoke machine and musical instruments.
She quotes Volunteers of America’s Shelter Services Director David Silveira: “Creative expression, including not just art, but also writing and playing music, are powerful mediums for fostering healing and promoting mental health.”
In the coming weeks, we will spotlight a variety of programs, including those to help children with creative writing, fund podcasts for cancer patients and provide videos for domestic abuse survivors.
We have also provided simple mechanisms for you to donate money. For information and to see past stories, you can go to our page, sacbee.com/bookofdreams.
This effort is the result of our team of Book of Dreamers, who are committed each year to the effort.
Macht joins us again as a correspondent contributor who cares deeply about the program. Nathaniel Levine and Lezlie Sterling, our visuals editors, ensure we tell the stories with captivating images.
Jayson Chesler, our graphics artist, has enhanced the design of our web page. Bob Shallit, a long-time editor with The Bee, not only coordinates the coverage, but also writes stories.
Linda Brooks, Brian Wong and Terri Yamagata help us all coordinate with the Sacramento Region Community Foundation to shepherd your donations. Jennifer Robillard, our growth editor, and Greg Saunders, with digital engagement, make sure our message of help and hope reaches you.
We know you are inundated with requests for help. We know you are grinding through tough times. We hope that you can find some relief by helping others, easing their heartache, wiping away a few tears and sharing a little smile with your eyes.
Scott Lebar is the managing editor of The Sacramento Bee.
