WWHEN I THINK ABOUT THE AMAZING PLATFORM I have to drive a conversation
through stories we cover in Sarasota Scene, I have always thought long and hard about
what that conversation should be.
Yes, my content decisions may get tweaked a bit from year to year, but the one thing I
always want to do is share stories of people who are angels of positive change, organizations
whose missions are vital, and programs and initiatives that change lives.
I am not one who cares to offer stories of doom and gloom or what to add to your
burger to make it the greatest thing ever. My primary intent is to offer our readers content
that is educational and inspirational and raises awareness about local needs. Let’s
call it “mindful content.” Becoming more mindful of the important issues we face is the
you don’t know exists. That is the conversation that excites me most. And, no other issue
all year long does this better than our December Philanthropy issue.
In service to the fact that philanthropy is very alive and well in Sarasota, we proudly
The Giving Book. As audited readership reports
show, Sarasota Scene readers are the most philanthropic in town, giving more than
$11M each year to charities. I encourage you to read each story, select the organizations
that speak the most to you, and get involved. We also explore the impact of The Community
Foundation of Sarasota County, and feature locals such as Bob and Joan Geyer,
the lives of many.
As always, we have our monthly list of upcoming charity events and galas. Our online
calendar of charitable events is one of the best places to keep track of what’s happening.
With 2018 about to begin, I can assure our loyal readers that Sarasota Scene will continue
delivering stories that capture the spirit of our ever-evolving community philanthropy
in an effort to help elevate our mindfulness of the needs we face. For me, that is
16 SARASOTA SCENE | DECEMBER 2017
DID YOU KNOW?
In the U.S., total charitable
donations rose to a new high of
$390.05 billion.
• Individual giving grew nearly 4%,
driving the rise in total giving.
• Contributions to all nine
major philanthropy subsections
increased for the sixth time in the
last 40 years.
• Giving by corporations increased
by 3.5%, totaling $18.55 billion.
SOURCE: GIVING USA (GIVINGUSA.ORG)
from the executive editor
“Learn to light a candle in the darkest moments of someone’s life.
Be the light that helps others see; it is what gives life its deepest significance.”
- ROY T. BENNETT, THE LIGHT IN THE HEART
julie@scenesarasota.com
/(GIVINGUSA.ORG
link