We once looked to 2020 as “the future” — flying cars, in-house androids making meals and doing the laundry, lifelike virtual reality, trips to the moon and Mars, colonies in low-earth orbit and a pill that would end or reverse aging.
The year 2020 was supposed to be magic, perhaps because it was a goal date for numerous international projects and policies, and just a little bit beyond the year 2000, so things had to get even better than the chaos around the millennium changeover, right?
The year 2020 has been one of the most contentious, brutal, bitter and disappointing years in recent memory. I mean, 1983 was really bad if you were there to remember it, right — older folks, don’t tell the kids why, make them look it up — but 2020 has been downright awful. It started OK, but by late March, the question was “how much worse could things possibly get?” And somehow, they did.
But we’re nearly at year’s end, so there is some hope 2021 might not be so horrible.
Among all the wreckage 2020 left in its wake is the economic devastation unleashed on working families, the working poor, senior citizens with limited income, nonprofits and charity organizations.
The warmth of the holidays and expectations for a better 2021 means residents who managed to get through 2020 without too much loss can give back to the nonprofits that give back to the community we call home. We need them, and they also need us to support their work financially.
There is a nonprofit for everything in Sedona and the Verde Valley, from arts and entertainment to helping homeless animals and people struggling with hunger; organizers step up all the time and form groups to take on the burden.
Looking at the list of nonprofits who are members of the Sedona Wish List — Barbara Vickers and Astara Fishers’ column that we have published Wednesdays for over 10 years now — it’s obvious the community is built upon the foundation of nonprofits.
As the word “nonprofit” implies, these organizations do their work with no financial gain. While some larger nonprofits have endowments and hire full-time paid staff necessary to keep the group functioning, active and engaged in community service, the organizations by design do not make money like a for-profit business does.
We all know from our personal finances that it isn’t possible to operate anything, much less an organization, without an equal flow of cash coming in and cash going out, which is why nonprofits rely heavily on the communities they serve. Suffering the losses incurred during a global pandemic have made things worse. Organizations could not host their big annual fundraising events and galas, organize small events for the community that bring in regular funds, and many of the low-level and mid-level donors they rely on to chip in here and their were worried about paying rent, avoiding eviction, paying bills and buying food and could not donate a portion of their disposable income to their favorite charity.
The groups that charge for services or offer experiences considered entertainment rather than necessity have suffered the most. They are the organizations that need more support outside of the sale of goods to exist in a rural area. Some that exist online and use temporary space for events can survive by going dormant, but others have spaces they rent or tangible goods they have to pay for and need some help.
Animal shelters, food banks, senior caregivers and youth programs are in the most need while nonprofits that improve the quality of life for area residents such as arts, entertainment and environmental awareness groups also need some help right now to make it into 2021.
Supporters who have the means or excess cash on hand must consider donating a bit more than usual to these deserving nonprofits. If you saved money because you could not travel this year, consider giving some of that to a needy nonprofit so our neighbors in need here have an extra meal, or rental assistance, or toys for their children at the holidays.
Bring a little light to others who had a very dark 2020.
Christopher Fox Graham
Managing Editor
