Generosity is trending.
Since the beginning of this global pandemic, we have heard countless stories of heroism and kindness. The frontline workers in healthcare, retail, and manufacturing who remained on the job, putting themselves in isolation to protect their loved ones. Restaurants and nonprofits partnering to ensure school-aged children and their families continue to receive daily meals. Neighbors using NextDoor and other platforms to coordinate deliveries of groceries, prescriptions, and necessities for fellow neighbors who are considered high-risk for contracting coronavirus.
Time and energy are two incredible resources that have powered many of these efforts forward. Yet, without financial backing, the organizations that so many of our community members are relying on right now will not be able to meet the ever-increasing demand.
GivingTuesday organizers recognized this gap and issued a challenge to the entire world: let us embark on another day of global giving. #GivingTuesdayNow is set for Tuesday, May 5. Like GivingTuesday, the intent is to “spark an increase in grassroots generosity, citizen engagement, business and philanthropy activation, and support for communities and nonprofits around the world.”
As Dr. Mike Ehrhardt and CA Board President Manju Kankare shared in respective emails, Cary Academy is choosing to participate in #GivingTuesdayNow. Educating the next generation of leaders must go on. While the learning environment looks different these days, our school is committed to providing the rigorous, personalized education that we are known for nationally.
This, in large part, is thanks to our dedicated faculty and staff. Our employees pivoted quickly to re-imagine plans, projects, and programs. And, they did so amid adjustments in their own personal lives. Some are parents to young children whose daycares and schools closed; some care for elderly parents and other loved ones. Not only are many instructing students at CA, but they are also offering educational support to their own children or grandchildren, often in subjects that are not their area of expertise. Some live alone and are navigating the emotional weight of isolation.
But the resilience we are seeing at Cary Academy extends to our students and their families as well. Disappointment. Loss. Longing. Many of the third trimester traditional and celebratory events are canceled or postponed. This is not only difficult for our students to process but also their parents who anticipate these emotional milestones for years. Instead of wallowing in despair, students have led efforts to infuse our community with spirit, creativity, and fun. From Spirit Week contests to Earth Day activities to tomorrow’s virtual variety show and Saturday’s 5k, CA students offer us a loving reminder of the importance of maintaining connection to each other and the school’s mission.
On #GivingTuesdayNow, consider making a donation to the CA Fund in honor of our students; in gratitude for faculty and staff; and in reconnection to members of your CA community from years gone by. The flexibility of the unrestricted annual fund is how we have been able to meet specific needs thus far. Your support on #GivingTuesdayNow will ensure that we will continue to fulfill this commitment and remain a responsive, nimble partner for all constituencies.
Together, we can heal. Together, we can help. Together, we can support our Cary Academy home.