When We Feel Pulled Apart,

Generosity Brings Us Back to the Table

What happens when a community comes together around a shared need?

Sometimes, it looks like a new place to call home. Sometimes, it means creating opportunities for local businesses, supporting families, or helping the next generation see a future right here in Barry County.

The Riverwalk Lofts and Mill Street Market project in downtown Hastings is one example of what is possible when people, organizations, and public and private partners share a vision for their community. Bringing together housing, childcare, local food, and space for small businesses, this project reflects what can happen when a community works across sectors to address local needs. The Barry Community Foundation helped support the project, alongside many other partners whose ideas, resources, and commitment helped bring it to life.

Stories like this remind us that generosity is about more than giving. It is about recognizing what our neighbors need, finding common ground, and working together to build something that benefits everyone.

Community Foundation Week, November 12 to 18, gives us an opportunity to celebrate that spirit and the people who carry it forward.

Barry Community Foundation is one of more than 980 community foundations across the country bringing donors and residents together to address the needs and opportunities within their communities. Our role is to connect generosity with possibility, helping people support the causes, organizations, and ideas that make Barry County a place where people can thrive.

That work matters. Even when we do not see eye to eye, many of us share a desire for strong neighborhoods, opportunities for our children, and a community where people feel welcome and supported. Research shows that 89% of Americans support working across differences, and 80% believe foundations have a role in modeling how to do it. Community foundations are uniquely positioned to help turn that shared desire into action because we live, work, and build relationships in the communities we serve.

At BCF, we see this potential in the many ways people invest in Barry County. Donors support causes that matter deeply to them. Nonprofits respond to local needs. Businesses invest in the future of our communities. Volunteers give their time and talents. Residents bring forward ideas that can make life better for their neighbors.

These efforts may look different, but they are connected by a common belief that our community is worth investing in.

And that is where community foundations come in. We help bring people and resources together, support local ideas, and create opportunities for generosity to make a lasting difference. Our work is not about having every answer. It is about helping our community find those answers together.

We believe in a Barry County where people feel connected to one another, where opportunities continue to grow, and where future generations can build meaningful lives. Creating that future takes all of us. It takes listening, collaboration, and a willingness to look beyond our individual differences toward what we can accomplish together.

During Community Foundation Week, we invite you to celebrate the people, organizations, and everyday acts of generosity that make Barry County stronger. Consider supporting a local nonprofit, volunteering your time, learning more about the causes that matter to your neighbors, or exploring how you can make a lasting impact through the Barry Community Foundation.

Because a strong community is not built by one person or one organization. It is built by all of us, showing up for one another and investing in the place we call home.

For more information about Community Foundation Week, visit cof.org/cfweek.