Taking stock during this season of gratitude, I am especially mindful of the wonderful diversity that is our community. Worcester -- the second largest city in New England – is now and has always been home to a bounty of residents from many places and nations across the globe. Of course, we all know that, despite our different traditions, languages, etc., we share much more in common with one another, such as our universal desires for safety, education, and good health.

From our perch at the Foundation, where nonprofits entrust us with insights into the lives and struggles of others, and despite the pain in some of it, we see always an overarching theme of goodness and hope.

I was introduced over the weekend at the Worcester Craft festival to a vendor whose personal story brought her from low-wage work and limited opportunity to enrolling in the Center for Women & Enterprise, a nonprofit support organization whose networks and trainings enabled her to launch a business. Another friend in our group commented, “You never hear about such good stories!” I suppose that’s true for most people, especially surrounded as we are by fear and blame. But for me, good stories are given up all the time, every day.

Perhaps, then, the Greater Worcester Community Foundation exists for this: to gather our positive our energies to generate more good stories. That’s the real prize.

I want to express our thanks to each of you, for getting involved in some of the toughest challenges of our society today. You set the stage for a stronger community when you advocate and demonstrate more compassion, caring, and humanity. Right here, where we live and work – together.