Publishers’ Note
The City of Jacksonville is an intricate puzzle made up of thousands of pieces. Every piece is a different size and shape. Each provides a vital component of the larger picture, and every single one must fit together just so to bring the larger picture of our community to life.
When hard times fall upon us – or our families, friends, neighbors or communities – it can sometimes feel like the larger picture has broken and we are left putting the pieces together without a snapshot as a guide. It takes all of us working together to rebuild the framework before working inward to fill in the details. It takes selflessness, generosity and altruism to complete the puzzle. And that is the essence of philanthropy.
Sifting through all those pieces, sorting them and determining which area needs to be pieced back together with the greatest urgency can be a long, arduous task and every year, via Circles Social Datebook and Charity Register, we like to take this moment to shine a light on both the most compelling issues impacting our City,
as well as the people and organizations working tirelessly to resolve them.
By creating this space for these organizations to shine, we hope to give donors a better understanding of where their gifts can make a difference – whether those gifts are time, talent or treasure. It is those gifts that serve as the glue that seals those puzzle pieces in place once they’ve found their place, and there are ample opportunities to help hold all these intricate puzzle pieces together.
This year, we’ve also invited gracious and considerate donors to share their inspirational reasons for giving here at home. It is these donors who serve as the foundation of our great puzzle, anchoring down the corners and providing a framework strong enough to support the components necessary to create a final picture of
a community worthy of its people – one that reflects the vibrancy of Jacksonville
as a collective whole.
Through charitable gifts in education, they are unlocking the future; by giving in the arts, they foster talent, lend support and launch careers full of creative energy. By funding civic projects, donors wisely realize they will enhance the quality of life for all citizens.
We also know that it takes sharp eyes – and lots of them – to complete this puzzle and our Charity Register provides a priceless guide full of helpful information to connect our readers with those who are in the trenches. Whether you want to reach a charity by phone or e-mail, or browse their website for further details, our register holds it all. We know that everyone holds the power to change the trajectory of an organization. Working hand-in-hand, we fill our needs together and watch the pieces fall into place.
The Social Datebook section of our magazine is the perfect place to browse photo galleries and gala highlights and is a perfect tool for your annual planning, whether you’re hosting a party of your own or scouting the perfect gala location, time and date for your favorite organization.
In the end, we hope that you discover the quality of our collective soul in the pages of this annual publication: informative, helpful and full of purpose. This is why our team works so hard throughout the year to be a reflection of the beautiful puzzle that is our community.
Piece by piece, we all make a difference. We hope you enjoy playing your role as much as we do!
Sincerely,
Pamela & Seth Williams
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