To Strengthen The Community

Dear Residents and Members,

Over the past week we’ve watched the demonstrations and the violence with sadness as we have seen  communities like ours being torn apart. It is disturbing to see ordinary people who I might know as neighbors feeling so afraid, exasperated, helpless, due to the CoViD-19 pandemic and due to institutional racism.

We know these crises affect our nation’s communities unequally, but they do affect everyone. Those, like myself, who are eager to make a difference often wonder, though: How can we help? For the JVCA we believe the answer lies in our tenet to strengthen the community. Here are some of our plans:

• We want to make donation events such as our ongoing food drive a fixture in our yearly planning.
• We want to seek out underrepresented voices to amplify using our e-mail lists, website, and blog.    
  
• We want to express our needs to encourage greater dialog with our our community’s law enforcement.
  

In addition, many of you already support people who have been affected by these crises. Your individual efforts serve our community by setting an example and demonstrate the spirit we seek to cultivate. Just as you have supported us for almost thirty years, the JVCA now wants to support you.

We want to bolster your efforts to help others deal with these crises. So please: let us know what you’ve done to help, where others can get involved. We’ll help spread the word, amplify your voice, encourage and assist your efforts. No effort is too small because, if nothing else, others can learn from your example.  

We already have a suggestion to conduct a special online conversation regarding race and discrimination. If you think that’s a good idea, let us know. Or, tell us: what do you need? What do you hope for? Share with everyone or just us. Even a simple message by email or social media saying “hello” is a great start in showing you care.

Thank each of you as always for your support,

Sincerely,

The Jefferson Village Civic Association