Season of Sharing's inspiring impact

The life-altering impact that a disaster has on our lives is more pronounced now than at any time in recent memory. Much like a catastrophic hurricane, the COVID-19 pandemic has altered the fortunes of people from different walks of life, bringing both health and financial challenges that threaten our long-term safety.

For many this means facing a reality that endangers their ability to provide basic needs for themselves or their families for the first time in their lives. Their once-steady jobs – and in some cases, the businesses in which they work – are indefinitely on hold or altogether gone.

For those most susceptible to the virus, the prospect of continuing to work through the pandemic has proven too risky for themselves or loved ones. Some are even coping with a wide range of debilitating ailments stemming from COVID-19, many of which can hinder their capability to provide.

Time and again our caring community has come to the aid of those facing undue hardship such as the challenges created by COVID-19. For more than two decades, the Season of Sharing campaign has stood ready to harness this collective generosity and optimize its impact.

Read the full story in the Herald-Tribune

Debra Jacobs is CEO of The Patterson Foundation.