Oftentimes one of the most difficult things about being a parent, a teacher or a caring adult is this nagging fear that maybe you’re not making a difference. Listen to me: You have no idea the impact you’re making right now.” Josh Shipp
One of the first ways Southwest Initiative Foundation made an impact in the region when it launched was through lending, which we still do today. Pictured is a loan closing from our early days. At the first loan signing 35 years ago, did the people at the table have any idea where the foundation would lead? That the decades following would see more than $97.8 million distributed through our grantmaking and business finance programs?
When Josh Shipp spoke at the “Power of One” forum hosted earlier this year by Southwest Initiative Foundation, he encouraged caring adults to have hope in the future and not to judge in real time what history would prove over time. We rely on that mindset at the foundation. We think long-term with an unwavering, multi-generational commitment to the communities where we work. Achieving lasting outcomes spans generations.
We’ve been through tough times before. Challenges in our relationships, our economy and our communities may make us feel like what we have isn’t enough and what we’re doing won’t take us where we want to go. Our 35th anniversary reminds us to be patient and dedicated in our work to unlock the potential that lives here. Have hope. You may have no idea the impact you’re currently making, but in another 35 years we’ll look back and see how far we’ve come together.
