We typically enter a New Year full of hope, optimism, and reflection. But as we begin 2021, the problems of the past year are not disappearing overnight. The year 2020 changed and challenged every one of us – as individuals, families, organizations, and communities as a whole. We faced a worldwide pandemic, political unrest and racial tensions.
We were all impacted in some way, but the challenges we faced were not the same. Many struggled with the weeks of isolation and remote learning, while others worried about putting food on the table and dry places to sleep.
But amidst all of the challenges, I saw something special, a community that stepped up, came together and supported one another. It is this spirit of collaboration and resilience that I believe is at the heart of Martinsville/Henry County that will carry us through the coming months, and provide the building blocks of the vibrant community we know we can be.
The Harvest Foundation’s current strategic plan is coming to a close in 2021. For the past five years, we focused on economic development, education and health. We made great strides with new jobs and higher wages, new housing developments and responsive and collaborative efforts to help our community in the pandemic. Now, with our eye on the future, we are in the process of developing a new strategic plan, to ensure we are taking the best possible steps for our community. As we review our work, know our goal remains steadfast, to create a vibrant MHC for all of us.
We engaged MDC, a consulting firm located in Raleigh that specializes in working with Southern communities, like ourselves. Their experience in lifting the community’s voice is what drew us to them, because we want to hear from you, all of you. MHC belongs to all of us, and we want and need everyone to be able to participate in these conversations, if we are able to make the most impact.
You’ll be hearing from us in the coming months with opportunities to share your thoughts, ideas and concerns. Our ultimate goal is to meet with every member of the community in person, but as we continue to respect COVID protocols, we will also look for alternative methods in the coming weeks.
As we move into 2021, the pandemic and fight for racial justice continue, but we find strength in our community and support for each other. And know we here at Harvest are working every day to realize our vision of a robust MHC where everyone has an opportunity to thrive.
