Mohandas K. Gandhi said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others”. We at HOME Magazine live that every day. The mission of our company was to showcase the individuals, the businesses and the non-profits that make us proud to call our community HOME. In 2008, while participating in Leadership Gainesville, I realized that showcasing all of the positives wasn’t enough. I had a responsibility to try and make a difference in the lives of others. At HOME Magazine, every employee must be active civically in non-profits. We will not mandate what or who they have to participate in, but each employee, to be a part of the team, must commit to serve at least one cause in the community and the company will support it fully. We believe that one person can make a difference, especially if they can rally others to help.
There are many ways to make a difference. Emotionally, physically, financially, professionally. I have learned that being in a position of influence as the Publisher of HOME has given me an opportunity to showcase non-profits, raise awareness for their existence and share stories about what is happening in our community so that others can help. One of the most often used quotes in history is that “The Pen is Mightier than the Sword”. It is the motto of Alpha Xi Delta Sorority. It was used by Shakespeare in 1600 and by the Islamic prophet Muhammad who said “The ink of the scholar is holier than the blood of the martyr”. Thomas Jefferson wrote, in a letter to Thomas Paine, “go on then in doing with your pen what in other times was done with the sword”. It is our way of making a difference.
Starting in 2009 with Horst and Luisa Ferrero on the cover, we dedicated our December/January issue to charity. In 2010 we featured Rick and Michelle Staab. It became obvious that having the calendar of upcoming non-profit events was good, and having a directory of the non-profits in our community was better, but there was so much more to cover.
This led to the creation of our stand alone annual publication that we call Our Guide to Giving. In this issue, you will continue to see a comprehensive calendar of upcoming charitable events and a guide to the non-profits in our community, but we have also made sure to include profiles on some of our non profits and a guide to the different sectors of need. Seniors, At-Risk Kids, Arts & Cuture, Health & Wellness, Education, Environment/Conservation, Animal Protection and Hunger & Poverty. These are but a few, but with the help of Debbie Mason from the United Way and Chris Johnson from the Non Profit Center, we hope to bring awareness to the needs of our community, along with options on how you can choose to get involved.
Emily Dickinson’s poem If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking says:
If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain.
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.
We can make a difference! We have an extremely giving community that chooses every day to make our community great. Let’s continue to serve and keep the Heart of Florida a great place to call HOME.