From the Editor: How Modesto-area residents continue to rise to the occasion
The twentysomething with backpack and puppy in tow walked past me and Scoopy last week as we were ringing the bell for the Salvation Army in front of Safeway.
I smiled as he walked by, and a second later, he stopped. He pulled the stuffed backpack from his shoulders, placed it on the ground and started digging into a pocket.
He turned around with a handful of change, and dropped it in our kettle, apologizing that he couldn’t donate more. He said he was homeless, and appreciated the work the Salvation Army does to help feed, clothe and shelter the needy.
That moment touched me, and drew me back to a conversation a few days before I had with our children’s health reporter, ChrisAnna Mink. She’s from Southern California, about 15 minutes from the Pacific Ocean, yet talked about how much she loves Modesto, most impressed with the giving nature of our residents.
That’s been evident the last month as I’ve seen our 2019 Book of Dreams program bring in more than $74,000. We’re still nine days away from closing donations and are hopeful to reach or surpass last year’s record total of $82,000.
Wouldn’t it be great to get to $90,000 or, dare I say, $100,000, assuring our five receiving agencies a huge bonus to get 2020 off to a great start?
We received a wonderful jump-start from the Porges Family Foundation, and the momentum continued into the holiday season. As of Friday, we’ve received donations from 168 families and businesses, including four contributions of $10,000.
As I think back to the friendly twentysomething and ChrisAnna’s impressions of our community, I feel sometimes our residents overlook how much Modestans open their hearts and wallets to those in need.
Our city sometimes gets a bad rap — from both outsiders and, curiously, our residents themselves.
The negative talk often is tied to crime, homelessness, perceived downtown issues, lack of things to do ... you name it. For whatever reason, our community suffers from a lack of self-esteem.
No doubt, like most cities, we’ve got our issues — lack of affordable housing and a dearth of high-paying jobs. And, Washington’s political discord continues to permeate right here.
But, crime is down. We’ve been creative in tackling our homeless situation. We have a great — and safe — downtown, with plenty of things to do if one puts their mind to it.
And our greatest asset begins and ends with our deep sense of charity and community.
The five agencies that make up this year’s recipients — Jessica’s House, Cricket’s Hope, LearningQuest, Haven Youth Center and the Pathways program through the Center for Human Services — all support children and young adults. Because of you, hundreds of them will benefit from their services.
There are still nine days left to donate. I would love nothing more than to break our “Book of Dreams” record.
Whether or not we get there, that we’re so close says a lot about who we are.
Just last week, managing editor Patty Guerra wrote a story about how the Soroptimist Community Christmas Tree was still filled with tags containing the Christmas wishes of children. A day later, I went by the tree, and nearly all the tags were gone — meaning residents rose to the occasion again.
Think about that the next time an outsider — or a neighbor — starts taking tired shots about our city and its residents.
Think about the words of ChrisAnna and the charitable actions of a homeless twentysomething.
Think about the many times you’ve reached into your pocket to help someone.
And finally, do know that we are a community of givers, and that’s a pretty great place to be.
To donate to A Book of Dreams, go to www.modbee.com/donate2bod.
This story was originally published December 22, 2019 at 5:00 AM.
