Undoubtedly, we are all seeing and reading about an America that is facing anxious moments of uncertainty. Social and economic forces are driving Americans further apart, and large institutions feel like an unlikely source of hope. More and more, our citizens are losing trust and confidence in the systematic entities that are there to supposedly support them.

However, this unrest presents an opportunity for our local nonprofits, faith-based community and charitable foundations to step up in creating a stronger sense of identity, belonging and higher purpose for the regions that they serve. We are the antithesis of cold, impersonal establishment. We are the ones working on the ground, identifying the reality our communities face, and rallying the passion of the public to be the ones to make a difference. At the heart and soul of our work are our community members.

Even in the best of times, poverty and education are difficult issues to address. Too often, state and local support systems are not aligned to address root causes in order to prevent problems before they happen. With today’s rapidly changing context, the systems that are helping our region’s most vulnerable families are challenged, and only the innovation of creative nonprofit and foundation thinking and programs can keep up.

Philanthropy has proven to be both a great innovator and a great gatherer of people, and we should be proud of our community’s commitment to generosity. As a community foundation, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County has taken the responsibility to intensify our efforts in making community philanthropy accessible, inclusive and effective for everyone as well as to deepen local knowledge and cultivate collaboration within our communities.

Just recently, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s 2016 Giving Challenge raised $13.4 million with over 63,400 contributions to support local nonprofits, thanks to the kindness of our generous community that believes passionately in its organizations and the work they are doing. Additionally, Season of Sharing has also rallied the public to raise more than $15 million since its inception in 2000 to provide a helping hand to our neighbors in need who are struggling to grasp onto financial stability and are on the brink of being homeless. The public’s enthusiasm and will to take ownership of campaigns like these are just a few examples of how our citizens believe in a sense of greater purpose and a better future for themselves and their neighbors.

Proactive partnerships are also striving to ensure that our students are receiving the very best opportunities that our community can provide for them, especially the ones whose families have been hit the hardest by economic challenges. The Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is making significant progress to guarantee our youngest students are reading on grade-level by the end of third grade, a significant indicator in academic success and a brighter future. The EdExploreSRQ collaboration has also been opening up doors for our young people to benefit from the cultural and scientific treasures our region has to offer through experiential learning.

The key is that we work collectively to provide a helping hand to those in need. Together, we have the expertise, knowledge, treasure and talent to address the issues facing the future of our region. Our success depends on building a genuine, honest sense of community, belonging and responsibility to answer a widespread feeling of insecurity. As a community, we can be the ones to make a difference and create positive, lasting impact. As I always say, all of us are smarter than one of us.

Roxie Jerde is president and CEO of The Community Foundation of Sarasota County.