Photo: The joy of learning that higher education is within your reach! Selby Foundation’s Senior Scholarship Manager Kiarra Womack (fourth from right) visits teens at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County to talk about scholarships and financial aid.
When you tune into the good, you create even more of it.
You notice young people who inspire others as leaders in their schools and communities. You give people hope and new beginnings through the causes you lead or support. Joy lives in your work and in connections you make for others.
In December, things feel a little lighter. We ask ourselves if the joy of the season can feel more present in every month. It can. Some Selby Foundation partners remind us throughout the year that we are in the business of creating possibility by believing in people.
We love the intentional theme of joy at the Senior Friendship Centers. Joy is built into its programming for aging adults and reflected in vibrant imagery and writing filled with the stories that encourage participation. They capture the feelings that make us say “yes” to life.
Safe Children Coalition (SCC) expresses joy by reminding us that change can happen. Prevention programs can work. Children can thrive after facing adversity. The Selby Foundation was recently among the proud investors who celebrated SCC’s milestone in reaching 80% of its capital campaign goal toward a new youth shelter.
Bill and Marie Selby found joy in being outdoors, in traveling, and in each other. They also cherished the ability to give others access to opportunity. Bill passed away in 1956, one year after he formed the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation and a legacy that would last through the ages. Until she died in 1971, Marie often gave additional funds through her personal account to enhance what the foundation made possible. This brought her immense joy.
At the Selby Foundation, our values of humanity, humility, social responsibility, stewardship, and innovation guide the way we work. What joy to see the success of people, places, and organizations that we have had the privilege to invest in for nearly 70 years!