Holiday Sunshine Fund: The News looks forward to Greenville's generosity every year

Thank you, Greenville, for being such a giving community.

Every year, I watch as you generously open your purses and wallets and bank accounts and donate to the Holiday Sunshine Fund, the annual fundraising campaign sponsored by The Greenville News and WYFF-4.

Last year this community donated more than $190,000 during the holiday season, every penny of which we passed along to charitable organizations in our community. It was the most money we’ve ever raised, and we were humbled by your generosity.

Thanks to you, I had the pleasure of personally passing along significant checks to Upstate Warrior Solutions and Poe Mill Achievement Center, two organizations that are close to my heart. It’s money I know went to help our city be a better place.

More:Holiday Sunshine Fund 2021: Campaign supports nonprofits who help families, individuals

Each year the Holiday Sunshine Fund passes your money on to dozens of organizations that are focused on helping children and families. Money you’ve donated to HSF has helped veterans and students in after-school programs, but it also has helped put shoes on children, food on empty tables and kept the heat running during the winter.

This is an important year for the HSF. Our country continues to feel the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prices are rising for many Americans, making it harder to put gas in the car or buy groceries or meet other daily needs. Simply put, there are people struggling significantly in our community.

And we can help.

How encouraging would it be if we could surpass last year’s total of $190,000 raised and perhaps even exceed $200,000 that we could return to families in need in our community?

Even if we don’t attain that lofty goal, every penny that you give helps. And from what I’ve seen in years past, I fully expect Greenville to give generously to help its neighbors. It’s what it means to be a community.

You can donate to the Holiday Sunshine Fund from now until December 25, Christmas Day. The easiest way to do so is to donate online at holidaysunshinefund.org, but you also can send checks to Holiday Sunshine Fund, 32 E. Broad St., Greenville, SC, 29601.

The HSF passes your donations on only to registered 501(c)(3) charities, and focuses on organizations that primarily benefit children and families in our communities.

Thank you, Greenville, from me personally and from all of us at The Greenville News, for caring about our city. I can’t wait to see what you do this year.

Steve Bruss is the executive editor of The Greenville News. He lives in Greenville with his wife and two children and he currently is reading “News of the World,” by Paulette Jiles. You can write him at sbruss@greenvillenews.com.