Reflecting on the Season: Choosing Care, Together

As we entered the new year, we took time to reflect on how we showed up for one another during the final months of the last year, especially in a season that asked more of our communities than it gave back. The close of the year brought real challenges: many organizations around us navigated funding gaps, families lost critical benefits, and the collective capacity to show up stretched thin after an already demanding year. But rather than pushing forward, we paused to listen.

Historically, the end of the year is marked by events and celebrations. For several years, our programming closed with an annual Friendsgiving gathering held at Meena’s Manor. This is usually a joyful, food-centered moment of reflection and gratitude, and a tradition that holds deep meaning for each of us on the Sage D Team. But this year, the context felt different. Hosting a celebratory event centered around food amidst nationwide food insecurity and organizational strain didn’t align with what we were hearing or experiencing ourselves.

So we chose to honor the spirit of Friendsgiving while responding honestly to the moment.

Instead of centering a single event, we shifted toward a model that emphasized collective care beyond one season: the launch of our Sage D Giving Circle! This effort reflected the circular nature of our partnerships, where support flows in multiple directions, and visibility is used to uplift real, present needs. From November 17th to December 19th, we focused on the launch of the Giving Circle, a mutual aid model where we seek to pool resources and distribute them equitably to the leaders of grassroots organizations who keep our communities strong.

Our 2026 Giving Circle Member Organizations:

• Fleur and Forage Free Clinic 

• Unearthing Farm and Market 

• Step Ahead Scholars 

• Blessing Bags of Warmth 

• The Praise House Project 

• UmiFeeds 

• Single Mom Founders 

• Athena's Warehouse 

• The Hand, Heart, and Soul Project 

• Peachtree Road Farmers Market's Rescued Crops for Our Neighbors 

• Black Too Earth

• Carrie's Closet of Georgia

 Rather than funneling resources through one channel, we’ve created multiple pathways for support: encouraging community members to give directly, contribute collectively, or simply share and amplify. The goal is to both consolidate resources and circulate them. 

This season reminded us that partnership is not a static element of our work. It requires responsiveness, humility, and a willingness to adapt traditions to meet present needs. By choosing mutual aid over performance, and amplification over celebration, we stayed aligned with what the moment was truly asking of us.