How I made a difference this week.

This week was a reminder that making a difference doesn’t show up in just one form.

I care deeply—urgently—about making the world a better place. But impact isn’t limited to writing a check. It can come from giving time, sharing expertise, offering steady presence, or helping direct capital toward meaningful work.

In my role on the board of the Vermont Community Loan Fund, we approved more than $4 million in community impact loans this week. Those decisions will help preserve 98 units of affordable housing, help permanently conserve 150 acres of forest and farmland for open space, wildlife habitat, public recreation, and food resilience, and convert eight short-term seasonal rentals into permanent, affordable homes for working Vermonters.

Moments like this remind me that we all have ways to magnify our impact—by volunteering our skills, serving on boards, making impact investments, or supporting organizations doing the quiet, essential work of strengthening communities.

There’s no single right way to give. What matters is finding the ways that align with who we are—and choosing to show up.