Sarah Gorin

"Progressive communities come from a critical mass of people. There is no magic formula; it just takes hard work." This comment by Sarah Gorin, who became a Social Justice Fund NW member in 2005, sums up her nearly thirty years of activism in Wyoming. She came to Wyoming fresh out of college in Missouri, to work for the Powder River Basin Resource Council, an agricultural and conservation group which had organized around the impact of coal mining on the land.

Sarah continues her community leadership as Board Chair and staff researcher/policy analyst for Equality State Policy Center (ESPC), a nontraditional coalition of Wyoming organizations working together on state government accountability and citizen access issues.

Sarah and her husband, Bern Hinckley, have tithed a percentage of their income for a long time, giving to nonprofits and political campaigns. From the Nuclear Freeze to the Sierra Club, to the ESPC, Sarah has worked with a number of foundations, yet SJF's staff and granting process have really impressed her. Sarah knew of SJF through the agencies we've funded, and decided to join SJF last summer, following SJF's visit and Board meeting in Laramie. "SJF has a high level of involvement and commitment to our region. Their level of "hands-on-ness" persuaded me to invest in their unique brand of philanthropy, which raises funds and re-grants to groups that many other funders ignore. They fund small things - that's good."

Sarah feels SJFNW has enhanced the "great network of people in the Northwest Region. Many of us are doing similar kinds of work in different ways. You connect us, support us and give us better contacts." Sarah confided that she and her colleagues often share their frustrations, sometimes vowing "to leave this place. Then we realize it's hard everywhere, it's uphill all the way and the grass is always greener." Sarah also credits SJF with advancing a philanthropic ethic, "which we didn't all grown up with, like Bill Gates did!"

Sarah commented that she "may not be the typical Social Justice Fund Northwest member - I'm already quite involved." Involved and an inspiration to each of us to seek progressive solutions in that critical mass in each of our communities.

(Sarah will celebrate a milestone birthday this month, and plans a special family vacation with her husband, 13 year old son, Franklin, and 11 year old daughter, Marlis, to Scotland, London, England and Iceland.)