While Dictionary.com selected “6-7″ - a term signaling swagger or insider status in internet and youth culture as its word of the year, the language experts at Oxford went in a different direction, choosing “rage bait,” defined as online content created to provoke anger or outrage, as their word for 2025.

But beyond the world of social media, I found myself settling on a different word for “real” life in 2025: PARTNERSHIP.

The end of the year is always a natural moment to take stock. And as I reflect on 2025, I keep coming back to the conversations I’ve heard across our community. Again and again, a common thread emerged: people asking, “Who can we partner with on this?” That question, more than any single initiative, accomplishment, or trend (social media or otherwise!), is what truly defines this year for me. Our area has always benefited from the deep commitment of generous people. Many of you give quietly, serve on boards, volunteer, or help your neighbors in need. This year, I saw more groups choose to join forces, and the result was worth it: amplified impact.

Manatee Community Foundation staff see it when donors ask who else is investing in early learning, food access, or housing. We’ve witnessed more people care for our environment, from neighborhood cleanups to supporting parks and natural spaces to supporting veterans. Becoming fully independent this summer gave our foundation more flexibility to welcome larger gifts that stay rooted in our region, and the new Giving Gallery lets donors stand alongside vetted projects and co-invest with neighbors.

Nonprofit leaders share stories from the families they serve and invite others to respond with them. Public partners sit with us to see where local dollars and private giving can meet so we can stack our investments and avoid overlooking important needs. Through community initiatives like the COAD, CLASP, and the Pet Resource Center, we work side by side for greater outcomes.

You can see this mindset in opportunities for children and young people, too. For example, Soar in 4’s new Soar Lab and the Dr. Janet S. Pullen STEAM Center, named for an MCF board member, grew from local efforts to provide kids places where art, reading, curiosity, and creativity fuel emotional and creative intelligence alike. We also celebrated one of MCF’s donors’ dreams: the groundbreaking of Sara's Studios in downtown Bradenton, a future home for performing arts education. None of these efforts belonged to just one organization; they happened because people took a seat at the same table and listened to one another.

You can also see it in our response when families feel stretched thin. Many households here still juggle worries about food, rent, and access to basic care. But instead of sending people in circles, local partners have tried to make the path to help easier. Through the Manatee Food Security Network, convened by the Bishop Parker Foundation, organizations share information and close gaps, facilitating access to culturally appropriate, nutritious food for our communities. With tools like Unite Us, a person can talk with one trusted nonprofit and be connected to several services at once. This kind of coordination reflects our shared hope: when someone reaches out, the answer should consider all their needs and help them move towards abundance and confidence. It should be a clear next step to resilience.

In my role, I’m privileged to see these stories play out every day. A parent finally finds a safe, reliable after-school option for their child. A student opens a scholarship letter and realizes college is within reach. A nonprofit leader leaves a meeting knowing they no longer need to carry an idea by themselves. These moments show how joined-up generosity can turn ideas into real change.

One thing is certain: in 2026, new challenges will crop up, like rising costs and more policy changes. Though we can’t control every external force, we can choose how we respond. I could say the word for 2025 is “partnership.” And I hope we choose to respond this way again, with open doors and shared plans, and with a willingness to listen more.

Thank you for all the ways, seen and unseen, that you worked with others in 2025. Your support has been felt in classrooms, community spaces, food pantries, and homes across the region. As you look back on your own year, I hope you see the part you played and feel encouraged about what we can continue to build, together, in Manatee County.

Cheers to the partnerships we’ll forge in 2026, aligned for a brighter future for all.

Veronica Thames, is the CEO of the Manatee Community Foundation.