You Get What You Give

Today, I stood in front of the C. John A. Clarke Humanitarian Award display in the heart of Lakewood Ranch and saw my name etched into it—for the very first time.

I’m not sure words can really capture the swirl of emotions in that moment. Gratitude, disbelief, pride, and a deep sense of wow... this actually happened.

We had our photos taken for the Observer, and as the ceremony wrapped up, I got into my car to drive home. The second I turned the key, “You Get What You Give” by the New Radicals started playing.

I just sat there for a minute and let it all sink in.

There couldn’t have been a more fitting song—because at the heart of everything I do, and everything Local Relief stands for, is that simple truth:

You really do get what you give.

This recognition from the Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation is deeply personal. Local Relief was born from witnessing the chaos that follows disasters, the silence that people face when they need help the most—and the magic that happens when communities come together.

To have that effort acknowledged in such a lasting way feels like a reminder that we’re on the right path.

If you’re someone out there trying to make a difference—whether in a big way or a small, quiet one—keep going. Your name might not be on a plaque (yet!), but the good you put into the world matters. It ripples. It sticks.

And sometimes, when you least expect it, life turns up the radio and lets you know you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.

Heather Hackett

Founder & Executive Director

LocalRelief.com