DONOR SPOTLIIGHT Jane Torrence Donates to Build Community Power Please introduce yourself to our readers. My name is Jane Torrence, and I’m a
teacher who works with visually impaired or blind students. I live in the Hudson Valley of New York. When did you first become interested in environmen- tal issues? Growing up in Utah, I had endless opportuni- ties to be active and experience true wilderness. It’s terrible that places like that are becoming increasingly rare. When I was an assistant science teacher, one day I took my students outside after a rain. Water droplets were hanging all over every tree branch, each one containing a reflection of everything around it. My students marveled at the tiny universe inside each drop. That sums up how I think about the natural world — each tiny piece reflects the whole and is an essential part of our larger environment. It’s vital to protect as much as we can. How did you hear about Food & Water Watch, and what motivated you to make your first gift? I heard about Food & Water Watch from a door-to-door canvasser when my kids were little. Being new to New York at the time, I was so grateful to learn from them about the health and safety dangers of Indian Point, the nuclear power plant near where I live, and the history of GE’s PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls) contam- ination of the Hudson River, and they were informing the public about what we could do. With kids and a career, I had very little time to stay informed or go to meetings, but I knew I could help through my donations. And you also give to Food & Water Action. Why is this important to you? I always figured that a 501(c)(4) organization is less funded because donations aren’t tax-de-
I trust that Food & Water Watch is getting the facts, sharing what they know, and telling us where to show up and who to call.
ductible. I give to Food & Water Action because I want to help them build community power to take back control of local environments. My gift does that. What do you wish everyone knew about Food & Water Watch and Food & Water Action? I wish people knew how hard Food & Water Watch and Action are looking out for our quality of life. I recently heard that they keep themselves agile so they can respond to climate, food, and water issues across the country as they arise. For instance, they can organize quickly to stop AI data centers from being built. This is so important because a victory in one community can inform others dealing with similar issues. I trust that Food & Water Watch is getting the facts, sharing what they know, and telling us where to show up and who to call. What gives you hope? I’m hopeful when I see young people running for office. We desperately need new ways of thinking and problem-solving.
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