Non-Profit Organizations – a boon to our society
According to the IRS, there are more than 1.4 million registered non-profit organizations in America today. Most of these have annual budgets of less than $25,000, so they are working on a shoestring to solve some of society’s most intractable problems, as well as to bring arts and culture to communities around the country.
A lot of these organizations provide their services for free or for low prices; therefore, they depend on donations to carry out their work. The people involved with these organizations, as volunteers or staffers, are working in the trenches and are a boon to society by virtue of their contributions.
Non-profits working with children can help our society grow and prosper because they are reaching out to help needy families who are raising the next generation. There are many success stories of adults who were helped out of poverty or had a career path set out for them through the help of an organization focused on children. Such groups, like those that provide needs-based scholarships, expect nothing in return for their assistance except to see a student succeed in school as well as in life.
There are many reasons to get involved with a non-profit organization: a desire to do and see good in the world; for a more satisfying career; to make good use of spare time once retired are just three. The rewards are often more intrinsic than monetary, but every kind of skill is needed to make a non-profit run efficiently.
For those interested in getting involved with a non-profit organization at a deeper level than providing a monetary donation, there are numerous ways to get involved. Small organizations in your city or town always need volunteers; check with your local United Way for a listing of groups in your community and contact ones that interest you to see how you can help. The on-line service, www.volunteermatch.com, can help connect you with an appropriate charity that matches your interests, as well.
The gift of time (and/or treasure) can be very gratifying, and goes a long way toward helping non-profits continue to be a boon to American society.
