The Effects Of Non-Profits on the Community

By DeShawn Morgan(P Saydat)

"Green Day's Tre Cool and ONE Volunteers at Warped"by Brande Jackson is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Picture a web of interacting strings similar to that which is seen with spiders, each string bringing an important piece of stability to the overall framework. This is exactly the way cities are composed. Each piece, be it industry, government, economics, etc. all bring another portion of the structure a city needs in order to function at capacity. Still there are areas that these areas fall short or cannot reach, and these are the areas where community-based businesses or Non-Profits step in to aid the community. This article is about the effects of non-profits in the state of North Carolina.

According to the Council of Non-Profits, a non-profit relies strongly on research to advance it’s public awareness, programs, and any other initiative that they choose to pursue. Their job is to be as informed as possible about the specific niche that they are attenuated towards and to figure how best to be of assistance. Non-Profits not only add 42.5 billion to the North Carolina economy but also they provide up to 10% of the jobs, the same as the industries of retail and manufacturing.

(Info:TheBizJournal.com)(Graph: Canva.com)

Goodwill Industries is ranked as North Carolina’s number one non-profit according to the Triad Business Journal. Goodwill brings in around 67 million a year and is a big help to the North Carolina economy. But what many consider an even bigger achievement is the fact that Goodwill helps millions of people per year and provides around 300,00 with community service and job training. That alone helps the job industry in North Carolina.

The grid above is an example of how major non-profits are essentially a giant part of the state’s economics the top five bringing in a combined amount of almost 200 million a year with Goodwill and its public services being the leader

While Goodwill handles covers a lot of industrial ground amongst other things, other non-profits cover other areas and benefit the community. The Boys and Girls Club of America concentrates its efforts on the development of children mentally, emotionally, and academically. The BGCA boast of superior percentages for it’s attendees in multiple areas in comparison with non-members, including a higher percentage of low-income students with higher grades.

The YMCA is a big non-profit that also specializes in helping children and giving them something to do and look forward to after school. On top of that they also provide a health center for occupants of the neighborhood which inspires health. They can be found all over North Carolina.

When the word effect is mentioned, many think of business size as a determining factor. That is not a sole determinate in non-profits. For example, I interviewed Alexis Jones-Morgan, a woman who is co-owner of a newly founded non-profit, Ascension Nvtion, a company that has independently fed the hundreds of the homeless on multiple holidays. When asked about her thoughts on the impact of non-profits on the community she some heartfelt words to share.

“When I was a little girl, community help programs were how a lot of us were given a bigger perspective of the world.” Alexis stated, a smile on her face as she revisited her past mentally.” We visited places that we probably never would have through programs like the Boys and Girls Club. And for some of us these interactions helped shape our view self! ” .

In North Carolina communities are growing, but not the funding for Non-Profits. Despite the fact the Non Profits in North Carolina have nearly doubled their economic impact in a ten year span, boosting NC economy. reportedly give more Data from Somncdn.com suggests they are declining, a statement backed up by data from Ncnonprofits.org. What are the intended results of this funding decline? What sense does this make for the community. And how are they expected to be affected?

“It sounds like missed opportunities for little boys and girls. Some who are dependent upon programs like this in multiple ways!” Alexis Jones-Morgan spoke when asked about her thoughts on the funding cut for Non-Profits.

This statement alone shows the impact of Non-Profits on the community. To many they are simply opportunity!