Thursday, November 20, 2008

NON PROFITS VERSUS NON PROFITS


Last night I attended my third of the three Town Hall Meetings regarding the book Community Capitalism.
While driving home I started to think about not for profit organizations. Within Licking County they all have done a good job, they each have their area of fulfilling a need or attempting to fill the needs of our community. I try to give of my time as well as money to many organizations because they are a strong part of Newark and Licking County.
But......there are not for profits that do make a community exceptionally great such as Hospice, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Salvation Army, LMH, YMCA, The Works etc. Then there are the ones fulfilling their needs, but are they really helping the community?
Last night one person kept speaking out, several of her concerns were housing and the underprivileged. In fact, she talked too much. Yes, these folks need clean and safe places to live and I think a good job is being done organizing and providing shelter and home buying programs.
My big concern is several not for profit organizations strive to attract more needy people in order to stay in business. As discussions brought out the great things about our community as far as education, resources etc. and how we need to beef up our community in attracting responsible and well spending individuals to live in Licking County. My thoughts were: Do we need to strongly support not for profits that are strongly attracting more residence we do not need in a thriving community?
Nothing is wrong with helping the deprived, but we do not need the deprived we do not have thinking they should move to Licking County because they can get more bang for the buck that they do not have versus other areas of Central Ohio.
I know one person that will think this is mean.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I could not agree more! I know exactly who you mean, and I thought she brought down the focus of the meeting with her commments. I am glad to see you are bold enough to speak out.