Nonprofit World

Nonprofit World

October 25, 2021 Uncategorized 26

There are so many nonprofits in our world that have a huge impact on many communities. Look up a nonprofit of your choice and tell us about it! The nonprofit you choose is up to you, so they can range from local, state, or national level. Expand outside of the nonprofits Bonners are located in for service.

What is their mission and the community or communities they serve? What about this nonprofit interested you?  What are things you learned and or surprised you?

26 Responses

  1. Tori Mangelli says:

    The Borgen Project is an international nonprofit that focuses on bringing awareness towards issues such as maternal issues, poverty, and environmental issues facing third-world countries. They have volunteers from all around the U.S. write about these issues in their magazine and blog to bring awareness to such important topics. Also, volunteers also lobby to congress about the same issues they write about in efforts to pass bills in the legislature that help those that cannot help themselves.

  2. Michael Averill says:

    A nonprofit organization that has always intrigued me is No Más Muertes, or No More Deaths, which is based in Tucson, Arizona. The mission of No More Deaths is, “to end death and suffering in the Mexico–US borderlands through civil initiative: people of conscience working openly and in community to uphold fundamental human rights.” Essentially, this nonprofit emphasizes respect for human rights above politics. Obviously, immigration is a hugely political topic in the United States and Mexico too. Since the early 2000s, thousands of people have left Mexico and in more recently, Central American countries, to migrate to the United States. There are a variety of factors causing this forced migration such as, violence, poverty, economic hardship, and climate change. No Más Muertes was created in 2004 after reports of a rising number of deaths in the U.S. Mexico borderlands of immigrants attempting to cross the desert into the United States. The main goal of No More Deaths is simple, prevent human beings from perishing in the desert, regardless of who they are or what their immigration status is. The nonprofit works to achieve this goal by strategically placing resources such as food and water along popular migration paths in the desert. Additionally, some volunteers for No More Deaths have faced criminal charges for aiding immigrants. The organization also goes beyond just aid within the desert, as they work to lobby local, state, and federal government agencies for more just immigration laws, while also releasing annual reports on borderland statistics and other social justice topics such as Black liberation. I think this nonprofit is doing incredibly important work and I hope that they continue in their mission, as human rights violations against immigrants is still pervasive in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands today.

  3. Chandler Edbauer says:

    There is a nonprofit organization called Refugee & Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus , Inc (RISSE) in Albany, New York that helps immigrants integrate into the new community around them. This particular nonprofit works to teach Immigrants English language and they strive to provide English literacy courses as well. The organization brands themselves on building a sustainable life for refugees and immigrants. They originally founded their organization helping refugees from the Congo back in 2007. They were able to help people find jobs, school programs for their children, and a place to advance their education. This nonprofit really interested me because they really strive to make refugees lives better in the long run. I thought it was a great organization because they help people build sustainable lives all while providing a unified community environment.

  4. Inquiry into the Role and Oversight of Private Security Contractors in Afghanistan. (Senate Report 111-345)

  5. Giavanna Pitagno says:

    Dogs on Deployment is a nonprofit that helps connect military pet owners with volunteers that board and care for their pets while on deployment. Today, they have successfully ‘deployed’ nearly 2500 pets. This nonprofit keeps pets from being put in shelters due to service commitments of their owners- and alleviates the stress finding pet care can inflict on those serving our country. This nonprofit was founded by a dual military couple- who struggled to find pet care when they were both deployed at the same time. They also help service members get pet insurance, manage their pets health, and pamper their pets not only while deployed, but when they are home as well. This nonprofit interested me because I feel like it helps a very niche issue that people can easily overlook. Many active military members are discouraged from having pets due to their schedules- however service animals are often given veterans after their service.

  6. Stephanie Da Fonseca says:

    The non profit I will talk about today is Habitat for Humanity. This non profit is a national organization and helps families rebuild their homes because of natural disasters, or just for seniors who cannot do it themselves. Habitat for humanity also does neighborhood revitalization, they sustain shelters, do disaster response and provide financial education for those who want or need it! Habitat for Humanity does operate in all 50 states and more than 70 other countries around the globe. This nonprofit interests me because of the vast need many people have in this country for their service, many people can afford to purchase a home by scrapping by, but renovating that house to make it feel like home has astronomical prices. One thing that surprised me was to learn they do neighborhood revitalization, because this is something so important like creating safe parks and bringing fresh produce markets to the neighborhood to improve the overall quality of living.

  7. Jack McKenna says:

    Soul Fire Farms (local- Petersburg, NY)
    Their mission is to “uproot racism and seeding sovereignty in the food system.” They work to fight the food apartheid by growing and providing produce, and bringing diverse communities together. They also focus on sustainable agriculture, natural building, spiritual activism, health, and environmental justice. They serve diverse minority communities and those impacted by food apartheid. There programs reach over 10,000 people each year.

    The work they do for food injustice and disadvantaged communities, while teaching cultural and spiritual history through food and land soverightney is very unique, powerful, and something that speaks to me. I was surprised to learn that the co-director, Leah Penniman has a book out called ‘Farming While Black.’

  8. Katie Lindsay says:

    The American Red Cross is a national and international non-profit organization in the United States.
    Their mission statement is that the group “[. . .] prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors” (American Red Cross). They serve people affected by disasters like hurricanes, people needing blood, members of the armed services, and any community by training individuals for medical emergency preparedness skills as examples (American Red Cross). This non-profit interests me because their outreach is huge, for instance, that “The American Red Cross is part of the world’s largest volunteer network found in nearly 200 countries” and that is has been around for a long time, 140 years (American Red Cross). Some things I learned about the Red Cross that surprised me were how they “[. . . ] provide more than 40% of the blood products in this country” and that it was founded by a woman, Clara Barton. I think we are all aware of this organization generally, but we don’t often stop to acknowledge how much change blood drives, monetary donations, and emergency trainings make in our community and beyond, the quality of life we are improving to as a whole because of the work that this group does.

  9. Abeer Jafri says:

    One nonprofit I discovered on my search was Dress for Success. They work to provide women with professional wear, as well as networking and ways to help develop their careers. Their goal is to help disadvantaged women ultimately gain economic independence. This was interesting to me, because I think it is such a unique approach to community outreach in that it focuses on a small detail that could easily be overlooked. It is so normalized to push for dressing “professionally” in order to succeed in the work world, but not everyone has the privilege of doing so. Even doing a seemingly small thing like providing women with attire can be the one connection to fueling their lives and careers. I think this non-profit is a great initiative, and I’m glad I was able to learn about it.

  10. Brianna Rodriguez says:

    There is a local non-profit in my town of New Britain, Connecticut called the Friendship Center. Since 1968, this non-profit works with causes related to housing and homelessness. The mission of the Friendship Center is to provide direct service to the poor and needy of Central Connecticut, including the ownership and operation of housing for the poor. With community collaboration, their work is made visible through supportive services and partnership with people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. They have the vision that because every human has value, they want to help create a world without homeless. What interests me about this non-profit is that they also offer permanent supportive housing, compared to only offering temporary housing. One of the programs they have in this service is called PEAK, in which they provide homeless, disabled adults and their families with certificates to live in 35 apartments that are scattered around New Britain. With this certificate, PEAK pays the landlord rent and participants pay a fee based on their family income. What surprised me about this program is how many community partnerships they seem to have. Non-profits are normally looking for partnerships to support their organization, but being from New Britain and knowing the way my town works, I expected them to need more outreach in order to seek out more partnerships. However, they seem to be a strong organization with a lot of support from the town.

  11. Nia Colon says:

    The nonprofit that I decided to focus on was the American Association for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Their mission is “to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States.” I am interested in this because I have a strong love for animals and preventing any cruelty towards them. One thing that I learned that surprised me was that 27,751 animals relocated for a better chance of adoption in 2020.

  12. Sarah Ahmed-Weidman says:

    There are so many nonprofits in our world that have a huge impact on many communities. Look up a nonprofit of your choice and tell us about it! The nonprofit you choose is up to you, so they can range from local, state, or national level. Expand outside of the nonprofits Bonners are located in for service.

    What is their mission and the community or communities they serve? What about this nonprofit interested you? What are things you learned and or surprised you?
    Task Force for Global Health is an international 501 c(3) whose mission is to build sustainable systems that protect and promote health. This organization also collaborates with other nonprofits and groups to relieve health-related problems around the world. One thing I liked is that they emphasized how they are not aiming to appear as superheroes or have this savior complex. Of course, they inside their projects, but they never write that the nonprofit hopes to cure all types of diseases because that just is not attainable. They work on different projects at the same time so different countries or regions work on various projects-there are currently seventeen different projects functioning. This nonprofit interests me because I am strongly considering working with Doctors without Borders and programs such as Partners in Health has always interested me. I had never actually heard about this nonprofit before so one thing that surprised me was that it is an international nonprofit yet I didn’t know it existed. I was also surprised that one could apply from Emory Univerisity which makes the process less intimidating. Usually, applications for these types of programs are not more so ‘prestigious’, but is extremely involved and can seem quite cold.

  13. Kimberly Lopez says:

    The world works in mysterious ways, growing up in NYC I had never stopped to notice my surroundings thoroughly. Without being aware I have seen many non-profit organizations around the city. For example, in Manhattan, there is an organization called NAC (New Alternatives For Children inc.). NAC was founded in 1982 with the mission that states, every child deserves a safe, nurturing home and a bright future. Moreover, NAC is a non-profit healthcare and social services organization that works primarily with children who have complex medical conditions and their families. NAC focuses on serving children who are living in poverty, have experienced neglect, and physical and/or sexual abuse. What drew me to learn more about this organization was the dedication and patience shown through their volunteers and employees and how they have impacted the community. Working with kids is not easy and NAC has done an amazing job assisting children and their families as well as spreading awareness to the community regarding the importance of unity as a community. NAC further expands its services by providing assistance to potential foster families, tutoring programs, and hosting food pantries. Overall, a non-profit organization changes the lives of many while serving as a motivation for the world to seek change, this is what NAC continues to do today.

    • Cody Romani says:

      Hi Kim,

      I have not heard about NAC previously. I love their mission statement and how they focus on serving children with medical needs or suffering from physical abuse. NAC is certainly doing great work and helping children stay in nurturing environments. Thank you for sharing.

  14. Abby James-Vickery says:

    There is a non-profit in my city called Blossom Sisters Dance and Performing Arts Studio. This studio provides arts and dance education for all, with a focus on at-risk youth. The nonprofit aims to provide opportunities for growth and creativity for children of all backgrounds, while also mentoring those who need additional support. They also have a focus on building self-esteem and self-confidence. This non-profit serves youth in Bergen County, NJ and focuses on underserved communities. This nonprofit is very important to me because I worked there at the end of high school and still work there when I go home. The main thing that I have learned while working here is that not all nonprofits present the same. When I think of a nonprofit, I don’t usually think of places like a dance studio. However, working here has shown me that there is a whole world of nonprofits that we don’t often think about.

  15. Victoria Taco says:

    There is a nonprofit organization called Refugee & Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus , Inc (RISSE) in Albany, New York that helps immigrants integrate into the new community around them. This particular nonprofit works to teach Immigrants English language and they strive to provide English literacy courses as well. The organization brands themselves on building a sustainable life for refugees and immigrants. They originally founded their organization helping refugees from the Congo back in 2007. They were able to help people find jobs, school programs for their children, and a place to advance their education. This nonprofit really interested me because they really strive to make refugees lives better in the long run. I thought it was a great organization because they help people build sustainable lives all while providing a unified community environment.

  16. Samantha Lunt says:

    The nonprofit Alliance for Positive Health is a nonprofit with many location across Upstate NY. Their mission is to reduce the impact and incidence of HIV/AIDS as well as other serious medical and social conditions. The communities they serve are people impacted by HIV/AIDS and other illnesses, many of them impacted by homeless or mental illness. I was interested in the work they are doing in many communities. I also learned they have a location in GlensFalls, which is where I am from. I also think the work they are doing is so important and they are helping to break stigmas. I learned about the many services they offer from support groups, harm reduction services, HIV testing and many other services.

  17. Cody Romani says:

    Dutchess Outreach is a nonprofit organization located in Poughkeepsie New York that works to meet the needs of vulnerable populations in Dutchess County. It is interesting to learn about nonprofits that are close to your hometown. Dutchess Outreach’s mission is to increase community food security, increase advocacy, and provide emergency relief to vulnerable populations. One fact that stood out to me is that 1 in 4 households in Poughkeepsie are food insecure. I never realized how bad this situation was in my county. I really like that they put definitions of food insecurity, food access, and food sovereignty on their website to educate people about problems that do exist. Dutchess Outreach has many programs such as the pantry, fresh market, children’s clothing closet, advocacy and referral, and emergency relief. Their work is incredible and they are always looking for more volunteers.

  18. Nancy Rasmussen says:

    Sandy Hook Promise is a non-profit organization that envisions a future where children are free from shootings and acts of violence in their schools, homes, and communities. Their mission is to end school shootings and create a culture change that prevents violence and other harmful acts that hurt children. Sandy Hook Promise is building a national movement to bring awareness to the pressing issue of gun violence in our world today. This nonprofit supports a matter that I am quite passionate about. School is supposed to be a place where all students feel safe, welcomed, and comfortable. It is supposed to be a place where students are excited to go to, and a place where students flourish as individuals, not only academically, but socially and emotionally as well. How can students even begin to do all these things and feel a sense of warmth and happiness walking into their schools when the dark cloud of a shooting threat looms above them? It’s impossible. One thing that surprised me while doing my research was almost 60,000 anonymous tips were received. Even if just 10 of those tips saved the life of someone, that is pretty incredible and speaks volumes as to why we should support a non-profit like this one.

  19. Kayla McKay says:

    The nonprofit I wanted to focus on for this blog post is the First Book Marketplace nonprofit. This nonprofit was founded in 1992 and it is a national nonprofit. The First Book Marketplace nonprofit’s mission is that they are dedicated to ensuring educational equity as a pathway or escape out of poverty. This organization addresses the obstacles of education that children from low-income family households and marginalized communities as a whole. This nonprofit provides brand-new books, school supplies, and other essential school-related resources for kids to open them up to opportunities. I found the First Book nonprofit interesting because learning helps individuals learn new perspectives and formulate individual opinions. To see that this organization helps children from low-income family households and marginalized communities is nice to see because they can be easily neglected. Education in low-income communities is powerful because it opens up opportunities rather than being subjected to poverty. Something that I learned was that this organization is that they provide an array selection of books that are diverse and inclusive.

    • Samantha Lunt says:

      Hi Kayla,
      I really enjoyed reading your response and learning about this organization. This nonprofit is doing such important work for the country. This is such and important issue to focus on and First Book Market places is doing great things!

  20. Amanda Molloy says:

    The nonprofit that I want to talk about is Newburgh Ministries located in Newburgh, NY. They have a focus on helping the community of those who are homeless by providing food, shelter, and other services. This nonprofit holds a special place in my heart because I have done a lot of work with them throughout high school and the town of Newburgh is only about ten minutes away from where I live so it is close to home. I think something I have learned through working with this nonprofit is all of the complex elements of a nonprofit and how difficult it is to get things like grants approved. Working with Newburgh Ministries also made me realize how important help is and how volunteers really do make an impact when they take the time to give back to these nonprofits that serve the community.

  21. Rachel+Gifford says:

    One Nonprofit that is local in my community is Red Hook Responds(RHR). RHR came as a response to the Corona Virus and it is a sub-organization out of the Ascienzo family foundation that is dedicated to helping solve poverty as well as helping the elderly in the Dutchess County area. RHR was focused on getting volunteers together that could help the elderly and at-risk populations in our community access supplies and information during Covid. The major service they provided to the community was food delivery services. Some of the other services they offered were prescription pickup, shoveling during the winter, tutoring, neighborly chats, and helping people sign up for vaccine appointments. One service that I thought was really inspiring was the tutoring program because it was run by Bard college which is a liberal arts college in our area. RHR was really a group effort of many individuals coming together in the community to help support all those that needed it during this difficult time. RHR was focused in Red Hook and so most of their services were just offered in Red Hook and Tivoli NY. In 2020 my grade gave our money for our prom to RHR because we knew that it would help people and it was the best local non-profit to give our prom money to. When researching RHR I was shocked by how many services they now offer and how much it has grown in two short years.

    • Samantha Lunt says:

      Hi Rachel,
      I really enjoyed reading your response and learning about this awesome organization. It sounds like they do so many amazing things for the community! This shows how when a community comes together it can do so much.

  22. Ava Bibisi says:

    The nonprofit Smart Kids has created the mission to help children with learning and attention disabilities reach their fullest potential by inspiring, educating, and empower parents in order to help their children succeed. This nonprofit is out of Connecticut and spreads awareness for children and youth. I am interested in this organization because my family used to volunteer at a similar nonprofit in the area that raised awareness for a similar cause. I volunteered and my parents learned a lot from the programs that the organization provided in order to help my sister work though her developmental disability. The Smart Kids organization does more than just educate, but advocates for children and their needs in the school district and work environment. This is a topic I am really passionate about because I see the struggles and the hardships that a person who is seemingly less than average goes through in order to get a job or receive the proper respect in society. It is so important to educate our community members on the values of individuals and how who a person is doesn’t come from how they were born or what abilities they have, but the heart of the person.

    • Cody Romani says:

      Hi Ava,

      Smart Kids really is a great organization. I am glad you have volunteered with a similar organization too. Youth with disabilities are certainly overlooked sometimes in the world. I really like how Smart Kids advocates for children in school districts too. Thank you for sharing.

Comments are closed.