Too Many Do-Gooders?

There are 1.5 million nonprofit organizations in the United States, and roughly 80,000 in Washington state. Of course, not all of them are 501(c)3 tax exempt, and there are various kinds of nonprofits including churches and trade organizations.

An abundance of charitable organizations can be a good thing. It means that people have thought about where the service gaps lie in our society, and they have had the courage to do something about it. What strikes me about the huge number of nonprofits, however, is that redundancy and inefficiency must exist. There has also been a trend to push nonprofits to function much like forprofit corporations. Again, this has its advantages; but, it also breeds competition and silo thinking.

I am fortunate to be part of several groups and organizations that are engaging in dialog about the bigger issues - how to better meet the needs of the people around us by prioritizing creative solutions and collaborations. We are reminding each other to put the parameters of our own organizations aside and focus on overall systems change.

I am absolutely convinced that this is the right strategy for breaking the cycle of dependence on government funding and for opening our eyes to the actions that make our communities more diverse and ultimately more prosperous. Making time for think-tank discussions is energizing and extremely enlightening.

I challenge myself and all nonprofit stakeholders to occassionally put aside the responsibility of keeping the individual 1.5 million organizations ticking, and think about what a new way of tackling society's problems might look like. The current economic struggles and natural disasters in the world can keep us scrambling to achieve status quo, or they can inspire us to do something a little crazy, like change the world.

Cathy Bisaillon
President & CEO

April is Autism Awareness Month!

In order to highlight the growing need for concern and awareness about autism, the Autism Society has been celebrating National Autism Awareness Month since the 1970s. The United States recognizes April as a special opportunity for everyone to educate the public about autism and issues within the autism community.

Below are three video links featuring autism that may interest you:

On this episode of True Life you'll meet three young people who are doing everything they can to battle their Autism and live life to the fullest.

http://www.mtv.com/videos/true-life-i-have-autism/1554937/playlist.jhtml


An informative video about autism narrated by siblings and families.

http://www.nick.com/videos/

"Autism is a Blessing" book.

http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=113155&title=Autism_Is_A_Blessing_Book