Tuesday, July 30, 2013

WHY NOT CALL THEM “COMMUNITY BENEFIT ORGANIZATIONS!”



Did it ever occur to you how negative the term “non-profit” is in describing those organizations that toil in the vineyard of community service?  If it hasn’t, it should.  If you are employed in any aspect of community service you should actually take offense at this manner of identifying the important work you do in such a crucial part of our society.

          As you know, there are three main areas in our society that enable it to function – the for-profit sector, the government sector, and that all-important third sector that deals with all aspects of community service.  The first two have a positive ring to them.  There is no doubt in identifying their true purpose because the word signifying each of them is likewise descriptive and to-the-point.  Not so with “non-profit sector”.  This term is at the same time negative, non-descriptive, and fails to tell us what actually takes place.

          A truer moniker to describe this all-important sector should be the
“community benefit” sector.  It is more positive in its message and distinctly describes exactly what it does.  For such a large and important part of our society that does so much good in so many areas such as human services, health, science, the environment, education, and arts and culture, among others, accurately describing the vineyard is the least that can be done!