Nonprofit agencies need your help

The headlines are frightening: “Worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.”

The financial emergency is concerning for Kansas City area nonprofits because we run our agencies on a shoestring every day, even in the best of times. How can we continue to provide these services when the government is out of money, area foundations have seen millions of dollars in their endowments disappear, corporations are laying off workers and individuals are afraid to spend what money they do have?

Nonprofits will do what they always do: think creatively, work smarter, collaborate and remind our donors why we are so vital to a healthy economy. According to a survey by the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership, there are 7,403 charitable nonprofit organizations in Kansas City. The nonprofit sector comprises 13.7 percent of the region’s economy, and the impact we have on hundreds of thousands of lives we serve cannot be measured.

I hope you will not cut off vital funding to your favorite charity as you tighten your belts. Volunteer or make a contribution, but get involved. We need you now more than ever.

Cynthia Smith
President and CEO, Sunflower House, A Child Abuse Prevention Center
Shawnee

Comments

[Casady]

I can see going to the casino's for entertainment purposes. I myself will catch an occassional show at Voodoo Lounge adn I agree the people watching does make me give thanks that I came from a good gene pool but my God, NMMNG, from where I sit, your casino visits don't seem to do anything but piss you off. Maybe a nice trip to an isolated mountain hideaway is in order.

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

Casady 8% of the GDP is different than 8% of revenues in this case. Granted they feel some pain but not like they are asking for a bailout (not yet). Regarding the GDP in an other case, no one seems to care that we are willing to fork over .7% of a 3% GDP to some foreign entity (the U.N.) to "manage" and be used for yet an ongoing global poverty program that has failed for decades..We frequent the casinos as the entertainment value really is rather inexpensive if you are simply disciplined and understand you are more likely than not going to lose. We actually get a kick out of watching many that obviously claim to be oppressed and vicitms, spend like there is no tomorrow. We might spend $50-100 locally and only spent a couple of hundred last trip to LV.
My point being, how will raising taxes, keeping people MORE dependent upon mediocrity and punishing enterprise by mandated labor wage hikes, help the situation? I simply can not find that in any of the business and economic books I have. SOme of us are simply better with money than others, some of us CHOOSE to be productive and some CHOOSE to sit around and mooch.

[Casady]

I'm with Kate on this one. I've volunteered at numerous non profits over the years. While the salaries need to be competitive to attract competent talent, they are hardly excessive. Could it be that the BMWs and Mercedes that you are seeing in the parking lot belong to local board members who are typically some of the most powerful people in the area because that is who typically serves on the board and runs local nonprofits. I wouldn't be surprised if they owned the building where the charity resides as well.

And NMMNG, I would expect better perspective from you regarding an 8% revenue drop in Las Vegas. Can you fathom the ramifications of an 8% annual drop in GDP? Just put that on a local level.

PS You sure seem to spend a lot of time at those cheesy casinos since you always seem to know what is going on up there.

[Casady]

I'm with Kate on this one. I've volunteered at numerous non profits over the years. While the salaries need to be competitive to attract competent talent, they are hardly excessive. Could it be that the BMWs and Mercedes that you are seeing in the parking lot belong to local board members who are typically some of the most powerful people in the area because that is who typically serves on the board and runs local nonprofits. I wouldn't be surprised if they owned the building where the charity resides as well.

And NMMNG, I would expect better perspective from you regarding an 8% revenue drop in Las Vegas. Can you fathom the ramifications of an 8% annual drop in GDP? Just put that on a local level.

PS You sure seem to spend a lot of time at those cheesy casinos since you always seem to know what is going on up there.

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

Pub you can stick your Google up your Google. My company is directly involved in this infrastructure and we know exactly what is going on. I doubt you even know what AQCS is. Are you mathematically defunct? Explain how emissions can be reduced beyond 100%.
Do you know how many Tw of energy our national grid requires? What is the efficiency of wind power on a nationwide platform? What are the MTF of the various necells? You should go educate yourself:

http://www.fossil.energy.gov/programs/powersystems/index.html

[Kate]

I’ve worked with the Salvation Army as well as other non-governmental agencies in disaster relief, and I’ve always impressed with SA’s work. Maybe your neighbor is not overpaid - maybe he inherited money. I would avoid jumping to conclusions about financial mismanagement of an entire organization based on casual observation of one family.

[Pub 17]

Then you need to share it with the rest of the world, because what the rest of the world heard from Biden and Obama were remarks about NEW coal-fired plants, not existing coal-fired plants or the coal industry in general that's supplying those plants. Other people can use the Google besides you and Al Gore, Nice Guy.

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

I know exactly what he said, I heard it for myself from his piehole. Not to mention this statement. In addition, the majority of coal fired plants are or have implemented AQCS. Obama is mathematically inept. You can not reduce carbon emissions above 100%. Maybe he shold stick to being a lawyer. He knows squat about energy except what sounds fashionable for the idiot sheep that bow down to him. I work in this industry day in and day out, however because I did not attend Harvard law, I know nothing.

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/260203

[Pub 17]

Made WHAT statement? That he was out to bankrupt coal companies? Google it again, Nice Guy. That's NOT what he said, any more than Gore claimed to have invented the Internet.

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

Really? The election was just this year, that's when Patriot Joe made the statement.
It's not right winged, he said it in Ohio this year. Obama keeps claiming he has some innovative notion about implementing "green" energy for the forst time ever....SORRY! A day late and a dollar short, we have been doing mass implementation for over a decade. I have personally been involved in excess of $12B this year alone.

[solomon]

As i have mentioned before, my wife works for a non profit. She makes a decent living. The higher ups make over 80k and the branch head makes over 100k. The organization makes great contributions to to the cause, but there is also a great deal of money spent on meetings, retreats and perks for the board members.

Call it non profit if you want, but there are many dollars spent for fun.

[Pub 17]

Nice Guy, I know you're here to vent, not sway anybody's opinion, but that goofy right-wing canard about bankrupting the coal industry was dead and buried about ten thousand years ago. Retain SOME credibility, for God's sake.

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

Hardly is an 8% revenue drop considered fallout and distress. CAn you imagine the horror they will face when Patriot Joe bankrupts the coal industry and we have no power on the grid to meet the demands of a hypocritical consumer base. Maybe they need to incorporate "green" gaming?
As for your little snip on my ex, the way I see it, anyone capable of working should be working not lounging around all day then clubbing it in the PM, all the while crying victim. The media nd BHO have continue to claim there are no jobs being created and that once the government magically created bridge and road worker jobs, everyone that is without a job will show up and go to work doing this type of labor. Sadly enough, they are wrong. It is impossible to have 100% emplyment nor would it be economically healthy. These so called "green" jobs, ALREADY exist yet the companies I work with day in and day out seem to have trouble mandating people to come on board. I guess the way to fix that is make them unprofitable and unionize them.

[Pub 17]

No, that's what I said: they turned out to be whatever you call Salvation Army full-time Regular Army officer employees. If I hadn't found out about their occupation with Salvation Army, I would still say they were Salvation Army full-timers because I don't THINK volunteers wear the uniform, hat, insignia, etc.

[Michael]

See, though, that's really the question here. Do those neighbors get paid by the Salvation Army or not? If their source of income is something else, then your bias against the Salvation Army is unwarranted.

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy as heck that you are still finding ways of helping out the less fortunate, but wonder if your assumptions are totally wrong on this.

[Pub 17]

Typically I don't check out the neighbors too close. In this case I found out they were in fact Salvation Army-what? Employees? Officers?-probably near the top locally, with SA youth programs. I'm not sure that volunteers wear the uniforms. In any case, I admit I had some vague notion that the Salvation Army people lived in little barracks or something, and I have no doubt those were leased cars.

Still, a few months back I had a nice, clean twin mattress and springs to get rid of, and I dropped them off at City Union Mission with some other stuff. The guys in the back were all over the bed: "Hey, we can't sell them either, but we always need bedding because we go through it at the Mission like crazy."

I respond to that a LOT better than putting gas in somebody's Pontiac.

[Michael]

So Pub, was that their occupation (working for Salvation Army), or were they volunteering? Do you know?

[Dolores Lear]

A Time For Peace.

Ever Since the Male Clone started Reproducing by Heterosexual Body Birth, Greed, Inequality, Inhumanity, Disease, Killing and War Began.

Many Religions resulted all about Peace and Good Will to All Humans.
Humans still 'Talk' about Peace and Good Will for All?

Why continue Inequality of the Earth's Resources, Killing, and War? Is Equality for Life After Death?

Ever since Jesus was made Equal to God, and Prince of Peace, most of his Male Followers have been Killing in His Name, or, for their Government. Why?

With a Monetary Basis, Competition for Daily Needs, and Storing Up the Wealth Unequally, the Result of the Male Lust is Many Starving and Homeless Children and Adults.

Humans have Organizations trying to help the Needy, but as we see today, the Billionaires are Breaking the Bank. Like the Rich Man in the Bible was ready to build another barn for his Riches, but he died.

No One takes all their Extras (God's Blessings) with them when they die. So why strive so Ardently to get more Extras, while the next Human dies from Starvation?

Why does God give so Much to a Few, and Little to so Many? Do Humans who made Inequality, Blame Poverty on the Ones that do not accept their Bountiful God?

Societies and Governments have gone Bankrupt before, because of the Imbalance of Wealth, and it is happening again today. This Time it is a Planetary Bankruptcy.

Is God Forcing Humans to Share Equally of his Bounty? Did God Force Humans to Pollute our Home Planet?

Did God Force Many of his Divided Children to build Nuclear Bombs, and Place them all around the World?

Who is this Killer God?

Where are the Humans that Love the Peace God?

[Pub 17]

Guy moved in across the street from me a couple years ago, had a current-year Bonneville and a last-year's Plymouth Voyager. Nice wife, nice kids. Nice four-bedroom on the same street the mayor lived in a Little Suburb in JoCo. One day he and his wife jump in the Bonneville, I noticed they're both in full-tilt Salvation Army uniforms.

Hm.

Since then I donate my old fondue sets and Okidata printers to City Union Mission. Scroom.

[Stifled Freedom]

An attorney friend of mine used to have an office in the building with United Way or Red Cross. Cant remember which. Anyway, he said the employees there all drive luxury cars like BMWs, Mercedes, and Audi and the charity paid extra so they could have up front personalized parking spaces. Where is your donation money going?