“Voice of the Day” Editorial
Springfield News-Leader
May 27, 2008
Nonprofit organizations provide community benefit, cost savings
Re: "City, county, CU rethink funding for nonprofits" editorial of May 11.
As the city, county and CU consider their positions on funding nonprofits, it is imperative to examine what needs are prominent in the community, how certain nonprofit groups are addressing those needs and what cost savings (if any) the groups bring to the community.
Other considerations, as the article stated, are "whether the groups they help offer core services to the public, whether they derive a benefit from the money they give."
Because there are so many NPOs in the community (1,489 organizations registered in Greene County*), and because many of them have similar missions, there is a lot of confusion about what they do and what role they have in the community.
Over the past few years, I have volunteered time and resources to many NPOs. However, because child abuse and neglect continue as a major red flag, I have invested greatly into two NPOs that have a direct impact on this critical issue: CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Southwest Missouri and Boys and Girls Club of Springfield.
In my experience, NPOs do provide benefits and cost savings to the community, and I would like to use CASA as a quick example of how NPOs offer a "core service" and how they provide a direct benefit to the county and the city.
Last year, CASA had about 125 men and women serving as child advocates to our county's more than 800 foster children. These citizen volunteers comprise an impressive array of men and women, including medical doctors, nurses, professors, business owners, teachers and many other highly trained professionals. Each donated their time to complete training and get sworn in as an officer of Greene County's juvenile court. Empowered by state statute RSMo210.160(5), these volunteers worked intensely to provide critical information regarding abused and neglected children in our foster care system.
CASA volunteers work closely with the juvenile judge, guardian ad litem attorney, caseworker, and other social system workers. Because the system is overwhelmed and has limited resources, many state and county workers have a caseload that precludes them from spending adequate time with the children and families in care. This is where CASA volunteers help; they work one-on-one with sibling groups, assuring the children's most critical needs are being addressed.
In 2007, CASA volunteers donated 4,935 hours to this work. The value of their time can be measured by the IRS standard deduction for volunteer service -- $19.51 per hour, or if you prefer, the rate for GAL attorneys -- $60 per hour -- who are reimbursed by Greene County (4,935 hours X $19.51 = $96,281.85). And since these volunteers are mandated to provide information to GALs, they save the county untold thousands by doing work that would otherwise be done by county-paid attorneys (or worse, go undone).
In addition to giving their time, these volunteers donated an incredible 49,404 miles driving to visit children and attend meetings and court hearings. In 2007, gas in our area ranged from a low of $2.03 in January to a high of $3.29 in May, with an average about $2.70 per gallon. 49,404 miles X $2.70 = $133,390.80. The combined value of hours and miles to Springfield and Greene County -- a whopping $229,672.65.
Even with these impressive totals, mathematical equations alone cannot tell the story of lives changed because of nonprofit organizations. These changed boys and girls will grow up to be productive members of our city and county. They will be the next teachers, policemen, elected officials and business leaders of our community.
So to the questions "Do nonprofits provide a core service?" and "Do they provide a direct benefit to the county and the city?" the answer is YES. Usually it's done quietly without a lot of publicity.
Maybe what the city, the county and CU should consider is not the cost of supporting NPOs. Maybe the real question is can they afford the cost of not supporting them?
Lisa Blumenstock, J.D., is the president of the board of CASA and is president-elect of the board of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Springfield.