Central Oregon has a vital network of nonprofit organizations that are the backbone of our community, serving as trusted partners in delivering essential services. From community food pantries that feed the hungry, to shelters for houseless individuals, and from groups who provide lifesaving intervention services, to organizations that support and nurture children and families, nonprofits work every day to serve people across the region and meet urgent community needs.
Unfortunately, nonprofits are once again facing unexpected challenges as a subcommittee of the House Committee on Oversight held a hearing on June 4 called “Public Funds, Private Agendas: NGOs Gone Wild.” The premise of this hearing was based on political attacks and ignores the work that charitable nonprofits across the country are doing to support their communities, respond to urgent needs, and provide critical services.
Local nonprofits are working to set the record straight about their work here in Central Oregon and dispelling any rhetoric that undermines essential services. Cassi MacQueen, Deschutes Children’s Foundation’s Executive Director says, “Not only are nonprofit organizations vital for our community, they are local, accountable, and transparent. These organizations are fundamentally about service to our community, stepping in to fill gaps. We show up in times of crisis to provide support, and we show up for everyday needs, from providing childcare to wrap around services, to essential food and shelter.”
Many nonprofits receive federal and state funds to deliver vital services to local communities across the country – services that otherwise would not be available. These organizations must meet rigorous requirements to ensure public funds are well-spent, and they are entrusted with these resources to help fill the gaps where government support falls short. By partnering with nonprofit organizations, the government ensures that critical services can reach households that need it most in communities across the country.
Kara Tachikawa, the Executive Director of MountainStar Family Relief Nursery, explains, “Some nonprofits have already had contracts terminated or frozen, while others are stuck in a waiting game to see if and how much funding will change. Both the uncertainty and the decrease in funding make providing services and meeting needs very difficult, at a time when people need our services urgently.” As funding is reduced, many nonprofits have to consider what changes they must make, and some are facing a possibility of closing their doors.
In the absence of critical nonprofit organizations, local individuals and families will have few other places to turn to in times of crisis. Children, families, and people across our region are still in need of food, housing, safety, medical care, and other services, and cutting funding or otherwise undermining nonprofits that serve the community only creates more barriers. The work of Deschutes Children’s Foundation and MountainStar Family Relief Nursery prove one thing for sure: Central Oregon needs nonprofit organizations.
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