Human Trafficking, something happening in our own back yard.
Check out what this NPO is doing to change whats going on in their community.
Watch the video here.
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NPO’s making a difference
Charities and Non-Profit Organizations
Check out this old video from CSPAN about NPO’s entitled “Charities and Non-Profit Organizations: Are We Being Taken When We Give?”
What do you think about this?
Watch the video here.
NPO’s in the News
Measure to Eliminate Nonprofit Mail Discounts Could Cripple Fundraising. With the Postal Service looking to downsize, some of America’s favorite nonprofits that rely heavily on direct mail fundraising could become a new kind of charity case.That’s because legislation to restructure the money-losing agency includes a provision that would eliminate reduced postage rates for nonprofit mail.
Read more here about what may happen with these NPO’s.
NPO’s Need Help
A recent Thursday brought reason to celebrate at Jacob’s Ladder, a nonprofit organization in Charlotte that helps people get ready for employment.On that day, six people who had completed the organization’s intensive four-week program got jobs ranging from food service to retail.
Read more here about Jacobs Ladder Non-Profit.
A Small NPO Helping in a BIG Way
The most common non-profits you have heard of are NPO’s that operate on huge scales. Everyone has heard of the Salvation Army and the Make a Wish Foundation, but the majority of NPO’s are all on a smaller scale. These smaller non-profits just wish to see change in their communities. This can be providing shelter, food or clothing.
Otis Vernon, the owner and operator of the Vernon Ranch, is a name you may have never heard but he is doing big things in his small community of Ashland, Alabama. On his 60-acher farm his has goats, cows, chickens, pigs, donkeys and a handful of dogs. Vernon is working with the local schools in his county to help provide a health start to each student’s morning.
Vernon is making it possible for each child in his community to have breakfast at their school if they would like it. Vernon said, “Growing up my family sometimes didn’t have the money to feed me and my siblings, so I wanted to help those who may be in the same situation”. While Vernon would love to help on a larger scale he does what he can. “I know one day I will be able to help large quantities of people but I do what I can right now”.
Vernon provides the poultry, beef, eggs and large varieties of fruits and vegetables to the schools. He also has a team that handles preparing the food. Vernon referred to himself as a “down home farm boy”. “I didn’t know what a non-profit was but I knew that there were people in need and I knew I could help”, said Vernon.
Not only is he giving these kids a free breakfast but it is also very healthy. Vernon’s farm is entirely organic. “All of the animals are free range and are not harmed in anyway, other than the butchering”, laughed Vernon. Vernon stated, the food is a different taste when animals are free range and the garden has no pesticides. He also said that goat meat was some of the best meat you could ever have.
Raised in western Alabama, Vernon moved to Ashland around the age of twenty-five. He was married and had children and did a little farming for his family and really enjoyed it. He knew he could help more people. Around his fortieth birthday he decided to try something knew. He was getting older and no longer had children at home and he began looking into what exactly it would take to start a NPO. He had always given food to personal friends but never thought feeding schools would be possible. He says today his farm is ten times larger than when he farmed just for his family.
Right now while the NPO is still in the beginning stages he has a sign up process for people to receive the free breakfast. Families must make under a certain bracket of money to become eligible. Vernon hopes one-day people will see the importance of his NPO and people will donate to his cause. He hopes that one day every child will have the chance to have the free meal with no sign up process necessary, also he would like to expand and move to the other counties around him. He also couldn’t stop talking about the people who help run his organization. He said without his teams help it wouldn’t be possible. He started with his wife and his team has grown to over fifty people, from those helping on the farm and in the schools.
Wal-Mart gives $375,000 in grants
Wal-Mart’s Washington State Giving Council announced that it has awarded 11 grants totaling $375,000 to nonprofit organizations across the state. The grantees, including community food banks and local Meals on Wheels programs for low-income seniors, are focused on addressing hunger needs, part of Wal-Mart’s historic pledge of $2 billion cash and in-kind donations through 2015 to fight hunger in the U.S.
Read the full article here.
Gains in a recession
A local NPO in Indiana has made gains in these hard economic times. Check out the full article here.
Lakeland Local
For all of the Lakeland, Flordia natives. Did you know that Arts in the Park is a non-profit? Here is a run down of what they have as income and assets.
It’s crazy how much information the internet can give out about these companies.
NPO’s in the News
California is beginning to scrutinize how helpful NPO’s really are, Check out the full article here.
Sam Mooty Digital Media Blog 