Non-profits bridge gaps and give our society an opportunity to use resources that aren’t always provided by our government. What it really means to be a non-profit is that its main purpose is to serve the community and our society. Non-profits can charge or make money, but its priority is to provide resources to the public. I feel non-profits are essential for our society because they give importance to things our government does not guarantee, such as after-school programs for our children (Grand Street Settlement, Beacon), Medicaid/Medicare/Public Assistance information and education (Single Stop), and support in housing (Breaking Ground). Many people face financial, societal, and political complications and hardships, and it is non-profits that lend them a hand without anything back. There are high-achieving children who have access to free education which our government provides, but do not have access to ACT/SAT prep through the government. This is where non-profits like the Opportunity Network comes in and provides academic and professional opportunities for high-achieving but low-income students.

The government grants non-profits “exempt” status because they provide resources and services that the government doesn’t. The government is kind of thanking the non-profit world for serving our society, and in return they are not taxed for what they are doing. Furthermore, the non-profit world is difficult to moderate accurately because what should or shouldn’t be taxed becomes hard to define. As mentioned before, non-profits open doors to opportunities and goods that our government does not always guarantee and/or provide. Our government does not provide opportunities for constituents for advocacy, for college/career readiness, or sports, and this is when non-profits bridge the gap between what the government provides and does not provide. Non-profits allow our society to have a choice to participate and choose the kind of services they need and want. They do not replace core government functions like K-12 education, basic healthcare for those who qualify, safety, transportation, or infrastructure, but they provide things like the food bank for our society, arts, and housing. I personally think non-profits push our government to to be more responsive and efficient. Organizations like CAAAV dismantle systematic racism and bring racial justice to the forefront. CAAAV questions local council-members and the mayor about issues they are often uncomfortable to talk about, and avoid. They make an impact and inform/educate Asians in New York City about their rights. Essentially, the push our government to respond to issues like policing which is relevant and imperative for our government to give attention to.