The ripple effect of Rhode Island's nonprofits: Commentary

Some of the most meaningful lessons we learn happen in the most ordinary places. Growing up, and with my family today, cooking at home and sharing meals has always been an important way of coming together. There is something about preparing food, sitting down at the table, and making time for one another amid the craziness of everyday life that nourishes more than an appetite.

But those moments offer much more, especially when you’re young and impressionable. Cooking can teach patience, build confidence, encourage healthy habits and foster the skills that help children become independent adults. These lessons may begin in the kitchen or with an organization like Cook4Life, but their ripple effect reaches into many other parts of their lives.

That ripple effect is part of what makes Rhode Island’s nonprofit sector so valuable. Across our state, organizations find different ways to help people learn, grow, connect with one another and strengthen our communities. Sure, their missions vary widely, but the impact of their work often extends far beyond the immediate service they provide.

Nonprofits’ impact is reflected in the numbers, too. More than 70,000 Rhode Islanders work for nonprofit organizations, representing roughly one in every six private-sector workers in our state. That translates into a significant share of Rhode Island’s workforce, wages, economic activity and tax contributions.

November is Nonprofit Appreciation Month, an opportunity to recognize the organizations and people working every day to make Rhode Island a better place to live. It’s also a chance to discover a nonprofit whose mission may be new to you.

You might find an organization supporting a neighbor through a difficult time, helping a recent graduate prepare for their first job interview, protecting our outdoor spaces or introducing the arts and music to a young student after school. Each nonprofit serves a distinct need, and each has the potential to create impact further than we realize.

The strength of our nonprofit sector is in its breadth, its dedication, and the many different ways it helps people and communities thrive. And, sometimes, it’s a seemingly small lesson or gesture that sets something much bigger in motion.

Please join me this month in recognizing those contributions and helping to ensure that the impact of nonprofits continues to ripple across our state.