Published October 2004

Nonprofits serve changing
needs of community

“Reaching Out” — two inspiring words with great power and imagery. What a descriptive phrase for the work of Snohomish County’s nonprofit community service agencies.

No matter what purpose or goal each association, organization or agency pursues, all of the groups have one common purpose: reaching out to those in need, to those who face daunting difficulties in daily living that most of us never have to experience.

The agencies we’ve featured in this first annual issue of Reaching Out — including United Way of Snohomish County, the American Red Cross, Housing Hope, Cocoon House, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Boys & Girls Clubs, Work Opportunities and several others — are dedicated to selfless community service for others’ needs.

That’s the kind of spirit and caring that make Americans one of the world’s most generous, concerned and involved societies. In fact, the people of Snohomish County are involved in so many community services to others that we can’t cover all of them in one issue, so there will be another one next year at this time, and more in the years after that.

This issue showcases agencies and their services, but it also provides an opportunity for corporate supporters, such as The Boeing Co., whose workers and corporate leadership are consistent leaders in service work and financial support, to express their commitment to the county’s public service organizations.

But there is another message, hopefully not a subtle one, inherent in this report about nonprofit agencies. None of us should ever forget that these agencies’ volunteers and millions of donated dollars each year provide the equivalent of tens of millions of dollars in community services for people in need without the burden of additional taxes.

Even though some state and federal grants are involved in supporting certain programs operated by some of our county’s nonprofit agencies, the majority of those services have been originated, financed and expanded by corporate and private donations.

Nor should we forget the aid that many of these community programs receive from the churches of our communities — a religious element of social service activity that is too often ignored or minimized, even though throughout more than two centuries of our nation’s history, churches have been the first to provide so many of the benefits we see in today’s social service programs.

Hopefully, this issue’s articles about the goals and activities of these agencies will inspire more people, corporations, service clubs and churches to contribute their time, talents and donations to help these charitable groups continue and even expand their much-needed services.

Like Americans everywhere, the residents of Snohomish County respond well to their communities’ needs and to the needs of local community service organizations that reach out to help those who are less fortunate than the majority of us.

It is to all of those who help serve our society’s needs in so many innovative ways, with so much dedication, that this issue is dedicated.

Back to the top/Reaching Out Main Menu