Letter of the day: Smaller nonprofits also need our attention in these times

Last update: December 15, 2008 - 7:59 PM

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Thank you for Nick Coleman's Dec. 15 column regarding the United Way Give5now campaign. I applaud the work of United Way and celebrate its many campaign successes over the years. I am, however, concerned about so much media attention going to the larger nonprofit organizations when, in some ways, they are the ones that need it the least.

I am speaking from my position as a director of a smaller nonprofit (Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly) that has a difficult time garnering public attention for our mission, which is focused on services to the most isolated and lonely seniors in the metro. Those of us in the smaller agencies have very few resources to put into marketing and public relations, and our task with regard to fundraising is no less urgent or demanding.

As the season of giving reaches its peak, I would truly appreciate a word from the Star Tribune to the public about the fact that there are many deserving nonprofits, most of which receive no funding from United Way and are facing challenging, even critical times during this difficult and unprecedented period in our nation's economy.

Again, my thanks to you for surfacing the challenges, and my hope is simply to broaden the conversation to include our many smaller nonprofit partners.

THERESE CAIN, MINNEAPOLIS

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