Power of Good

A AlAbAmA hAs 56,081 state registered non profit organizations. From one who has more than three decades' experience in seven different aspects of nonprofit work, I say thank you to them all. From being a state executive director of a national organization to stuffing envelopes as a volunteer, serving as a staff member, a board member, a professional consultant, contributor, and register- ing nonprofits as a former Alabama secretary of state, I have a vast respect and enormous appreciation for nonprofit organizations and those who run them. They say, "The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world." I say the nonprofits that take care of the people they serve rule the world. Most nonprofits are established to meet a need, and they meet it well. They feed the hungry, clothe the na- ked and minister to the poor in body and in spirit. They give food and even blood to those in need, provide comfort and solace to hearts that are in despair, research deadly diseases and restore homes that need repair. Nonprofit organizations are giving, and sometimes they give until they have nothing else to give. At that point, who will give to those whose mission it is to give to those in need? Alabama Power Company's Elevate movement is a part of that equation and the solution to many problems across our state. It provides support to hundreds of nonprofit organizations and helps them help others. In order for nonprofits to per- form at the highest level, they must adhere to the highest ethical standards possible when it comes to manage- ment and accountability. They must have a board of directors and a staff that are accountable to the people they serve and to the sources that fund them. Ethical standards for nonprof- its include accountability, checks and balances, and conservative fiscal policies and procedures. Managing nonprofit organiza- tions can be like walking a tightrope for many reasons, one of which is operating as a business without the income of a business. Another chal- lenge is recruiting and hiring quali- fied employees for far less than they could receive in the corporate world where they could do half the work and receive twice the pay. Nonprofits are works of the heart, but that does not make them any less accountable than Fortune 500 companies. In fact, they must be twice as accountable as other busi- nesses because they don't just have a board of directors, stockholders or investors. Instead, the weight of an entire community often rests on their shoulders. They have children to protect, lives to save, people to feed and patients who need their services or they might not get them otherwise. Nonprofits have the huge burden of helping those who cannot help themselves, and they must seek funding when there seems to be none, operate on less than half the budget they need to survive, and conduct events to raise funds when they need to be focusing on serving their specific community. It can all be overwhelming. Nonprofit organizations help educate, feed, transport, clothe and counsel a world that many people do not even know exists. To the 56,081 nonprofit organizations in our state, I say thank you for the invaluable services you provide and the selfless spirit and pride with which you offer them. May God richly bless you and the communities you serve. Ruling the world STORy By BeTH CHAPmAn nonprofit groups provide invaluable services with selfless spirit and pride. 4 File photo provided by Beth Chapman Beth Chapman served as Alabama's secretary of state from 2007-2013.

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