Kate Laughton: Why Nonprofits Matter
My year at the Office of Economic Development has been an eye-opening and empowering experience. While I had raised funds and volunteered for community efforts at Santa Clara, this type of giving back, at times, felt a bit distant and impersonal. I was also relatively unaware of the issues and inequalities the San Jose community is facing. My fellowship has given me an opportunity to make a difference first-hand and develop personal relationships with community leaders and workers over an entire school year. I have gained extensive knowledge and have had the opportunity to help with various city-run programs, including the storefront grant initiative for small businesses, homelessness housing programs, EV vehicle implementation and the wayfinding street banner program.
It is crucial that more of us appreciate the importance of local community organizations and leaders in affecting grassroots change. They are almost always resource strapped, and I have been honored to be able to learn from them and help out in a meaningful way. By operating on a principle of participation rather than a principle of alleviating suffering, there is a higher chance for a long-term impact and opportunity to build a stronger community for success. The Office of Economic Development truly embodies this principle through all of the direct and genuine policies and programs they run for the city. My co-workers spend a great deal of their time interacting with community members, attending conferences to better understand the city’s needs, and advocating for the betterment of the community.
I’m very grateful I was able to learn and work in the nonprofit/government sector. As a business major, most of us are drawn into corporate positions after graduation, and aren’t able to experience other sectors that primarily give back to their local community. The honest, collaborative, and results-driven environment I experienced at the Office of Economic Development is the reason I want to return to the nonprofit/government sector later on in my career.