A group of dying flowers that are drooping, drying up, and losing their color against a dark surface.
Credit: Pedro Vit on Unsplash

Most of us can trace the best parts of our lives back to a “helper”—a coach, a mentor, or a volunteer who showed up when it mattered most. In times of trouble, as Fred Rogers famously reminded us on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”

Growing up in Mississippi, the presence of these helpers was woven into the very fabric of my life. My grandmother lived just around the corner from the home of Medgar Evers, a civil rights activist and the first field secretary of the NAACP in Mississippi. It was a place steeped in the gravity of history and the relentless pursuit of justice. In that environment, I learned early on that progress isn’t accidental; it’s built by people and organizations dedicated to the common good.

Today, however, that progress is under threat. A new study by the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) reveals that our nation’s nonprofits are facing an unprecedented existential crisis. Since January 2025, a wave of federal funding freezes, the termination of grants by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and threats to tax-exempt status have created an atmosphere of fear and financial distress for nonprofits across the country.

A Lifeline under Pressure

If you think of your own life and examine moments that have left a mark, you’ll often find the fingerprints of the nonprofit sector everywhere. My own life is a map of these “helper” organizations: Girl Scouts, Habitat for Humanity, College Bound, and so many others. These organizations provided safe havens for growth that public budgets couldn’t always carry alone.

I learned early on that progress isn’t accidental; it’s built by people and organizations dedicated to the common good.

Yet, the very infrastructure that supported my youth is now being forced to make impossible choices. According to our data, 73 percent of nonprofits report an increased demand for services—levels not seen since the COVID-19 pandemic—but this time, funding is harder to obtain from both government and foundation sources. These are among the many obstacles nonprofits face today:

  • Shrinking Staff: 30 percent of nonprofits have already experienced a reduction in their staff size.
  • Burnout: Nearly 90 percent of nonprofit leaders report concern about their own burnout, with 46 percent saying it has “very much” been a concern.
  • Financial Instability: 66 percent of leaders express deep concern about their organization’s financial stability as it becomes increasingly difficult to secure grants.

From Dignity in the Golden Years to Paying It Forward for the Next Generation

The impact of nonprofits doesn’t end when we grow up. I saw this through the care provided to my grandmother by Meals on Wheels and AGE of Central Texas. These organizations deliver more than food or services; they deliver dignity.

But as government funding cuts lead to reduced services, the seniors who rely on these programs are at risk. When nonprofits close, there is no backup. We are seeing indiscriminate pressure on the entire sector, moving away from a long history of celebrating civil society toward a period of open pressure on these essential “helpers.”

We cannot ask our children to step up if the organizations that facilitate their service are disappearing.

Now, as I raise my own son, the cycle continues. Through nonprofit organizations like, Generation SERVE, we are teaching him that “helper” isn’t just a title you look for—it’s a role you inhabit. However, we cannot ask our children to step up if the organizations that facilitate their service are disappearing. The nonprofit sector cut nearly 29,000 jobs in 2025 alone, and experts estimate that 2.8 million more jobs are at risk if government funding continues to erode.

Nonprofits are the bridge between the world we have and the world we want. They are the “helpers” Medgar Evers fought for and that Mr. Rogers praised. In an era of division, they remain our most powerful tool for unity. We must support them—not as a luxury, but as a necessity for a compassionate society.

As we navigate this crisis, we would do well to remember the words of Coretta Scott King: “The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.”

If we allow our nonprofits to fail, we aren’t just losing organizations; we are losing our greatness.