Beyond Service: Celebrating the Impact of Nonprofits and the People Who Make Them Possible

Every August 17, we celebrate National Nonprofit Day, a time to honor the essential role nonprofits play in strengthening our communities and shaping our world. Nonprofits are often the quiet force behind the services and support we depend on daily. They feed families, shelter those without homes, provide medical care, champion the arts, fight for justice, and protect the environment. They create opportunities where none exist and ensure voices that are too often silenced are heard loud and clear.

What makes nonprofits extraordinary is the sheer breadth of their impact. Across the United States, there are more than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations, employing about 10% of the nation’s workforce. Beyond the services they provide, they are also a major driver of the economy, generating jobs, fueling local businesses, and creating ripple effects that strengthen entire communities. From the local after-school program to national civil rights organizations, from grassroots queer advocacy groups to global environmental nonprofits, this sector reflects the diversity of needs and dreams in our society.

Nonprofits are not only about services; they are about movements. Historically, they have been at the center of transformative change including civil rights, women’s suffrage, disability rights, and environmental protections. They have helped bend the arc of history toward justice by challenging inequities and amplifying the voices of those too often left behind. Today, that legacy continues through organizations working for racial equity, defending LGBTQ+ rights, expanding educational opportunities, destigmatizing mental health, and responding to crises of hunger, poverty, and climate.

But for all their impact, nonprofits face persistent challenges. Many operate with limited budgets, relying on small teams who wear many hats. Volunteers often fill critical gaps, and donations determine whether programs can continue or expand. Yet despite these obstacles, nonprofits find ways to innovate, collaborate, and create sustainable change. They are often the first to respond in times of crisis and the last to leave when the cameras are gone. This resilience is a testament to the passion that drives them.

And that passion comes from people. The nonprofit sector is powered by staff members who commit their careers to missions that matter, volunteers who give their time and talents freely, donors who provide the resources to make programs possible, and community members who show up to lend their voices and support. Each act of generosity, whether big or small, contributes to a collective force that makes change possible.

For many of us who work in or support nonprofits, this commitment is deeply personal. We are drawn to this work because of lived experiences such as growing up in a family that relied on a food pantry, finding safety and belonging in a queer youth center, being inspired by a teacher who opened doors of opportunity, or witnessing injustice that compelled us to act. These personal ties fuel our dedication and remind us that nonprofit work is not abstract, it is human. It is about dignity, equity, and creating a future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

National Nonprofit Day is a chance to not only celebrate organizations, but to celebrate the people behind them. It is a moment to thank the staff who carry out this work every day, the board members who lead with vision, the volunteers who show up consistently, the donors who invest in impact, and the neighbors who advocate for change. Together, they make up a sector that is not just essential, it is transformative.

As we reflect today, let’s remember that nonprofits cannot do this work alone. They need our collective support to continue meeting urgent needs and advancing systemic change. There are so many ways to get involved: volunteer your time, donate resources, serve on a board, attend an event, advocate for policies that advance equity, or simply share a nonprofit’s story with your network. Every action matters, and every action adds to the ripple of change.

Nonprofits remind us that service is not about profit, but about people. They are the embodiment of hope, compassion, and justice in action. On National Nonprofit Day, let’s honor their legacy, support their work, and commit ourselves to building a more equitable, inclusive, and thriving future for all.