Introduction
Solving the problems of citizens who are in difficult situations is the responsibility of the nonprofit organization Bread for the City. The company strives to provide comprehensive services while establishing a solid connection with residents so that they can count on its services. At the same time, the responsibilities and mission of the company are not limited to this since the company must monitor the fulfillment of its responsibilities and contribute to establishing social justice. Thus, reflection on the activities of Bread for the City can help form a more accurate understanding of the company’s services.
Societal Concerns
The case study led to an understanding of some of the problems, needs, and gaps. This primarily concerns housing affordability, as many households face the threat of displacement due to low incomes. This problem has arisen due to the sale of real estate to developers, which creates a shortage of affordable housing for low-income people. The availability of comprehensive services is a significant gap in needs since food, water, medical care, and legal assistance are absent in most cases, which gives rise to the urgent problem of normal living conditions.
In this regard, social and economic justice are violated, emphasizing the importance of solving systemic poverty-related problems. The course materials state that social protection is not comprehensive, resulting in inappropriate redistribution of benefits (Ebrahim, 2010). Thus, the organization should make it a priority to support the interests of low-income people.
The Best Option to Address the Societal Concerns
A nonprofit organization is the best option to solve the social problems discussed in the case. Bread for the City specializes in providing comprehensive services to residents lacking social protection and rights. Food, clothing, medical, and legal services must be provided by nonprofit organizations so that citizens can fully participate in public life and manage the resources available to them.
The format of a nonprofit organization is most suitable for this since it does not depend on making a profit and can provide people free of charge assistance. In addition, nonprofit organizations can use their advocacy capabilities to increase the chance of achieving visible results (Ebrahim, 2010). These factors make nonprofit organizations a suitable work format to meet the needs and requests of citizens who cannot protect their social rights.
Social Capital
A nonprofit uses its social capital in several ways. One of the main ones is building trusting relationships with the people it helps. Thus, this contributed to greater efficiency and transparency of activity because people understood the company under whose protection they were and knew they could turn to it with all their problems (Ortega-Rodríguez et al., 2020).
In addition, the company developed cooperation with other companies to make collective decisions that could result in improved results thanks to an integrated approach. Cooperation between several companies can significantly increase their efficiency and, as a result, people’s satisfaction (Ebrahim, 2010). Due to this factor, social capital was successfully used to increase customer involvement. The participation of people who asked for help in problem-solving contributed to forming a collaborative work format.
Social Change and Social Justice
In addition to its direct responsibilities of helping citizens in need, a nonprofit organization must also be concerned with social change and justice. This is based on the fact that Bread for the City’s mission statement includes promoting cooperation between volunteers and various social actors who are aimed at solving significant problems such as poverty. Thus, this involves paying attention to social changes that may cause inequality of opportunity in society (Oliveira et al., 2021).
In addition, the nonprofit provides comprehensive services, which means that to have a lasting impact on clients’ lives, it must support social justice. The course reading states that equality of social opportunity can largely be achieved by eliminating undesirable social changes and promoting positive ones (Ebrahim, 2010). Thus, it can be said that concern regarding these aspects is the direct responsibility of the nonprofit organization.
Mission Statement Appropriateness
A company mission statement is appropriate for the organization’s goals and activities. This is so because of the functions the firm provides. Its comprehensive services, client-centric approach, and geographic focus justify a mission that clearly states that assistance should be provided to vulnerable residents of Washington, D.C. Providing people with essential needs is the main activity of the company, which means that its stated mission coincides with its activities. As follows from the course materials, the coincidence of mission with action is essential for people to understand whether they can count on the company’s help (Ebrahim, 2010). The firm also pays great attention to establishing relationships with clients, which positively impacts its ability to provide care.
Conclusion
Bread for the City’s comprehensive services demonstrate a significant commitment to the residents of Washington. This is reflected in the fact that the organization strives to contribute as best as possible to solving citizens’ problems. In addition, the company’s mission statement is entirely consistent with the company’s activities. Thus, we can say that the company actively fights for the rights of people in need with low income or poor access to essential goods such as food, clothing, or medical care. Given these factors, Bread for the City is an example of a nonprofit organization that achieves its goals and can improve public well-being.
References
Ebrahim, A. (2010). The many faces of nonprofit accountability. In Renz, D. & Herman, R. (Eds). The Jossey-Bass Handbook of Nonprofit Leadership and Management. (pp. 102-123). Jossey-Bass.
Oliveira, M., Sousa, M., Silva, R., & Santos, T. (2021). Strategy and human resources management in non-profit organizations: Its interaction with open innovation. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 7(1), 75. Web.
Ortega-Rodríguez, C., Licerán-Gutiérrez, A., & Moreno-Albarracín, A. L. (2020). Transparency as a key element in accountability in non-profit organizations: A systematic literature review. Sustainability, 12(14), 5834. Web.