A Post-Election Message to WV Nonprofits

To all of the nonprofit leaders that encouraged your staff, board, volunteers, and others to vote last week, thank you. We elected hundreds of officials in West Virginia, from local school board members, city commissioners, state and federal representatives and senators, to our Governor, and all the way up to the President of the United States. We collectively decided ballot initiatives and more, and we did this as part of our most important right as a citizen: voting.

If we learned anything from this process, it is that we are a divided nation. Half of our country’s voters are now elated; the other half clearly are not. Whatever your personal political preference, now is the time for nonprofits to build bridges. Now is the time for people to come together. West Virginia nonprofits play an ever-increasing and critical role in our communities and must play a central role in bringing people together. In the wise words of the National Council of Nonprofits, the best way to move forward is to work together to serve our communities:

“Charitable nonprofits provide safe spaces where neighbors, familiar and unfamiliar, gather to improve lives and strengthen communities. There is a nonprofit ideally suited to the interests and passions of every person. Working through nonprofits, we reconnect with our communities and rediscover what binds us together. That’s when healing can happen. So nonprofits, let’s be inclusive and invite people in to join the noble work we do. Your positive actions can help model the way for our elected leaders to follow: We’ll work together to unite, heal, and move our nation forward.”

Laura Lee Haddad
Executive Director
West Virginia Nonprofit Association