Unraveling the Social Safety Net: A Human and Economic Peril

by Allison Williams, Melinda Monroe, and Pat Holterman-Hommes
Originally published on LinkedIn on March 7, 2025

Recent executive orders, federal funding freezes, and conflicting viewpoints disrupt an often-unseen network of nonprofit organizations across our country. Impacting millions of lives daily, these organizations provide a social safety net of critical care and support to our nation’s most important resource – our people. The social safety net delivers services making our country stronger.

Nurses for Newborns, Wyman, and Youth In Need are three of these nonprofit organizations. We want to make sure our story is heard, and we know we are not alone. As three agencies based in St. Louis, our collective work across the lifespan contributes to young people and families living healthier lives, achieving educational success, and reaching their full potential.

• Nurses for Newborns provides home based services to promote the health, safety, and wellbeing of babies and their families.
• Wyman creates, delivers, and distributes proven programs that help young people build life and leadership skills, establish healthy behaviors and relationships, and achieve educational and career success.
• Youth In Need builds on the strengths of children, youth, and families so they find safety, hope, and success in life.

Nationally, nonprofit results speak for themselves. For every $1 invested in high quality early childhood education, there is an estimated $7 to $12 return in long-term societal benefits.ⁱ Positive youth development programs significantly enhance youth outcomes, increasing participants’ likelihood of graduating high school.ⁱⁱ Nurse home visitation programs reduce emergency room visits and enhance parenting skills, leading to safer home environments and improved maternal mental health.ⁱⁱⁱ Nonprofit organizations also employ more than 12 million people nationwide and generate $1 trillion in revenue annually, significantly boosting local economies.^iv Together, our three organizations serve more than 10,000 people across the St. Louis region, and employ nearly 600 people.

Sweeping federal reductions and changes in funding cause harm that cannot be overstated. The loss of federal programs increases the demand for services from nonprofit organizations, but a lack of federal funding reduces the ability to deliver those services. Roughly 75% of nonprofits already face increased demand for services without the necessary resources to meet those needs.^v

By coming together now, we can amplify our common voice. Decisions made now will impact millions over decades.

Too often, those most impacted do not have a voice in these decisions. It is our responsibility as organizations, board members, philanthropists, volunteers, and concerned citizens to speak up. We must elevate the voices of those who are not heard and those who are not invited to the table.

What can you do today to help?

1. Understand the threat: Know the impacts of any decrease in federal funding. Many nonprofits exist to fill a gap that governments alone cannot fill. The loss of safety net services likely leads to increased rates of homelessness, food insecurity, and mental health crises in our communities. Young people and families who are no longer receiving needed support face long-term impacts of this funding loss.
2. Stand strong in your support of nonprofits. Your role as a donor, volunteer, or grant maker is more crucial than ever. Programs and services built upon decades of research and best practices risk closure if federal dollars cease.
3. Alert your elected officials. Share how these cuts will impact your community and ask state and federal officeholders to maintain social safety net funding.
4. Tell others. Share this post and content from organizations you support on social media. Talk to your friends about your concerns and encourage them to act.
5. Stay informed. Resources we trust can be found using the links below.

• National Network for Youth
• National Head Start Association
• National Council of Nonprofits
• Social Current
• Zero to Three

Standing shoulder to shoulder in support of our community.

Allison Williams, Wyman
Melinda Monroe, Nurses for Newborns
Pat Holterman-Hommes, Youth in Need

Footnotes:

ⁱ The Heckman Equation, https://heckmanequation.org/

ⁱⁱ Catalano et al., 2002; Taylor et al., 2017

ⁱⁱⁱ Sourced from Nurse Family Partnership research conducted by David Olds and colleagues since the mid-1980s https://homvee.acf.hhs.gov/models/nurse-family-partnership-nfpr

^iv “Economic Impact of Nonprofits,” National Council of Nonprofits. https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/about-americas-nonprofits/economic-impact-nonprofits

^v “The Data Show What We Know: The Nonprofit Helpers Need Help,” National Council of Nonprofits https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/articles/data-show-what-we-know-nonprofit-helpers-need-help

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