What is a NonProfit

Non Profit or not-for-profit: an organization whose aim is to make money for a social or political purpose or to provide a service that people need, rather than to make a profit.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/non-profit

Generally Speaking…

So what is a nonprofit? Just like a business, a nonprofit organization has a purpose and a goal. Where the focus of a business is to make a financial profit for its owners and shareholders, a nonprofit puts the priority on providing a purpose or service. According to the National Council of NonProfits, “Nonprofits play a fundamental role in creating more thriving and equitable communities.” The nonprofits in our communities impact all of our lives in direct and indirect ways. Direct support, for example, might be food banks supporting those struggling with food insecurity or rescue organizations like the Red Cross who are there for those impacted by natural or other disasters. The Audubon Society is an example of a nonprofit indirectly influencing the community. Through their mission to protect birds and the places they need to thrive, local communities gain the positive influence of their conservation and environmental efforts.

Specifically Speaking…

In 2007 New America College (NAC) began as a 501C(3) English language school for adults. Our core values, which we use to guide our work, are: Community, Education, Success and Acceptance. We love teaching English and believe it is a key factor in economic mobility. Full time English language programs, even at universities, are not eligible for federal student loans. Therefore, learning English cannot always be a priority for those immigrants and refugees who must find work quickly to support themselves or their families. This leads to a Catch-22 situation, where learning English would enable those individuals to find better paying economic opportunities, but lack of time or funds impacts economic mobility.  NAC’s intensive English classes can give Denver Metro-area community members the opportunity to reach those better paying jobs.

Local Data…

The City of Aurora Office of International and Immigrant Affairs conducted significant research in 2019 as part of its 2020-2030 Immigrant Integration Plan. They surveyed foreign-born residents of Aurora as well as professionals providing support to Aurora’s immigrant and refugee population. The research showed ESL classes in the top 10 programs that foreign-born residents believed would be helpful. 59% of survey respondents reported they attended classes to improve their English. 75% also indicated they are inclined to attend classes to learn or improve their English. 49% of foreign-born respondents and 51% of foreign-language-speaking respondents indicated their main barrier to pursuing a better paying job was language. 

One of the recommendations from the report was to “increase investment into ESL classes.” The impact of a high-quality, functional, outcomes-based English language program for a student who could otherwise not afford it is huge. Over the course of NAC’s existence, we have seen the power of English language instruction. In the past two years alone, 25% of our students have gone on to college or universities, a testament to the quality of our programs. We work with students who were engineers, teachers and doctors in their home countries and need English in order to receive the same level of economic opportunity in the United States.

Final Thoughts…

What is a NonProfit? Nonprofits provide services and support to their communities. They fill in spaces that government or for-profit businesses do not or cannot. In the Denver-metro area, New America College fills a needed space. We know that possessing low English language skills is a barrier to receiving a high-wage job. In fact, the City of Aurora’s Immigrant Integration Plan states, “Given the income gains associated with English proficiency, it is in the city’s interest to ensure that our international newcomers are given the opportunity to learn English.” NAC’s mission, “cultivating and celebrating inclusion, community and success through a focused language experience,” clearly states our dedication. Providing immigrants and refugees an affordable, intensive, academic experience at NAC offers a path to creating a more equitable and prosperous multigenerational Aurora community – for the short and long term.