Covid-19 is still a hot topic in both the national and international media. The virus, which originated in Wuhan, China, has caused widespread panic and has had a significant impact on the global economy. The number of confirmed cases fluctuates as one variant runs its course until another new variant appears. Countries are taking drastic measures to try to control the virus's spread and subsequent variants. Millions of people have died as a result of the virus, and many more have been infected. The pandemic has forced businesses to close, disrupted global supply chains, and caused global stock markets to plummet. Economists are concerned that the economic upheaval will continue indefinitely.

Joan began her career in the helping professions as a nurse in small town New England. A critical shortage of obstetric facilities and practitioners motivated her to specialize as a midwife eventually opening a private practice that thrived for many years. But vulnerable populations pressed in from all sides, and Joan went back to school to get her MSW, enabling her, as she saw it, to respond to need wherever she found it. A few years later she returned to school again to become a Nurse Practitioner and work in the field of behavioral health.

In ten years, where do you see your NGO? Most likely somewhere prosperous, serving the needs of the group you've chosen to assist.

Of course, if you're in charge of an NGO, you'd want to see it grow—both operationally and geographically, with operations spanning multiple states, if not entire continents.  However, for many non-governmental organizations, this scenario is far from reality. Because approximately 30% of NGOs in the United States cease to exist after about ten years. And there are several reasons for their failure, the most important of which is their failure to plan for the future.

So, if you’re running a NGO, here’s how human services case management software can singlehandedly be your champion.

One of the most diverse and rewarding career paths is social work. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor, it is also one of the fastest-growing professions. While you are assisting people and society and empowering them, you must also ensure that you are managing everything properly. Case management in social work entails ensuring that all individuals' needs are met.

The entire civilized world is suffering from a form of collective PTSD. Social workers report being overwhelmed with cases of alcoholism, drug addiction, anxiety, divorce, depression, and suicide. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says: "Suicide rates in the United States are often the result of circumstances beyond the individual's control. People who die by suicide report an unshakeable feeling of dread, despair, loneliness, and hopelessness."

A non-profit project is a rewarding idea. Whatever path you choose for your non-profit, you will be giving back to the community in some way, which can be a very rewarding experience.

But, as heartwarming as it is, running a non-profit is no easy task. It takes a lot of strategic planning, resources, and a lot of resilience to develop an initial idea and expand on it, especially when you're on a non-profit. Given the early challenges, investing in non-profit software to streamline some of your work early on will help you stay on track until much later.

There are currently over 17 million veterans in the US. Furthermore, far too many veterans in the United States are homeless. Veterans account for nearly one-fifth of all homeless people in the United States. Many NGOs, non-governmental organizations, and not-for-profit organizations have made a commitment to serving veterans. This includes assisting them with financial, physical, and emotional requirements.

Here are some ways NGOs assist the many homeless veterans in the United States.

The American Society of Addiction Medicine recognizes addiction as “a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences. People with addiction use substances or engage in behaviors that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences.”

Why do people establish non-profit organizations? Some people are deeply committed to a particular cause and want to make a difference. They aspire to bring about positive social change.

However, it is important to remember that many non-profits fail within their first year, and data shows that approximately 30% of non-profits fail after the 10-year mark.

While there are numerous reasons for a nonprofit to fail, the most common are poor leadership and insufficient strategic planning.

A recent article in Social Work Today highlights a true triumph of empathy. In Innovations: New Foster Care Initiative Spotlights Parent Advocates, Debra McCall describes the parents’ pain when social workers have to remove children from their families.

“It is never easy. We enter parents’ lives at the worst possible moment—when the children they love have been removed from their homes. At that point, parents are experiencing shame, anger, and confusion. They are frightened and frustrated by the “intrusion” of the child welfare system into their lives. And they fear losing their children permanently, perhaps because that’s what happened to a neighbor or a friend.” (Social Work Today, Vol. 21 No. 1 P.3)