What is a non profit organization?

Family Care for Children and Youth is a private, non profit social service agency providing foster care and adoption services to children in Pennsylvania. If you’ve browsed our website, then you already know this about us, but can you say with confidence what a non profit organization is? Most of us have heard the term “non profit” before, but the phrase can be misleading, and many have misconceptions about what a non profit really is.

What separates a non profit from other organizations and businesses is that the purpose of the organization somehow benefits broad public interests; for-profit organizations have purposes tied to financial gain and the support of members’ interests. Non profit organizations can be charitable, religious, educational, scientific, literary, etc., and they do make money; however, what doesn’t go toward keeping the organization running must be invested into the organization’s purpose in support of public interests. Because the general purpose of all non profits is to serve their respective communities, many non profit organizations are exempted by the IRS from paying taxes. Non profit donations, too, are sometimes tax deductible! To find out more about donating, visit this blog post about tax-deductible charitable contributions.

Our agency is dedicated to serving children in need. Over twenty years ago, we recognized the gap in Pennsylvania’s foster care system that many children were slipping through. We decided to fill that gap with individualized foster care and adoption services. We serve the public by helping the children of Pennsylvanian communities find proper, loving homes. Please consider donating, or contact our family care professionals to learn more.