Looking for advice on starting a charity. Can I make money to support my family while giving back to the town?

Question

I have noticed a large group of people that do not fall into any specific charitable organization, these people are everyday Joe's that need help, the working class Joe that works 40 hours a week and because the cost of living has gone through the roof he cant keep the heat on for his family. Lets face it we have all hit hard times in our life, maybe your spouse has gotten hurt or laid off from no fault of there own and suddenly you can't pay the bills, There is no one to help out in situations like this. I would like to take charge and start a charity to help the little guy but I am one of the little guys and cant afford to quit my full time job to take on this huge responsibility, this leads me to my question of can you make enough money to support your family while running a charity. I'm not looking to get rich or move to the lake I just want to help people get threw life with out putting my family on the streets. Thank you to everyone who took the time to read this post.

Answer 1

A nonprofit organization has a board of directors -- a group of committed individuals who put up their own money, as well as fundraising among various sources, to get a nonprofit organization started. The board hire qualified, trained professionals to work at the organization.

So, you have two questions before you:

-- can you put together such a board of directors and a group of funders for this nonprofit organization

-- would the board of directors then hire YOU to run the organization? You haven't mentioned anything about your experience in counseling, developing a business plan, fund raising, or even HOW you plan on helping "everyday Joes."

A better idea is for you to look for existing efforts that help the working poor: training programs (to help them get better jobs), low-cost and free health clinics, housing assistance (like Habitat for Humanity) and so forth. Join as a volunteer and see how they work. Learn more about what existing efforts are in your area and how you might help them help others.

Answer 2

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