Under the radar

With little fanfare, north country public charities have relentlessly grown over the past decade into an $800 million industry that employs 12,000 people and serves senior citizens with Alzheimer's disease, uninsured children with autism and everything in between.

But the north country's dependence on nonprofits for services and jobs is being jeopardized by the nation's financial crisis, as 2009 is expected to bring major cuts in government funding and fewer private and corporate donations.

In the past decade, the number of public charities in the north country has jumped nearly 50 percent. In the last seven years, employment at those charities has grown at three times the rate of overall employment.

"The problem in the past is that nonprofits were defined by buildings; now they have to be defined by services," said John M. Turongian, chief executive officer of United Helpers Care Inc., Ogdensburg.

His organization, like other health care nonprofits, has continued with a trend of de-institutionalization because senior citizens want to live in their homes as long as possible.

"Because the aging population is increasing so rapidly — 30 percent over the next 20 years — there is really a need to provide alternative services to people other than nursing homes and assisted living," Mr. Turongian said.

This growth is evident in a close tie with local government. The vast majority of the 147 contracts Jefferson County Department of Social Services has is with local nonprofits.

"We are really lucky to have very good service providers here," said DSS Commissioner Laura C. Cerow. "We need them. We couldn't function without them."

But how much support the nonprofits get from the government in the future is anyone's guess.

"People are asking us to do more for less," said Karen Y. Richmond, executive director of the Children's Home of Jefferson County. "2008-09 is going to be a tough year for all nonprofits across the state."

In 1997, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties had 486 public charities, according to the National Center for Charitable Statistics. By 2007, the number had increased to 717, a jump of 47.5 percent. The number of those required to file with the Internal Revenue Service — those that bring in more than $25,000 — increased from 262 to 360, which is a 37.4 percent increase.

The 360 local public charities that filed with the IRS reported income totaling $836,832,684 and expenses of $783,429,611.

Public charities are a subset of nonprofits, specifically serving the public for scientific, literary, educational, artistic or charitable purposes. These 501(c)3 organizations file reports with the Internal Revenue Service and rely on public money through grants or donations.

Churches, including the Salvation Army, and other religious organizations are not required to file with the IRS. Many local nonprofits have experienced tremendous growth over the past few years.

"We've tried to diversify to really serve the community," she said.

Part of that is because the state has changed its focus to getting families working together, not just focusing on the children alone.

"It wants to do services at home," she said.

She said the organization, too, has been through a rebirth.

"Five of last 10 years, we worked to rebuild our reputation, staff, and community confidence," she said. Community confidence was proved, she said, when the organization took over Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern New York in October 2006.

"Now, at least, people can say, 'Yup, I know that program, and they do a great job,'" she added.

Mary M. Morgan, Watertown Urban Mission's executive director, said the mission's critical-needs program sees up to 400 clients each month. Of those, 25 percent to 30 percent are new.

"That's a big number of people who have never been here before," she said.

The mission saw people from more than 600 households at the food pantry every month last year except February. It reported more than 750 households sought help from the summer through October.

Miss Morgan said more senior citizens and working families were represented. To address the need and balance on the revised food pyramid, the pantry has been giving out three-day supplies of food, compared with seven-day supplies in 2007.

Impossible Dream, the thrift store run by the mission, likewise saw more donations and more sales last year.

"We get a lot of donations," Miss Morgan said, "which is good, because it supports the whole mission."

Scott P. Mathys, executive director of Lewis County Opportunities Inc., said he doesn't think growth is continuing on that robust track.

"The growth of nonprofits goes through high and low points," he said. "It depends upon what funding is out there."

Now, with the stalling economy, Mr. Mathys said, the money isn't there as it has been.

"It's challenging right now to try to grow," he said.

Mrs. Cerow, Jefferson County DSS commissioner, said local public charities work together on grant proposals for the department.

"They are often competing for the same pots of money," she said. "One of the cool things I've seen here is when they work together to apply for grants together."

They also partner with DSS to bring money for programs into the county. Contracting through the department saves the county money and provides more specialized services.

"We often sign letters of support for them. We work together to bring funding into the community," Mrs. Cerow said. "If we have funding, they'll work hard to provide the service."

The nonprofits work carefully to avoid providing the same services that are provided by other nonprofits.

Mr. Mathys of Lewis County Opportunities said state agencies look for duplication as part of the grant approval process.

"If we're not addressing a true need, we're taking money from another agency," he said.

He said his organization regularly refers people to other agencies for services and gets referrals from others.

"There is less territorialism between agencies, which is a particularly wonderful thing about the north country," said Sister Donna M. Franklin, director of Catholic Charities of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ogdensburg. "Agencies really have to work together."