Biden or Trump? It Doesn’t Matter as Long as Nonprofits Receive More Federal Aid
By Kristen Conti
Anticipation is an understatement for small businesses awaiting the result of the 2020 presidential election. With the ambiguity of politics and national leadership, the preparation for another COVID-19 wave, and the foresight of winter, local businesses are scurrying to find financial security.
“New York State is really hurting based on what’s happening with COVID and the economy,” said Rich Kleban, former journalist and Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Specifically in Dutchess County, smaller businesses in the nonprofit sector are seeing a bit of adversity when it comes to their operations, as a result of the pandemic. People have lost their sources of income, costs of living continue to rise, and health bills are at full throttle.
“Generally, the local government is stretched thin,” said Sarah Salem, director of development at Dutchess Outreach Food Pantry. “To remain viable as a local nonprofit and community, we need to increase federal aid,” added Salem.
Whether a business labels itself as profit or nonprofit, the organization is almost always dependent on some form of federal funding, especially if their primary funds, which lie on the local and state level, are in high demand. At that point, the federal government is expected to step in and lead with palpable assistance.
And though the results of the 2020 presidential election are a key factor in the degree to which these businesses will be helped in the near future, many businesses can care less about the politics. Instead of focusing on who leads, President Donald Trump or former Vice President Joe Biden, businesses seem to be prioritizing something a little deeper: how they are intending to help.
“I don’t know if the result of the election matters as long as they get the funding they need to operate,” said Kleban.
As a result of the pandemic, there were almost double the amount of people participating in the Dutchess Outreach Food Pantry and Lunch Box Hot Meal Program, a community meal program that provides a hot lunch and dinner 5 days a week for anyone who needs one within Dutchess County, compared to the usual. “People from 20 years ago came back after being able to provide for their families for so long,” said Salem.
There was a lull in the late summer and with the Thanksgiving season, the pantry saw an increase again. As the winter months ensue, Salem expects many more people to need their services and is currently considering how the nonprofit will be able to handle the influx of need.
“I think it’s going to be a tough winter,” said Kleban. Restaurants will try and operate with space heaters but once the frigidity of winter sets in, there will be no residents running to sit outside. Jobs will once again be lost, salaries will dwindle, and people will need food banks as resources to feed their families.
“In the opinion of the chamber, which is a non-partisan organization, we don’t care who’s in power, as long as they keep the best interests in mind,” said Kleban.
However, the current political stalemate is not exactly reassuring to these smaller businesses in desperate need of aid. “A stalemate between two political parties and a lack of leadership from the president,” is what Salem called it. “There is a stalled out agreement on the federal level, which isn’t giving us much confidence,” she added. A fundamental of the federal government is to step in when smaller communities are incapable and when gaps exist. Whoever takes their seat in office next, must take on this task with grace.
“We need someone in that leadership position to care for these communities and understand that we don’t have that hefty (safety) net,” said Salem. “Whatever happens after tomorrow, whoever fills that seat, I hope they see that federal aid is necessary.”
