| How We Serve
As an organization, the National Human Services Assembly is a network of large national nonprofit networks. We believe that our members collectively touch almost every community in the United States, and almost every household in those communities. From that experience, one thing that we have learned is that there are many differences among the people we serve. They come from every nationality, race, and religion across the globe. Some are wealthy, many are poor, and the vast majority are working hard to support their families. They are Democrats and Republicans, independents, and non-voters. They are the just born and the soon to die, and all those who are challenged by illness, disease, and the difficulties of navigating a healthcare system that can be costly and opaque.
Too often, our recently concluded Presidential campaign sought to highlight the differences between us, and the media has, at times, pitted one "group" against another. There is no doubt that many of those differences are real, but we should celebrate those differences and work to make the opportunities that abound in our nation available to individuals in every community. This is where the National Assembly's network excels. We serve all. We don't ask how you voted, or whether you voted at all. We don't care what language you speak or whether you are unable to speak. We don't know if your father was born in this country, or your grandfather or great-grandfather; we just know that you are here.
We believe that everyone we serve has the potential to contribute in meaningful ways to our nation. Collectively, we know how to make that possible. Our response to any election is not to celebrate or cry, it is to continue the work we do every day. That is how we ensure the well-being of our society and build stronger communities. It is our obligation and honor to serve.
Lee Sherman, President & CEO
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| Engaging Millennial Volunteers
Millennials and Generation Z are a lucrative donor and volunteer segment. With ever-changing interests, shorter attention spans and multi–platform preferences, young volunteers present new challenges for nonprofit organizations. Join NHSA's Volunteer Development Peer Council Meeting on December 6 to learn how your organization can engage this critical target audience to earn a larger share of their spending and inspire cause champions. Additionally, the agenda will also include a preview of the 2017 National Summit on Volunteer Engagement Leadership where practitioners of volunteer administration will come together to discover together how to build a new national presence, tackle the issues they face, and maximize their skills as volunteer engagement experts to improve our nation’s communities.
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| Federal Court Blocks Implementation of Overtime Pay Rule
On Tuesday, November 22, a federal district court in Texas issued a nationwide preliminary injunction halting the implementation of the Department of Labor’s Overtime Pay Rule. As a result, the rule will not go into effect today, as originally planned. In short, the trial court judge found that the Department did not have the authority to use salary level, without considering an employee’s duties, to determine eligibility for overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
While the Department of Labor may still appeal the ruling, human service organizations must decide how to proceed in the meantime. Given the sudden regulatory uncertainty, employers that have already increased wages, or promised to increase wages, should proceed cautiously. For one, the rule could still ultimately take effect if the appeals court reverses the trial court’s decision. Moreover, individual state laws may limit an employer’s ability to rescind promised, or enacted, wage increases, notwithstanding the federal rules. For more information and analysis, visit the National Council of Nonprofits resource page.
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| Meeting with Members and Congressmen on Capitol Hill
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|  | On Nov. 16, Lee Sherman and Brandon Toth accompanied Kay Reed, President & CEO of the Dibble Institute, to meet with Congressman Mark DeSaulnier during Independent Sector’s Capitol Hill Day. | |
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Opportunities and Resources
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Events- Volunteer Development Peer Council Meeting in D.C. December 6 »
- *Washington Policy Council in D.C. December 13 »
- Alliance Management Institute in Denver January 3-5 »
- *Washington Policy Council in D.C. January 10 »
- The Forum for Youth Investment - Ready by 21 National Meeting in Austin March 29-31 »
- McCourt School of Public Policy’s LEAD Conference: Moving from Research to Policy and Practice to Improve the Lives of Youth in Washington D.C. April 6-7 »
- Generations Remixed - 2017 Global Intergenerational Conference in Milwaukee June 13-16 »
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Thematic stories shed light on the broader themes and trends in human services over time. To get a firm handle on thematic storytelling, we strongly encourage you to go through FrameWorks’ Wide Angle Lens multimedia learning module. This free resource provides examples of thematic stories on social issues and includes interactive exercises to help you practice and test your thematic storytelling skills.
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