Like a lot of Rhode Island children and generations that came before, my daughter loves Roger Williams Park Zoo, embracing every opportunity to visit and absorb all it has to offer.
She’s unaware that, having opened in 1872, it is the third-oldest zoo in the country, or that it draws upwards of 800,000 visitors annually. What captures her attention are the penguins, giraffes and the many other species of animals that she’d otherwise not find in Rhode Island, and which make the zoo a particularly memorable and special place.
For those who call the Ocean State home, we are fortunate to have a number of nonprofits like the zoo – museums, performance spaces, nature preserves and cultural centers – that enhance daily life and make us feel more connected. And through my work with United Way, I am fortunate to gain an additional perspective: our nonprofits are cornerstones of community, environmental leaders, economic drivers and educational engines.
An overhead view of the Roger Williams Park Zoo.
An overhead view of the Roger Williams Park Zoo.
Rhode Island’s nonprofits are so much more than “nice-to-haves.” Some provide shared space where people of all ages and backgrounds can go, while others address critical social needs. In every case, they quietly fill gaps where other institutions come up short. Take, for example, the zoo.
From top to bottom, Roger Williams Park Zoo is also a science classroom, conservation lab, workforce training entity and career pipeline. Its impact reaches well beyond its gates and into the everyday lives of Rhode Islanders, often in ways we don’t immediately see.
Taking the time to appreciate our local nonprofits and ensure they remain strong and accessible is about more than supporting and preserving a physical place. It is also about understanding and valuing the organizations that help to shape our communities, the behind-the-scenes people who propel their mission-driven work, and the lasting role they play in our lives.
By recognizing the reach of nonprofits and investing in them, we can help ensure that children like my daughter –and future Rhode Islanders – can continue to learn from and explore the spaces that make our state vibrant and full of possibility.
Roshni Darnal is the director of community investments at the United Way of Rhode Island.