February 2026
WHERE GIVING MEETS COMMUNITY
Insights on local generosity, nonprofit work, and the needs shaping our region.
By Emily Gorski, DIG Furniture Bank founder & executive director, Community Giving Foundation regional board member
As the founder and director of a grassroots nonprofit here in Central Pennsylvania, I’ve had the privilege of watching our community show up in powerful ways. People often ask what guides our work, and the answer is simple: community giving makes everything possible.
But I also want to share something that many donors may not realize, something that’s often misunderstood about the nonprofit sector.
Nonprofits are businesses.
That statement surprises people sometimes, because the word “nonprofit” can sound like we operate outside of the real-world pressures that businesses face. But the truth is, we still have to pay bills. We still manage logistics. We still rely on infrastructure, staffing, planning, and sustainability.
At DIG Furniture Bank, our mission is to provide gently used furniture to neighbors in need: families transitioning out of homelessness, survivors of domestic violence, people starting over with nothing. The furniture itself is donated, but the service is not free to provide.
- To deliver a couch, we need people to move it.
- We need a truck to transport it.
- We need fuel, insurance, maintenance, scheduling systems.
- We need a building to safely store donations.
- We need staff who can coordinate appointments and serve families with dignity.
None of those things show up as a “program” on paper, but without them, the program doesn’t exist. That’s why unrestricted funding is so critical.
In the grantmaking world, operational support is traditionally rare. Many funders want to pay for the “direct service”, but not the behind-the-scenes costs that make that service possible. And yet, unrestricted and operational dollars are what keep the lights on, the truck running, and the work moving forward.
This is something our local partners like Community Giving Foundation really understand. Their partnership is meaningful not only because of the dollars they invest, but because of what those dollars represent: trust. Trust that nonprofit leaders know what their organizations need most. Trust that operational funding is not overhead waste. It is mission fuel.
One of the most unique things about the nonprofit sector in our region is how interconnected we are. Rural communities require creativity and collaboration. Nonprofits here are constantly sharing resources, partnering across counties, and finding ways to do more with less, not because it’s easy, but because our neighbors deserve it.
We are benefitting from one another’s networks, knowledge, and support so that we can maintain lean budgets while still delivering innovative, meaningful work. That kind of collaboration is one of the greatest strengths of this community.
So if I could leave donors with one message, it would be this: Your giving is not just charity. It is an investment.
- Investment in the infrastructure that allows dignity to be delivered.
- Investment in the people doing the hard work.
- Investment in a stronger, more stable community for everyone.
When you support nonprofits, especially through unrestricted giving, you aren’t just helping us survive. You’re helping us build.
