Michael Apfelberg, president of United Way of Greater Nashua

To the Editor:

I’ve been thinking a lot about Maslow lately – not as an academic theory, but as something I see quietly at work in everyday life. Over time, I’ve noticed that people don’t just need food and shelter to be well; they need connection. They need to feel that they matter, that they belong, and that what they do has meaning. When those needs are met, people are healthier – emotionally, socially, and even physically.

I think of a volunteer who once told me she originally signed up just wanting to “help a little.” What she found instead was connection, purpose, and a sense that she was part of something bigger than herself. I also think of a donor who shared how reassuring it was simply to feel informed and trusted, knowing their contribution was handled responsibly and genuinely improved lives close to home. These moments may seem small, but they are powerful. They speak directly to the need for meaning and mattering.

That same understanding is at the heart of the work done every day by United Way and the many nonprofit organizations that serve our communities. For clients, it begins with meeting basic needs – food, shelter, healthcare, and safety. But it does not end there. Stability allows people to reconnect, isolation decreases, confidence grows, and hope returns. These outcomes are not just social benefits; they are fundamental to community health.

Importantly, the same hierarchy of needs applies to the people who make this work possible: volunteers, donors, nonprofit staff, and community partners. Trust and transparency form the foundation. Feeling welcomed and valued sustains engagement. Purpose and belonging encourage people to stay involved. These are not “soft” outcomes – they are essential to a healthy, resilient community.

When public conversation undermines trust – through careless language, suspicion, or incomplete narratives – it weakens more than reputations. It frays the social fabric that keeps people connected and engaged. Participation declines. Support falters. And the systems that protect dignity, stability, and health become harder to sustain.

The good news is that strengthening that foundation is something we can all help do. Each of us has a role to play – whether by volunteering our time, supporting local nonprofits financially as we are able, sharing accurate information, or simply speaking thoughtfully about the organizations that serve our neighbors. Engagement, at any level, reinforces the connections that allow communities to thrive.

United Way of Greater Nashua and our local nonprofit community have earned public confidence through decades of collaboration, accountability, and impact. Supporting that

work is not about institutions for their own sake – it is about ensuring that people in our community can feel safe, connected, valued, and hopeful.

Maslow reminds us that when we strengthen the foundation, everything above it has a chance to grow. Our community is strongest when we choose connection, trust, and shared responsibility – for one another.