United Way's official campaign wraps up / LJWorld.com

Archive for Saturday, November 15, 2008

Agency, dependent partners grateful for donations all year

Registered Physical Therapist Holly Emmot, of Douglas County Visiting Nurses, Rehabilitation and Hospice Care, works with Rosie Cain at Cain's home near Linwood. VNA is one of 25 nonprofit agencies that gets funding from the United Way of Douglas County.

By Chardae Davis

November 15, 2008

United Way's official campaign wraps up

The United Way of Douglas County's fall fundraising campaign ended today, but it doesn't mean the giving will end. Enlarge video

The United Way of Douglas County's official fall fundraising campaign ended Friday, but that doesn't mean the giving will stop.

The organization set a campaign goal of $1.72 million and hopes to increase Douglas County residents' participation from 6.5 percent to 10 percent. The United Way has received about half of the pledges from area employee campaigns as of Friday.

"We still have many companies that are conducting their campaigns, and I think that will happen until the end of December," said 2008 campaign chairwoman Judy Wright. "So, yes, it is officially the end of the campaign, but people are still making pledges toward their United Way gifts, and we're very excited about that."

Pledge information from donors who participate in their workplace campaign in either Topeka or Kansas City will be received in early January. The slogan for this fall's campaign was "United Way begins with U" to encourage more people to give.

The United Way has made efforts to reach businesses and residents not previously involved with campaigns.

"We're not asking (businesses) to give more than they have in the past, but we're asking more people to give," Wright said.

Contributions to the campaign will be allocated to 25 United Way partner agencies in spring 2009. Agencies include Big Brothers Big Sisters, Douglas County AIDS Project and Meals on Wheels.

Meals on Wheels serves 129 people in Lawrence and delivers 120 meals each day. Executive director Kim Culliss said the organization receives just a little more than $27,000 from the United Way.

"It is a large chunk of our budget," she said.

In 38 years, Meals on Wheels has never turned away a person in need, Culliss said. She has recently seen a "huge increase" in the number of people the organization delivers meals to and expects the number to grow because of hard times.

Another partner agency, Douglas County Visiting Nurses, Rehabilitation and Hospice Care (VNA), receives about $95,000 from the United Way each year. VNA provides care to ill or disabled people to allow them to remain in their homes, and offers therapy and hospice services.

Clinical manager Janet Cairns said funding from the United Way is extremely important for VNA.

"It allows us to never turn down a referral," she said. VNA receives funding from private donors and Douglas County, as well.

Cairns is also concerned about how the current economy will affect funding.

"We're a very Medicare-dependent agency, and it's always concerning, especially with this economy problem, that ... our Medicare funding could be reduced," she said. "That would be a huge hit for us."

Discussion

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15 November 2008
at 9:16 a.m.

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Pogo (Anonymous) says…

Each of the organizations which participate in the “United Way Campaign” need to post the salaries they pay to their Directors. Such a posting would demonstrate that no one is “getting rich” by leading one of these operations. It will encourage people to contribute.On the other hand, if people know how much the agency directors are making and it's out of hand….well…..said agency might have a problem.We went to the United Way web site and there isn't any information in this regard anywhere. Inquiriing minds want to know….
15 November 2008
at 11:56 a.m.

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Luxor (Anonymous) says…

I would like to know how much money KU spends on promoiting the United Way. The big signs, the stationery, the mail delivery to KU employees, the reminder emails … it has to add up pretty fast.
15 November 2008
at 2:16 p.m.

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toe (Anonymous) says…

It sounds like the campaign failed. The United Way is the worst way to give to charity. Give only to the charity of your choice. The Salvation Army is a great charity. There are many others. Once a charity starts taking money from the UW, they become pimped. The UW dictates how much you get, how often you can conduct fundraisers, and especially when. The UW does NOT want competition during their many months long campaign. Giving is good, but throwing your money away pretending you are helping the needy is just wrong. I am sure the UW will still have a grand party to reward the large givers. Free food and drinks for the wealthy.
15 November 2008
at 4:44 p.m.

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Pogo (Anonymous) says…

The “United Way” insiders have always been a select club. They are a tightly knit group of scallywags who know what they're doing.It is rewarding to know others who are reading this thread understand that there is lot not discussed about the “United Way”.Larry_The_Moocher put it so well when he noted: “….No transparancy in salaries…..”.Let these groups who want so much money disclose how much their “leadership” make, including their benefit packages. I will bet that they all have superior health insurance and also have “perks” like free and fancy lunches and dinners; not to mention to the free and fancy dinners and wine and cheese gatherings with top notch wine. I doubt they drink Gallo.
15 November 2008
at 7 p.m.

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Luxor (Anonymous) says…

KU always appoints and official person to badger you into giving in you office. Teh donation box shows up at staff meetings or places where you feel really uncomfortable not giving. That's such crap.Everyone needs to give what they can to the charities they support. I give what I can to the Humane SOciety. People should give, yes. Giving to the UW because your employer has to bully you or their friends in the chamber or on the commission will be upset with them is totally different.Stop giving to the UW. Write a check for anything you can to groups you support instead. Get the UW out of town.
15 November 2008
at 7:36 p.m.

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labmonkey (Anonymous) says…

Amen toe. Give to the Salvation Army…. or buy a bag of groceries for Harvesters or your local food drive of choice… or buy a toy for Toys for Tots.
15 November 2008
at 8:27 p.m.

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Newell_Post (Anonymous) says…

It should be illegal to bring this into the workplace. If your company has a policy banning “solicitation of employees in the workplace”, then next year file a complaint with the HR department for violation of that policy.

15 November 2008
at 10:01 p.m.

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Confrontation (Anonymous) says…

Just to update you, Toe, the UW no longer restricts when DG County UW agencies can raise money. There is no longer a blackout period.
17 November 2008
at 3:33 p.m.

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beobachter (Anonymous) says…

I stopped giving when my civil service supervisor told me I had to. Went up 2 more levels of management and threatened to file union grievance before they got the message. That was over 20 years ago. To this day I have never given one single penny to them and never will.
17 November 2008
at 4 p.m.

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toe (Anonymous) says…

Thanks Confrontation, it is good to know that nasty practice has stopped. My guess is that the UW campaigns have gotten longer and longer over the years which really hurt fundraisers for the charities under UW control. Since the establishment of the Pioneers and the parading of large gifts throughout the community, I stopped being involved. It became the equivalent of conspicuous consumption. Terrible practice.
21 November 2008
at 12:48 a.m.

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Ljames (Anonymous) says…

A past volunteer of penn house who is united way funded their black out period was small 2 months i think if my memory is correct. penn house has helped hundreds of thousands during their time thanks to United Way and the residents of Lawrence.As far as donating to Salvation Army the problem i have with that is it is not all kept in douglas county. I want to help people here not all over the United States. But for those that dont want to donate to UW donating to agencys is good to as well as donating food which they can always use.