To the editor:
I will confess I am biased. Our family has volunteered for the United Way for over 40 years; yes, when it was the Community Chest, then the United Fund and now the United Way of Douglas County. Therefore, I was dismayed and perplexed by the response to your Monday poll indicating that 72 percent have not given to this organization, which keeps 99 percent of its donations in our community.
I do not know who responds to your poll, but if each would contribute something, say $1 a week for a year, the United Way campaign would be that much closer to its goal.
Examine your lives and see if you have been touched by one of the United Way agencies. This organization is a community treasure and deserves your support.
Comments
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PebblesFlintstone (anonymous) says…
I guess I just don't understand why I should give to the United Way when I'm perfectly capable of donating money directly to the charities I wish to support. Following the LTE's recommendation, I could give $1 a week to, say, the Red Cross and they get a dollar or I could give $1 a week to the United Way and the Red Cross would get about 80 cents at best. That doesn't make any sense to me.
Since moving to Lawrence, various companies I've worked at and with seem to shove the United Way down their employees' throats in pursuit of trophies or newspaper articles or the chance to hang a banner. I've heard of employees getting a free vacation day if they sign up for payroll deductions and companies that give a donation in the names of those who won't give to the drive just so that company can show 100% participation. It's not about giving - it's about looking better than the business up the street.
So yes, as the season of giving gets underway, look at the United Way agencies that have touched your life and give your money directly to them - or to any charity of your choice. Until I can be shown a reason why my hard-earned money needs to go through this middleman, I'll continue to be one of the 72% who do not and will not give to the United Way.
leedavid (anonymous) says…
From the United Way website:
"United Way and our community take pride in the fact that just over 12 cents of every dollar pledged provides year-round fundraising, marketing and administrative services. "
So 88% goes to the charities, 12% go to their administrative cost. That's a lot of money. I give directly to the charities of choice and cut out the middle person.
canyon_wren (anonymous) says…
Amen to both of these posts! How can the writer of this letter find fault with giving directly to the charities? There are always some hangers-on in United Way that people don't support and should probably not be receiving any donations. And I certainly agree that it is inappropriate for businesses and agencies to force their employees to contribute just to "look good."
Slowponder (anonymous) says…
Rather than excluding the United Way from my giving, I include UW. I give to non-profits that I have a connection to because they helped someone in my family, or are helping someone in my family. I encourage everyone to give back or pay it forward. But I also give to UW because I rely on their choices of organization that they support locally. The cost of 12% of my giving dollar means that I am not having to evaluate organizations making sure they are doing what they say they do, not having to give to organizations that may have a political or socio-economic goal that doesn't fit with my screwy world view, and not being incessantly contacted about local gifts.
Douglas County also has a highly mobile population. I remember a distant survey that suggested the population of DG turned over every 6.4 years. In other words, we have a lot of newcomers every year in this community. For the newcomer, who wants to give locally, but is still learning the ropes, UW is a good avenue to learn about the local organizations who do good works and support them in doing that.
Permit the cynic in me to ponder one question: Those of you who gave directly to local organizations, fess up. How much did you really give?
UNIKU (anonymous) says…
exactly! Why involve a middle man when you can donate direct to the source and they benefit from 100% of your donation. It doesn't matter how much or how little is given.
canyon_wren (anonymous) says…
slowponder--I agree that it is a good idea to use United Way when you are a newcomer. But actually finding out more about the various groups who are on United Way's list shouldn't be so difficult that a person needs to turn that "evaluation" over to people who may not share one's own preferences. I don't live in a community that has United Way, so I don't have to make that decision, but do give directly quite a bit (considering I am on a fixed income) to the local Food Bank and other worthy causes and consider it a privilege.
bluerain (anonymous) says…
Why designate a middle man to make a financial decision for me/donor, when I/donor can make the decision independentyly and freely
toe (anonymous) says…
Much wiser to give directly. The so called receiving organization has overhead too. Suppose it is as high as the United Way's, 12%. So 24% goes to overhead. That means your $100 dollar donation is now only $75. Giving directly is much better for those receiving help. Plus, you know who you are supporting and can get involved in their success. United Way was started by churches in Denver nearly 100 years ago. It has not changed much since then. Time to move on.
labmonkey (anonymous) says…
I give directly to the organization, not the middlemen at UW.
Irish (Leslie Swearingen) says…
It seems to me that the objection to giving to the United Way is that they support these organizations and I guess some don't like some of them and not knowing if there money will go there, don't give.
List of UW recipients:
# American Red Cross
# Association of Therapy and Resource Centers
# Douglas County AIDS Project
# Douglas County Senior Services
# East Central Kansas Economic Opportunity Corporation (ECKAN)
# GaDuGi SafeCenter
# Girl Scouts of Kaw Valley
# Housing & Credit Counseling
# Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging
# Kaw Valley Soccer Association
# Lawrence Girls Fast Pitch Association
# Museum of Christian History
# Northeast Kansas Youth
# Roger Hill Volunteer Center
# Self-Advocates Coalition of Kansas
# Success By 6 Coalition
# Tenants to Homeowners
# The Arc
# United Way of Douglas County
# Why Wait to Read Library
# Women’s Transitional Care Services
http://www.unitedwaydgco.org/about%20...
canyon_wren (anonymous) says…
Thanks, Irish! I am sure that will be useful to a lot of people. If I lived in Lawrence, there are only about four of those groups I would support--though I see a few there that I don't know enough about to really make that decision. Seeing the list only confirms my conviction that it would be most useful to give directly to specific groups.
somebodynew (anonymous) says…
While I agree it is most beneficial to donate to the individual places, the UW does serve a useful outlet. It seems all the posters on here are diligent about giving to their particular causes. Fine, I can't argue with that. Personally, I know I won't do that (old age, forgetfulness, etc.), so to me UW is a way to donate, have it taken from my check, and not forget to do it. Now, what I do is make absolutly certain I designate where I want my donations to go. Am I certain it actually gets there, no; but I trust that it does. And besides, $75.oo out of $100(using toe's math) is better than forgetting to do anything.
ivalueamerica (anonymous) says…
If you give to individual groups, great, and please continue doing so.
There are so many things, however that many of you do not understand. Many companies match United way donations, making the donation go a lot farther.
Many people appreciate the convenience of writing one check, or having deductions taking from their check directly as well.
Finally, many people would not give without United Way as it is a name they know and trust and can come into a businss or market to a community in a way a small non-profit could not and even though they have a reasonable 12% overhead, they raise much more than 12% more than would be raised without them, meaning over-all more dollars going to actually serve people than would without the United Way.
I think just pooh poohing them without presenting all the facts does a disservice.
I, by the way, do NOT give to United Way because I am heavily involved and give directly to many charites, but having seen what United way does, I am greatful that they are there and do what they do.
Newell_Post (anonymous) says…
Most companies have policies about "no solicitation in the workplace." So, if you hit on your fellow employees to donate to your church or political organization, you get in trouble and potentially fired. However, when management creates quotas for you and hits on you for money and keeps track of who gives what, that's OK! Because their buddies at the Lawrence Country Club and the Chamber of Commerce leaned on them to shill for the United Way.
Many companies in other communities have banned the United Way in the workplace for good reason. If you want to donate to UW, go ahead. But bringing it into the workplace is unfair and coercive.
I'm old enough to remember when one of the pitches for UW was, "It will eliminate you getting hit on by every charity in town all the time. Just give one large donation for the year, and that is all you need to do." Of course, now you just get hit on by United Way AND every other charity in town.
curious_one (anonymous) says…
When I am at work, I am there to earn a paycheck. Not to be solictied by any charity group, that will offer to take payments right out of my paycheck. Then they tell me there will be yet another round buget cuts, where I could possibily be facing furloghs, maybe layoffs. If I want to donate to a charitiable orginzation I will do it on my own personal time and research the orginazation so that I can receive the tax deduction. At this present time I am starting to feel like I may be the the charitiable needy at any given time. I really doubt they are going to give me free reign of their bank account to pay my mortage,car payment,daycare fees, eletric, gas and waterbills to name a few. I get very appalled that I receive their postcard every year. You would think they would just save themslves the money in printing fees,besides I would never donate money to someone on the fact that they sent me a postcard. I simply do not have money to throw around like that and choose my investments wisely.
Renaissance (anonymous) says…
12% is an understatement. A recent article in the New York Times identified fraudulent accounting practices on United Way's end, and the article goes on to point out that nearly half of the donation you give goes to overhead/administration. There is only one thing you need to know- the CEO of United Way is a multi-millionaire.
oscarfactor (anonymous) says…
"a name they know and trust?" No way. One name from United Way infamy stands out in my mind: William Aramony.
Give directly to the charities of your choice.
workinghard (anonymous) says…
"the CEO of United Way is a multi-millionaire."
"So 24% goes to overhead."
If you think this is bad, you should research Planet Aid, you know-those yellow drop boxes all over town, Some investigations show that only 6% of the money raised from selling the clothes goes to helping people. They use volunteers to sort and sell the clothes, so they're not paying the help. The organizers have lavish lifestyles while the people they say they help starve. Stop using those boxes, give to local organizations or Goodwill.
George_Braziller (anonymous) says…
The process for agencies applying for UW funds it completely out of touch with reality. Writing a buget 18 months in advance of the application isn't realistic.
I've been a board member for one organization and a grant writer for the other. It's not worth the effort or the headaches. The months of restrictions on organizations for doing their own fundraising during the "blackout" periods really soured things quickly.
We took the money once, second time we said "never mind."
lmb (anonymous) says…
I appreciate the dialogue this letter and subsequent posts has started. But let me point out one thing--many of the organizations that are supported by United Way do NOT have full or even part time fundraisers on staff. The 'overhead' that UW is essentially charging the non-profits can sometimes be considerably less than what the individual charities would have to pay for them to hire someone to raise the same amount of money.
It's nice to think that 100% of every dollar goes directly to serve the mission of any non-profit, but that's simply not the case. 12-20% is not an uncommon piece of the pie for fundraising--and it's not outrageous, either. Charity Navigator, Better Business Bureau Giving Alliance, etc all consider fundraising expenses of under 20% to be very efficient.
Consider United Way as an outsourced fundraiser for many of the smaller non-profits that benefit from the pooled resources. Give to United Way or give directly to a non-profit, either way, your donation will be appreciated and utilized to the best of the organization's ability. But let's consider all components before we start denegrating something that is an invaluable resource to many in our community.
George_Braziller (anonymous) says…
United Way grabs the agency they want to support and then uses them for "feel good" benefits. If the agency won't play the game they are dumped in a second.
It's more about social page photo ops than any real concern for, or interest in, the mission of the organizations.
tomatogrower (anonymous) says…
bluerain (Anonymous) says…
Why designate a middle man to make a financial decision for me/donor, when I/donor can make the decision independentyly and freely
The advantage of the United Way is that they have a set of employees and volunteers whose sole job is raising money. If they didn't have the United Way, each of these agencies would have to have the same set up. If you are familiar with specific charities, then, yes, give to them directly, but some people aren't sure who they want to give their money to, they just want to help out the community. So the United Way is a good way to collect money for these agencies, so they can concentrate on their services, not fund raising.