Is United Way

[movie_girl99]

a right sponsored charity organization? There is a drive going on here at work and our Director has hinted that he would like to see 100% participation.

[Oreo]

1. Bill O'Leilly doesn't like them so they must be OK

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/01/10/oreilly.clooney/
and
http://www.therationalradical.com/dsep/bill-oreilly-united.htm

BILL O'REILLY & UNITED WAY
Bill O'Reilly Is Guilty Once More of Sloppy, Misleading Journalism, This Time About the United Way

November 27, 2001

Bill O'Reilly, in his November 26 Talking Points memo which always opens his program, charged that the United Way had misled contributors to a TV telethon which raised money to aid victims of the September 11 attacks and their families.

O'Reilly charged that while contributors were told all the money would go to the victims and their families, in fact, some of the money was being diverted to other uses:

With your donations, the United Way has lent the Brooklyn Philharmonic, for example, $200,000. The Institute for the Development of Earth Awareness got a grant for $5,000.

The Jennifer Muller Dance Troupe got a grant for $25,000. And the New York Scandia Symphony got as much as $20,000. The Mothers' Voice AIDS prevention program got a grant for $100,000.

After giving more such examples, O'Reilly makes his accusation. His language is so strong that it is worth quoting at some length:

Now, the United Way says that these and other organizations like them were all adversely affected by the terror attack, and we have no argument with that. But that's not what Americans were told by the Hollywood celebrities who pitched us on TV. We were pitched helping the families...

These organizations may be very worthy of support, but they should be under the banner of the 9/11 fund. Should they be under that banner?

[BrklynLiberal]

6. If I remember correctly that celebrity telethon he was so eager to

criticize was not for the United Way and George Clooney made a point of calling him on it.
EDIT: oops. O'Lielly said that 9/11 telethon was for the Red Cross when in fact it WAS for the United Way. Sorry.


http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/01/10/oreilly.clooney/

But Clooney wrote in his note, "it was not the Red Cross but the United Way that sponsored that telethon ... an easy mistake to make ... if you're 3."

He added, "Contrary to what you claim, no one objected to you investigating where the funds were going, but we strenuously objected to you insinuating that it was a fraud as we were still waiting for a list of names of the dead."

[Drifter]

15. Yep, Dittohead in the office called them ...

"As Corrupt as the Democrats". He actually believes that the entire United Way organization is a money making front for the Democrats.

When I heard that, I doubled my donation.

Cheers
Drifter

[unblock]

2. i don't know if they're rw or not, but they're evil

for one thing, they certainly add overhead that's not necessary, just pick a worthy charity or two and donate directly.

but i find their soliciting practices, most notably going into your workplace and putting pressure on you from your superiors morally repugnant.

[Walt Starr]

3. They are an umbrella organization

and fund several rightwing organizations. You do have a right to specify where your donations can and cannot go, though. I ALWAYS leave out the BSA.

[Midlodemocrat]

4. Here is their rating from Charity Navigator.org

http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/search.summary/orgid/4629.htm

I wouldn't give them my money with a rating like that. JMO

[SharonAnn]

9. You're kidding, right? Virtually no money spent funding raising and

more than 95% of the money goes to the supported charitable programs. Those are extremely low administrative costs.

And, they closely audit and review the organizations that they give funding to.

They are a great organization and do a world of good.

[Midlodemocrat]

11. I was kidding.

Their score is excellent 59.03 out of 70.

[GiovanniC]

12. I Am On a United Way Review Board

For youth programs. I directly liason with some of the programs and they are remarkably effective, whether someone wants to paint a political label on them or not. I liason with a program that provides several dozen kids with a safe place to go after school for homework help, physical activity, and a healthy meal. I could care less if the people who administrate it are "right-wing" because it's the results that are important to me. I have visited this place numerous times and the kids aren't preached to or indoctrinated in a particular political, social, or religious viewpoint.

[davsand]

14. 50% Admin cost is never acceptable.

I dunno what the national United Way is like, but my local one runs 50% Admin costs. They keep HALF of everything they get in. That $200 gift to Planned Parenthood or the NAACP can end up being $100 actually delivered to the charity here where I live.

I always look for alternatives to United Way--groups like Earth Shares or Community Shares. United Way has a horrible reputation in the workplace giving circles, and is seen as either evil or inept (or both.)

I have personally seen them use outright lies and slander to screw over progressive competitors for workplace giving management contracts.

I have seen them fail to keep adequate records of cash transactions--to the point that they were unable to deliver the money pledged to the charities.

I have seen them refuse to accept progressive charities because they are "too controversial" or "not in keeping with the United Way image."

United Way is the corporate attitude all the way. I've seen them spend huge amounts of cash to woo corporate clients--then they turn around and just rape the charities they are supposed to be helping.

Do they raise cash for worthwhile charities? Yep, they sure do. They also keep a lot of what they raise. You can't forget that when you look at the United Way.

Look for membership in the NACG if you are looking for a choice in your workplace giving campaigns. Check out the NACG website if you want to learn more...

http://www.nacg.org/

(addy added on edit)


Laura

BTW, I do not work for any charity, nor do I work for the competition for United Way. I did at one point, and I learned a lot about how that system works. THAT is why I am so vehement in my dislike for United Way.

[BrklynLiberal]

5. That sounds TOTALLY illegal!

There was a scandal a while back about how much they paid their chairman/CEO and what percentage of what they raise goes to charity. I stopped giving to them, but you can make up your own mind.

http://www.alphapatriot.com/home/archives/2004/05/15/closure_to_one_united_way_scandal.php

"Closure to one United Way Scandal
Oral Suer was sentenced to 2 years and 3 months in prison for stealing nearly half a million dollars from the United Way charity and pension fund. In this case, "prison" will mean a minimum security facility in Virginia.
Personally, I quit giving to United Way long ago, not only because of the theft of funds but also because of the way they disburse their funds. Refusal to support the Boy Scouts, for instance, and for sitting on funds raised for 9/11 victims."

another article at:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/12/08/MNS126621.DTL

[WLKjr]

7. My mom told me to never give them money

something about them pissing her off one time at work....

grandpa said the same thing.

[movie_girl99]

8. i figured as much

because this same director, has a nice big autographed picture of the shrub himself. I wasn't going to donate anything anyway. I'd rather donate to causes i know are not supported by the right. I mean some of the guys here are making 10.00 an hour and are in need of charity themselves. I thought it was really not right legally for him to request 100% participation.
Thanks to all of you for replying.

[The empressof all]

10. I personally don't like them

If you run down the list of charities listed in their promotional materials you probably won't find Planned Parenthood or ACLU. What they aren't good at telling you is that you can allocate your donation to organizations not on their list.

If you feel pressured to give at work and need to do so to keep the "peace" at the work place -be aware you can designate your donations to charities that support liberal causes even though they aren't on the list. Of course HR will know how your money is being designated--

[Dr.Phool]

13. I quit giving to them a few years back

When the scandal broke that their director was using money for Concorde flights to Paris, paid for a Manhattan townhouse for his mistress, and was dining in 4-star restaurant's with United Way money.

I still give to charities, but directly to the ones I want to receive it. And I especially didn't like their tactics of having employers put pressure on workers to donate.