Not relevant to your main point, but I haven’t given a dime to United Way for decades, because they suck up money and give much of the rest to “charities” that I would never support.
Better to choose your individual charities carefully, according to what you think is most needful and beneficial.
Amen to that. A friend of mine became disabled suddenly- she was diagnosed with gastroparesis and could only hold down some fluids. At my recommendation, she called the United Way to try to get some assistance. She was getting most of her nutrition from Ensure and couldn’t afford it and couldn’t afford to heat her home during the winter.
UW offered diapers. Period. That was it.
I stopped my husband’s and my contributions immediately and will tell anyone this story that I can. (Hubby brought a winter’s worth of firewood for my friend and we bought her gift cards to purchase what she needed.)