Posted on 08/09/2003 8:45:20 PM PDT by chance33_98
Boy Scout council 'devastated' by United Way cuts
The board chairman of the local group said a program for inner-city children would be lost.
By Linda K. Harris Inquirer Staff Writer
The board chairman of a regional Boy Scouts council said yesterday that the group was distraught over the loss of funding from the United Way.
On Thursday, the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania voted to cancel the second half of a $400,862 grant for the Cradle of Liberty Council because the council reneged on its adoption of a nondiscrimination policy against gays. United Way also cut the second half of a $17,901 grant to the Boy Scouts' Chester County Council, also because of discrimination against gays.
"We're absolutely devastated by this," said David H. Lipson Jr., Cradle of Liberty's board chairman. "We met with United Way. We told them clearly that we're trying to bring about change. It's evolutionary rather than revolutionary."
The United Way had been working with Cradle of Liberty representatives for two years on the issue of discrimination against gays. The United Way has a policy of nondiscrimination based on sexual orientation and does not provide funds to organizations that discriminate.
The Boy Scouts of America won a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2000 that upheld the group's decision to fire an openly gay scout leader.
Since that time, the United Way has targeted its Boy Scouts grant money exclusively for the scouts' Learning for Life Program, which was organized in the schools. Anyone could participate.
In its public statement released after the announcement of the funding cut, the United Way said it had "determined that there was not sufficient organizational separation between the Learning for Life program and the overall Boy Scouts organization."
Lipson, however, mourned the loss of the program for inner-city children.
"It's character-building training for kids, how to be a better citizen," Lipson said. "I don't know how we're going to do this. The program cost $600,000 a year, and United Way gave us $400,000."
Jennifer Hathaway, spokeswoman for United Way, said yesterday that the response to the agency's move had been low-key, partially because United Way president Christine James-Brown had spoken to many people in the community before the decision was made.
"The corporations locally said this was aligned with our policies of nondiscrimination," Hathaway said.
The Cradle of Liberty Council voted unanimously in May to adopt an antidiscrimination policy regarding sexual orientation. The move was directly related to negotiations with United Way and was an attempt to bring the local council into compliance with United Way's nondiscrimination policies.
But when the national Boy Scouts of America organization learned of the local council's decision, it immediately threatened to revoke the Cradle of Liberty Council's charter and to replace the board.
The local council succumbed to the pressure and ousted a South Philadelphia Life Scout, Gregory Lattera, who announced he was gay.
"The irony is that we are a council that is working to bring about change in the Boy Scouts," Lipson said. "It can't be done in a day. We've learned that."
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I worked as a contractor in a company that was gung ho in the American Way fund raising.They were always shaking their employees down for cash.Those who didn't give were usually pressured into digging deep in their pockets for fear of being ran off.They had a big red thermomiter scale in the security area showing the progress.I shouldn't have to tell you what that thing looked like to me.
I beg to differ. They need to rid themselves of the idea that the only way they can survive is by accepting funds from organizations that attach unwanted strings to their "gifts".
Go door to door with your campaign every year. No strings attached, either you support or you don't!
I'll bet the farm people will support.
Agree totally.
And while we're about it, if only the FReepers on this thread wrote letters to the corporate sponsors of United Way offering to take their business elsewhere, I believe it would get noticed. Much of the United Way's clout in fund-raising is, after all, owed to the executives companies loan out to the organization for its annual begathon. These folks need to feel the lash of public accountability.
In 1989 I worked for Amdahl Corp. The company desired a certain United Way award (can't remember what it was called) for reaching X number of employees giving to the United Way, and giving over a certain amount. I too was intructed to donate... or be fired. I asked to be fired but it never happened.
Used to be union goons that hit up workers for "contributions" but with fewer unionized employees that doesn't happen so often these days. Just as well.
In too many companies, employees are coerced into checking off a payroll deduction for weekly contributions to things like United Way but given no option to pick and choose their charities. They have to write a check if they wish to donate to the Boy Scouts, for instance.
That is, after they have made their mandatory contribution to the company's favorite charity -- if they can still afford to.
First - The united way conrtibuted to them before any of this sort of thing came to light. They found them to be a worthwhile cause. The united way changed their rules, the BSA didn't.
Second - People on here have the right, as does UW, to say they no longer feel an organization is worth sending money to for various reasons. The UW changed it's mind, and now many here are.
Yep. I have never understood why folks give to organizations like the United Way. I 'spose it makes it easier in keeping your tax write offs organizied. There's probably benefits that I'm unaware of... Still, I have always given directly to my organizations of choice.
That puzzles me also.
The Cradle of Liberty Council serves both urban and suburban youth. It was formed when the suburban Valley Forge Council was merged with the urban Philadelphia Council. The needs and resources of the youngsters vary considerably within the tri-county area served by our council. This funding loss has the potential to affect a large number of youngsters. Our council serves over 80,000 scouts.
I checked the website to see where contributions could best be sent, for those who would like to support our council. The site is undergoing renovation, and it isn't entirely clear which of the two main addresses is most appropriate for donations. I will provide the Valley Forge address, since I've frequently dealt with the people there, and have confidence that they could re-direct any correspondence if necessary:
Cradle of Liberty Council, BSA
Roger S. Firestone
Scouting Resource Center,
1485 Valley Forge Rd
Wayne, PA 19087
(610) 688 6900
The website for the COL council is http://www.colbsa.org/
We receive appeals for donations from the council periodically. I expect that we'll start hearing more urgent appeals now. Any Freeper support would be very helpful to keeping this council going, and would be greatly appreciated by the leaders and the youngsters.
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