PING!
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Posted on 08/18/2003 5:38:13 AM PDT by schaketo
Charity gears up for 1st campaign since its scandal
A coalition of labor unions vowed Wednesday to help the Capital Area United Way with "unprecedented support'' in an upcoming fund-raising campaign.
The charity soon will launch its first drive since a $2 million embezzlement discovery late last year. Official campaign goals have not yet been set, but board leaders appear focused on at least equaling the $6.9 million pledged in 2002.
That could prove difficult in a sluggish economy, coupled with fallout from the embezzlement by the former finance chief - likely the largest ever from one of the United Way's 1,400 nationwide affiliates.
But labor unions - whose members account for about 60 percent of local United Way donations - vowed Wednesday to get more people involved in this year's campaign, which is focused between late August and late November.
"It is not a status quo year,'' Jerry King, a community services chairman for United Auto Workers Local 652 and a United Way board member, told a group of nearly 100 labor leaders. "It's a year we will have to invest in the campaign. If ever we needed to band together, it's today.''
The United Way helps fund agencies that assist 120,000 Ingham, Clinton and Eaton county residents each year with health and social services. Supporters will stress that need as it tries to convince donors it's time to move on from the scandal.
Jacquelyn MacGregor was sentenced to four years in prison for the embezzlement last month. Since then, the charity enacted reforms to be more accountable and hired a new president.
"The community reception has been terrific, but it's clear we face some major challenges,'' said Michael Brown, a former Flint-area charity leader who was hired as Capital Area United Way's president last month.
Other United Ways hit with accounting scandals also have struggled. A Silicon Valley branch, for example, faced a 40 percent donation decline in the mid-1990s after its spending practices were widely criticized. Losses at a Washington, D.C.-based United Way were even worse following an audit that questioned spending last year.
Union leaders say they understand the public's reluctance to trust some organized charities, but they'll stress the United Way's role in mid-Michigan.
"We need to stay focused on what the United Way does for our community - helping our families, helping our children,'' said Paula Simon, a Michigan AFL-CIO employee. "That need may be greater than ever today.''
Some union leader crooks looted the DC teachers' union, so my bet is that the UW support is just a diversion to later argue that, to be symmetrical, the unions now have to bail out the teachers.
Federal unionized workers are WEALTHY with benefits beyond belief. They can afford big union dues and special "subscriptions," "assignments," or "levies." Of course, there may be special UW member groups that particularly benefit the union big wigs and, in order to get the UW to "fund" them, the unions have to "fund" the UW. No matter what the real reason for this effort, it is unlikely that it will be explored by the Washington Post. Perhaps, the Washington Times will take a look at the issue.
This gives United Way a great deal of power. Too much power IMO.
OTOH, why can't the NRA and GOA use the same tactics and do the same thing? As they say in NLP: Success leaves clues.
I think it's far better to give directly to charities that you know about and are, preferably, close to home.
These giant money-collecting businesses, like United Way, waste much of it and tend to reward their favorites like Planned Parenthood, while discriminating against the Boy Scouts. (and the next victim looks like it will be "4-H Clubs")
All the cash the unions generate should be going to help the weasel dems. There must be a good reason they are diverting this effort and pushing cash into the pro-fairy, Boy Scout hating UW. Don't know the Detroit area media but doubt very uch that it will examine the issues.
Meant to say no longer.
All the cash the unions generate should be going to help the weasel dems. There must be a good reason they are diverting this effort and pushing cash into the pro-fairy, Boy Scout hating UW. Don't know the Detroit area media but doubt very uch that it will examine the issues.
Absolutely! Give to someone that you know will use the money for good. Giving to a large organization like UW which just distributes money to causes it likes, give you know control over what your money funds.
These giant money-collecting businesses, like United Way, waste much of it and tend to reward their favorites like Planned Parenthood, while discriminating against the Boy Scouts. (and the next victim looks like it will be "4-H Clubs")
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Excuse me.
What's this about 4-H ? ( Which tends to be VERY conservative, BTW!) Please tell, if you are so inclined!
Thanks!
Tia
(4-H mom and proud of it! )
Our company's days of giving to United Way are gone. A few years ago we did a series of events to raise money for autism, and the autism program we wanted to give to was prohibited from accepting our check because they accepted money from United Way. We ended up having to write the check to United Way. Never again. They're way too prone to embezzlement and exhorbitant salaries for me.
And they're not only heavy into PC, they're heavy handed.
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