Posted on 01/27/2009 4:52:15 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
United Way of Dane County is moving forward on its mission to effect change in the community by announcing expanded programs and initiatives in its Agenda for Change for 2009.
The United Way collected more than $17 million in contributions in its 2008 campaign, paving the way to continue investing in programs and initiatives aligned to respond to issues the community identified to have the greatest impact in crucial areas, including schools, early childhood development and safety.
"The community responded in a very challenging economic climate, and we are excited to share details of how their investments will solve the most pressing local issues," said Holly Cremer Berkenstadt, Vision Council chair for United Way of Dane County.
The new or expanded programs in the first year of a two-year funding cycle include the Schools of Hope Initiative, where 7,000 area students will get one-on-one tutoring assistance. The program is expanding into Oregon and Madison La Follette High Schools and will continue in the Madison, Sun Prairie and Verona School Districts.
In the Born Learning Initiative, the United Way Mobile Play and Learn program will expand to 11 sites throughout Dane County, helping 1,000 kids to succeed in kindergarten, and an additional 1,000 parents will use developmental health screeners through their non-profit health care providers to get vital information on their child's development and to get the skills to be ready for kindergarten.
Behavioral health screening will be expanded to Oregon and the Middleton/Cross Plains school districts in the Achievement Connections Initiative, continuing a program for sixth graders already in place in the Madison and Sun Prairie school districts, to identify behavioral health concerns that could affect high school graduation.
In the Journey Home Initiative, training and treatment for Dane County ex-offenders would be expanded so every one will have a one-on-one resource specialist, the goal being to reduce the recidivism rate as ex-offenders are reintegrated safely into the community.
The Agenda for Change has seven goals: students of color achieve at the same rate as white students, children are cared for and have fun as they become prepared for school, people who are uninsured have access to health care, there is a decrease in homelessness, seniors and people with disabilities are able to stay in their homes, there is a reduction in violence toward individuals and families and non-profit agencies and volunteers are strong partners in achieving measurable results.
"Donors and volunteers are the reason United Way of Dane County is so well regarded in this community," said Tom Zimbrick, 2009 chair of the United Way of Dane County board of directors. "There has never been a time when this type of community response has been needed more."
Man, nothing bugged me more than the money they extorted from me as a Government employee, back when.
We really didn't have a CHOICE. Well, you could CHOOSE which LEFTIST organization got your money, but they got your money...GRRRRRRRRR!
When my last company pushed this I was able to direct the money to the Boy Scouts. Later I learn how to give to any non-profit charity and I gave to my church.
Management always got a report on the size of the donation too. Ba$tards!
Change your donor card to none. Give money to the Salvation Army or other charity of your choice.
I discovered once that they were using money to help fund ‘deprogramming’ and propaganda against Opus Dei, Evangelical Christians and Mormons among others. The ‘de-programmers’ just happened to be into kidnapping, raping and what would now be called terrorism. The local United Way chapter said that it was just for ‘education programs in schools’ but once they passed out the funds who knows...
I’d be watching my local chapter like a hawk because they can get involved in just about anything under the guise of ‘charity’ and lots of businesses donate regularly but with no idea of some of the more controversial programs.
Many people are duped into donating to this organization. When they say you can specifically donate to perhaps the Boy Scouts, they don’t tell you the arbitrary ceiling they have on the Boy Scout donations. Once that ceiling is reached, all donations are diverted to United Way’s own causes.
Since they donate to institutions that do abortions, I haven’t given them a dime in over twenty years. They’ll say they don’t give to abortuaries, but they DO donate to hospitals and other so-called health institutions where the donations go into the overall budget . . . you know . . . same pants, different pockets.
And since I’m strongly pro-life, I avoid United Way in its entirety.
They hit me up every year at work.
I explain that I give to the Boy Scouts on moral issues.
Feels good to.
“They hit me up every year at work.
I explain that I give to the Boy Scouts on moral issues.
Feels good to.”
It’s best to give directly to the Boy Scouts . . . skip United Way.
I don’t give any money to the UW. This was back when I was an indentured slave to the Feds via the Army. I’m just warning others.
I always give to the Salvation Army. They got $20 out of me in the kettles at Christmas, and I sent them a $30 check. Our local Major is awesome! :)
Not one damned nickel for the United Way. Weasels.
United Way is SUCH A BIG SCAM.
Do NOT donate through United Way. Some of your money goes for their business expenses — and then the rest is distributed according to their whims — such as to Planned Parenthood or ACORN.
Don’t do it.
Donate directly to the charity of your choice.
It's best to always give to the charity of your choice and skip United Way. Also, if you're a federal employee, skip the Consolidated Federal Campaign (the federal version of United Way) and give directly to the charities that you choose. CFC and UW are similar in their structure. And I don't believe that anybody's ever gotten a straight answer as to how the money is actually distributed vs. how one pledges in either case.
I work for a major (Trillion $ - that should be a small list) company that many people have head of.
My employer is a huge supporter of the United Way in a northern mid-western blue state
We spend two weeks a year pummeled with U-Way blather. Special lunches, events, raffles - you name it we’ve done it.
The pressure on management folks to contribute is pretty intense. We are given a “suggested giving” figure that we are challenged to meet. In my case, it’s about $75 per pay period— $150 a month directed to lefty organizations that I have no affinity for.
I found out that there are three lists:
(1) Those who donate the suggested amount on “autopilot”
(2) Those who give something
(3) Those that give nothing
Not being an idiot, I decided that I wanted to be in group 2.
Started out by donating $1 a month.
Every year I’ve increased my donation by the same percentage as my increase. i.e. year two my donation was $1.04 a month.
Full credit for contributing & always on the increase :)
Wile giving the united way the finger, the razorberg family tithes at church & are happy to donate to worthy charities such as the Salvation Army and the NRA.
Excellent strategy. Welcome to FR.
I stopped giving to United Way decades ago. Their elimination of the Boy Scouts in many areas was just the thing to convince me that giving directly to themwas the way to go.
Recent scandals make me feel good about that decision.
I refused to donate several years. That refusal resulted in my being fired. A reason for termination can always be found.
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