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| Regarding
Agencies |
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| Q. |
Why
do United Way member agencies have fund raising drives? |
| A. |
Most
agencies have developed additional income sources such as foundation
grants, government contract, membership enrollment programs,
special events, and service fees based on an individuals ability
to pay. It is important to remember that funding from the United Way goes directly to help provide services for people in need.
Income from all other sources is reviewed and considered by
volunteers prior to determination of the amount to be allocated
by the St. Joseph County United Way. |
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| Q. |
Do
United Way agencies only help the poor of the community? |
| A. |
Agency
programs are geared towards helping people, no matter what their
income level. Two people out of five directly benefit from United Way funded programs - swimming lessons, scouting, family counseling,
and day care. If tragedy occurs, anyone can turn to the United Way agencies for help. Funds are distributed where they will
do the most good for the total community. And indirectly, we
all benefit from living in a healthier, happier community. |
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| Q. |
There
is no need to contribute - the government should take care of
everybody. |
| A. |
Actually,
the reverse is happening today in the political arena. If the
government really did take care of everybody, there would be
no need for United Way. But if that were the situation, the
first thing you would notice would be a huge increase in your
tax bill. The government would then have to assume the responsibility
of providing programs formerly provided by United Way agencies. |
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| Q. |
Does
United Way duplicate services provided by federal programs? |
| A. |
Government
programs supplement - not duplicate - services that voluntary
agencies provide. Much federal spending is for, massive programs
intended to eliminate conditions which cause people to live
in poverty. Welfare and unemployment compensation are examples
of government assistance. United Way agencies provide many
kinds of human care services: child care, counseling, rehabilitation,
disaster relief, etc. |
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| Q. |
I
give all my charitable contributions to my church and no one
else. |
| A. |
United
Way encourages philanthropic giving to worthwhile organizations.
However, a church or synagogue cannot afford to support all
the needed health and human services in this community. Therefore,
United Way is counting on your support to provide services to
thousands of people in St. Joseph County. |
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| Q. |
I'm
not going to use these services. Why should I support them? |
| A. |
It's
possible that you may never use United Way services. However,
some people give because they want to maintain the services
in case they, their families or friends need them, like disaster
assistance or home health care for an elderly relative or youth
development programs like Boy and Girl Scouts and Boy and Girls
clubs. But, a number of people give because there are persons
in our community who really cannot help themselves as much as
they would, like an abused child, a disabled youngster, an elderly
invalid, or the mentally ill. They need help themselves so that
they can learn to help themselves. |
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| Q. |
Why
do some agencies charge fees? |
| A. |
United Way agencies serve all of us - rich as well as poor. Covering
the full cost of operating an agency would require providing
many times the amount of funds the United Way now provides.
Fees, based on ability to pay, represent a source of revenue
to the agency. Those who cannot pay are not required to do so. |
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| Q. |
Why
isn't my favorite agency a member of the United Way? |
| A. |
United Way maintains an open door policy with respect to an agency
applying for admission. Not every agency may be admitted because
they may not meet the qualifications, because another agency
is providing the same service, or because the volunteer did
not feel that the agency was prepared to be admitted for funding.
Many organizations do not apply to the United Way Admissions
Committee to become a member agency. United Way volunteers
scrutinize agency budgets each year to assure contributions
that their money is being allocated wisely. Some organizations
do not want to go through this rigorous review process.
Other organizations do not meet some of the United Way's basic
requirements such as being governed by a volunteer board or
having a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) classification from the IRS,
which means they are a tax-exempt human service organization
and can accept charitable contributions. Or, the organizations
may not have been in existence long enough to show a good track
record of serving people.
You may want to call the executive director of your favorite
charity to see if he/she has ever considered applying to United
Way for funding. There are many worthwhile agencies which need
your support.
The need for funding will always exceed the available funds.
In view of this, United Way has the responsibility to continue
to direst its resources to critical areas of need. This is an
essential role of the United Way. |
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| Q. |
What
requirements must United Way agencies meet? |
| A. |
United Way agencies must prove that they are providing needed health
or human care service for the community. They must be tax-exempt,
nonprofit corporations with unpaid, volunteer governing bodies
and have an annual independent financial audit. Agencies are
asked to cooperate in the United Way campaign by limiting their
fund raising activities to those that do not conflict with the
annual United Way effort. |
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| Q. |
Who
decides how much is allocated to each program? |
| A. |
Volunteers
- people like yourself - decide how much is allocated. The allocation
of United Way dollars is a continuing review process involving
volunteer participation to assure contributors that every dollar
is wisely spent. Volunteer committees work together to review
agency programs and budgets. |
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| Q. |
How
carefully are agency expenditures reviewed? |
| A. |
An
important standard for United Way is sound financial management.
Agencies requesting funding from St. Joseph County United Way
are visited annually by a team of volunteers, representative
of the community, who review programs and budgets. Rationale
for funding and recommendations for allocations are then represented
to the 75-member St. Joseph County United Way Board for review
and approval. Agencies also submit monthly budgets and quarterly
reports on the number of units of services provided to individuals. |
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| Q. |
I
won't give because a United Way agency wouldn't help a friend
of mine when he needed it the most. |
| A. |
No
organization is perfect, and that includes United Way member
agencies. We'd be happy to look into the circumstances if we
could get basic information. What's your friend's name, address,
and phone number? What agency denied service? When did your
friend attempt to get services from the agency? We will get
back to you after we've talked to the agency and gone over the
circumstances. |
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| Q. |
I
won't give to United Way because it supports the Red Cross
who charged me 10 cents for a cup of coffee and doughnut in
World War II. |
| A. |
The
American Red Cross was charted by Congress many years ago to
provide certain services to our enlisted men. One of those services
was to provide refreshments to soldiers behind the line of battle.
Once the Untied States was actively involved in World War II,
the Red Cross provided many services to men fighting for our
country. One of those services was to provide free coffee and
doughnuts.
Due to a war time economy and lack of supplies, the International
Red Cross which provided similar services to British Troops,
French Troops, and others fighting, was not able to provide
free services to those men. For morale purposes, the British
government asked the United States government to charge for
coffee and doughnuts that were being provided by the Red Cross
in World War II. By direct order from the White House, the Red
Cross charged for coffee and doughnuts behind the lines of battle.
They continued, however, to provide free services to men on
the front lines and other services to military families and
victims.
It did not take long for the US government and its citizens
to forgive our enemies in World War II. However, it has taken
United Way non-contributors too long to forgive the Red Cross
for an act over which they had little control.
The Red Cross provides many other services such as CPR training,
First Aid training, swimming classes, etc. |
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