United Way Steps In It.

[Cyrano]

Read in the paper today that United Way Worldwide has ordered The Otero County, NM, branch to stop a gun raffle. Apparently the branch had a sale on calendars and if you bought one you were able to enter a series of every-two-week gun raffles. The only two guns mentioned by name were an Ar-15 (Oh, the Horror of It), and a Mossberg 500 shotgun. The Wordwide organization sent a letter to the branch ordering them to stop the raffle immediately; the branch has suspended the raffle pending legal advice. The New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence are the ones who blew the whistle to the Worldwide organization.

Guess I'm going to have to find another charity, one that doesn't want to interfere in the 2d Amendment. I imagine a lot of other gun owneres are going to do the same. United Way may find out the hard way the power of gun owners who don't want to be stripped of their rights.

 

[LDM]

I got in trouble with a former employer because I refused to pledge to UW. Wrote a detailed letter stating my stand against their method of raising and allocating funds. Called out several of the so-called charities they supported as fronts or frauds. I give directly to charitable organizations that I know don't waste money on overpriced high profile executives or have inordinant overhead costs. Don't want a middle man like UW getting a piece of the action.

 

[loknload]

Gave up on the UW a lot of years ago when they had the upper echelon on the block for mis spending the money, also dropped them when they stopped giving my money to whom it was designated!
Now I donate to whom I choose!

 

[italiansport]

I agree if you want to toss your money away give to the United Way or red Cross. Just take a look at their executive pay for rates example. One organization that does do good is the Salvation Army. their CEO is only paid around $35,000 per year.
Jim

 

[zonker5]

Komen Foundation is another where the top exec's draw an obscene pay check.

 

[H Richard]

Support Friends of NRA, they have great dinner/fund raisers, and nearly all the money stays within the state it was raised in, for local projects. Range development, school rifle/shotgun programs, youth programs, etc. And, you can have a lot of fun while donating.

 

[e3mrk]

I stopped supporting the United Way after a New's Show discovered that the President of the United Way was making over $100.000.00 as a professional Beggar.
Very little of the Money People give actually goes where They are told it's going to,Now I only give to Charities supported by Our Church as They account for every Penny.

 

[S&W ucla]

I do support United Way in my county. While they do pay "dues" to state and national the county is governed by a local board that distributes based on annual requests from local organizations. Of course your local group may be different. I may have to rethink if the meddlers in Santa Fe and "worldwide" get their way.

 

[rwsmith]

I could win a huge variety.....

I could win a huge number variety of semi auto pistols and long guns and it wouldn't increase gun violence one iota.

I used to give to United Way at work, not any more because of their overhead. I don't give a rat's behind about United Way anyway.

 

[Bugkiller99]

Had a new boss trying to impress the higher ups by getting 100% participation in the United Way.

Really twisted my arm to donate. To the point I expected it to impact my job security. But I continued to hold my ground.

Now he's gone.

And I still don't donate to UW. Or any othe charity through my employer.

I pick who I want to get my money, and send it directly to them, no middleman.

 

[the ringo kid]

Right now, I cant afford to give to any charity except the once a school-year drive they have at local grocery stores. You can donate any amount--I always do two Sawbucks--and it all goes to buying school supplies for poorer folks. When I can? I donate to Police officers and firefighters orgs.

 

[the ringo kid]

Had a new boss trying to impress the higher ups by getting 100% participation in the United Way.

Really twisted my arm to donate. To the point I expected it to impact my job security. But I continued to hold my ground.

Now he's gone.

And I still don't donate to UW. Or any othe charity through my employer.

I pick who I want to get my money, and send it directly to them, no middleman.

Sounds like a form of micro management--which is against the law. If ever black-balled? id sue them to bankruptsy. I loathe shirt and ties folks who try that.

 

[cmort666]

Sounds like a form of micro management--which is against the law. If ever black-balled? id sue them to bankruptsy. I loathe shirt and ties folks who try that.

Not "micro management". I think the legal term is "extortion".

 

[pharmer]

United Way has always spent 85% of the "take" on "fundraising" (parties, Vegas jaunts, hookers, booze etc). Way better charities out there that actually help folks. Joe

 

[df06]

I used to be pressured to give to UW while working. Now retired and don't give them a dime. The start of this thread really enforces my opinion of them.

 

[gregintenn]

I'd give money to the DNC before United Way. The gun raffle has no weight in this decision.

 

[Rule3]

Had a new boss trying to impress the higher ups by getting 100% participation in the United Way.

Really twisted my arm to donate. To the point I expected it to impact my job security. But I continued to hold my ground.

Now he's gone.

And I still don't donate to UW. Or any othe charity through my employer.

I pick who I want to get my money, and send it directly to them, no middleman.

Sounds exactly like where I worked. All the Big Shots actually had a contest to see which office/unit/district would donate the most. We had to sit in MANDATORY meetings (lectures) on how wonderful it all was, then they would had out forms and pretty much harass us for a week to turn them in.
Never did cave in to them!

This was right around when they (the UW) got "busted" for all the misuse of funds.

Heck all the charities on the list you can donate to DIRECTLY. Why go through a middle man?

 

[S&W ucla]

Anyone can give or not give as they please ( and should not be coerced by bosses) Charitynavigator.org is not perfect, but they provide an unbiased glimpse of most public charities. For United Way Worldwide 91% goes to programs with 9% administrative and fundraising. Top exec makes 1.1mil (too much in my opinion, but is 1.4% of that 9% admin/fund raising expenses.) As Joe Friday says, "just the facts". It is not perfect but neither am I

Charity Navigator - Rating for United Way Worldwide

 

[Nostinkin]

I too was strong armed to give to UW at work and when I wouldn't all heck broke loose, especially when they found out I'd torn up the paper work I was supposed to fill out when I supposedly volunteered to give them a % of my pay. My eye. Not going to happen. I have my own charities.

Eventually, they gave up, but not without a long, protracted fight.

I told management above me if my job status was based on my giving to UW, then just go ahead and fire me because it wasn't ever going to happen.

It was after that, I was left alone...

 

[Muss Muggins]

If y'all want a legitimate charity with an unquestioned mission that is annually among the top rated charities in the percentage of donations actually being spent on the stated cause, check out St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.