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Fiction vs. Fact:

Fiction: United Way uses fundraising to support large salaries and other administrative costs.

Fact: United Way raises money first and foremost to support their 45 partner agencies and their programs. In fact, administrative and fundraising costs attribute for only 13% of your local United Way’s budget. Furthermore, the agencies funded by United Way use those monies for direct services, not additional fundraising costs.

Fiction: United Way doesn’t support the Boy Scouts.

Fact: Your local United Way, along with 1400 other United Ways, continues to fund the Boy Scouts and their vital youth programs. The U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed that the Boy Scouts may exclude avowed homosexuals from leadership positions, so our Board of Directors feel this debate is best left to the political arena. United Way continues to follow all anti-discrimination laws, and our donors have the option to designate their gifts to support, or not support, any agency.

Fiction: United Way doesn’t always help those who need it most.

Fact: United Way’s 211/First Call for Help and nearly all agencies have eligibility requirements and screen their applicants to ensure your donation is used for people who need help the most. The more resources our agencies have, the more people they can help. If you know someone who hasn’t received the assistance they need, please do not hesitate to call 211/First Call for Help at 253-0563 and let our information and referral specialists find the resources those individuals need.

Fiction: United Way is not trustworthy because their officials embezzle funds.

Fact: Many years ago, there was a scandal at United Way of America. The 1993 scandal at United Way of America, involving long time president William Aramony, was exposed in large part thanks to UWA staffers and internal audits. He was sentenced to prison and changes were made to the UWA board to ensure proper accountability. United Way of America provides valuable training resources and national pro bono advertising, but it does not own any specific one United Way. All United Ways are completely separate and independent charities.

The financial integrity of your United Way is sound. We value our accountability to our community. United Way is an independent organization operated by a volunteer board of directors, who live and work here. Volunteers, like YOU, decide how funds are distributed to our partner agencies. Our doors and our books are always open.

Fiction: United Way is just a fundraiser.

Fact: Although raising funds to support our partner agencies’ programs is very important to United Way, there are other ways United Way is making a difference in your community. United Way provides the following internal programs:

-211/First Call for Help- The community’s information and referral service, which links people in need with hundreds of area programs and services.

-Volunteer Center- Connects people with opportunities to serve all area non-profit agencies. Organizer of Make a Difference Day and the United Way Volunteer of the Year Awards Luncheon.

-Success by 6- A United Way initiative focusing on building success in children, from birth to age six, so they are mentally capable and ready to handle and cope with school and life.

-Community Foundation- Another way to give… a permanent endowment fund that uses its interest earnings to award special one-time grants to local programs.

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For questions or comments about this web site, click here. Last modified: 03/06/08