united way - annoyance

Re: united way - annoyance

• fishgirl77 member

  

  September 2010 edited December 2011

  ::sits with Barbie::
  
  I haven't been able to get over one year when it was very clear that we were in a contribution/participation contest with other groups.  This included what I thought was the really low tactic of asking people to only contribute a dollar to improve our total participation.  Totally inappropriate, IMO.

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• GBCK member

  

  September 2010 edited December 2011

  I hate this stuff.
  I refuse to give at the office, EVER.
  Hell, I work for a nonprofit and it's somewhat 'expected' we give to the foundation that supports events at the nonprofit...and I will NOT.
  I actually sometimes, write them a personal check and I donate a decent amount of
  $/supplies to the direct area I work in...but I refuse to sign up officially because I find it o distatesteful.
  
  I'll also admit that I will NOT ever give to the UW because of their shady practices w/ businesses.
  

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• skippylouwho member

  

  September 2010 edited December 2011

  As a child my mom's job was threatened if she didn't donate - no donation, no job. She donated.  My parents, when I was very young, were very poor and it was an extreme hardship and very stressful to my parents to donate.  I've never forgotten that.
  
  Many years later, right after college I was working for an accounting firm that prided itself on being 100% participation/fair share givers. I didn't turn my card in (I NEVER NEVER NEVER have and NEVER NEVER NEVER will give to the United Way). Another woman and I were called in to a partner's office and asked why we didn't donate. She was let off because her husband owns his own business and he donates.  I was told, think it was Monday or Tuesday that this meeting occured, that I had until Friday to turn my card in.  I didn't turn it in - but magically a 100% plaque showed up and was hung in the company lobby.
  
  I give to a lot of charities but I give directly to them, I'm not paying United Way overhead so they can turn around and give my money to the charities I choose to support.
  
  hate the united way. My current company is really gung ho about it, all the crap that goes on is annoying.
  

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• hmonkey member

  

  September 2010 edited December 2011

  gbck, YES YES YES. 
  
  united way has a good reputation nationally, but the local branches vary wildly.
  
  i also work at a nonprofit.  i know some of my coworkers donate back to work (there's a handy "fill in the % of your paycheck" form ) and i refuse.  if i believe in the work, i can give money or time, but not both.

  

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• GBCK member

  

  September 2010 edited December 2011

  I also might have a bias because the 'foundation' @ work that handles our charitable giving was given $ earmarked to the kid's program I do...
  and, oh, they weren't OBLIGATED to give it to that program...they gave it to ANOTHER kid's program.
  
  My program is better.  I give to them directly and bypass my organization completely more often than not.
  
  

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