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United Way and You

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Write-brained, Apr 13, 2007.

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What is your newspaper's relationship with United Way?

  1. Mandatory donation

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  2. Donation strongly suggested

    21 vote(s)
    58.3%
  3. Give if you want

    9 vote(s)
    25.0%
  4. No relationship

    6 vote(s)
    16.7%
  1. Two of the three newspapers I've worked for have had very cozy relationships with United Way. One used to mandate that all staff attend meetings about donating to United Way or we would be punished in some way. The other sent us all donation envelopes and required us to send them back to the bosses letting them know how much we donated or didn't donate.

    I'll be honest, I've always ignored these intimidation tactics - and gotten reamed for it on many occassions.

    I personally don't have anything against United Way, or any other charitable organization, but I'm uncomfortable with my newspaper having such a tight relationship with an organization we might have to investigate.

    For example, the newspaper I was with at the time of the 9/11 attacks didn't run a single news service story (and there were quite a few of them) about how United Way was painfully slow in distributing any of the millions of dollars it received to the families of victims.

    Since then, there have also been several stories about how much its officers get paid. Again not a word.

    Anyone else see a problem with this or do I just hate America?
     
  2. Starman

    Starman Well-Known Member

    I returned the envelope with "NOYMFB" written on the outside.
     
  3. Cadet

    Cadet Guest

    At my current job, the publisher gave me the speech about how we could opt for automatic paycheck deduction for a United Way donation. I gave him the look of "This is all you're paying me, yet you want me to give it to your choice of charity? Don't think so." He cut the sales pitch short.
     
  4. Ben_Hecht

    Ben_Hecht Active Member

    Shakedown.

    Percentage of contributions to UW that actually make their way to the needy is well short of what it should be.

    Good-ole'-boy shakedown. Bee. Ess.
     
  5. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    I always threw mine out. I give to my own charity in my own way -- a food bank in February after the Christmas cash runs out.
    I was dipped in shit if a publisher was going to pay me a pittance then tell me to donate to a top-heavy charity so they could look good.

    But I did find this today...

    http://www.charitynavigator.org/?gclid=CNPVq_HTwIsCFQYgYAod_RcdTQ
     
  6. SF_Express

    SF_Express Active Member

    I had this issue at a couple of places, haven't run into it in years, though.
     
  7. cake in the rain

    cake in the rain Active Member

    Have always proudly declined to participate in the United Way program, despite intimidation tactics at one previous shop.

    It's a racket. Just say no.
     
  8. Freelance Hack

    Freelance Hack Active Member

    As a former United Way employee, let me just tell you this:

    You're better off contributing directly to the charities of your choice.
     
  9. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    Ouch!
     
  10. donaugust

    donaugust Member

    How did you get that across with a look? Damn ...
     
  11. Precious Roy

    Precious Roy Active Member

    Was told at my first stop that we all "had to donate" then the speech came about what good it does, blahdy-blahdy-blah. If they said that to me now, I would strongly deny them my hard-earned cash, but I was young then, so I gave $1.
     
  12. John

    John Well-Known Member

    My last paper tried this crap, but I never turned in the form. I give on my terms, not theirs.
     
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