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Salvation Army to United Way: Keep your change
By adamg on Fri, 08/27/2010 - 1:38pm
The Salvation Army of Massachusetts announced today it's cutting its ties with the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley.
In a statement, the Salvation Army says United Way has cut its contributions from $1 million annually 20 years ago to $171,000 this year, and the money's just no longer worth the effort:
This strategic move will allow The Salvation Army to best plan for, execute and fund the vital programs and services it provides to communities in Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley. ... The Salvation Army is currently reviewing options to grow contributions and will have additional updates in the coming months.
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Comments
The Sally, the United Way and the Homosexual Agenda
This has nothing to do with the support the United Way provides for the Homosexual Agenda.
I found one of those once
My neighbor left her appointment calendar and a shopping list on her retaining wall. I dropped it at her office.
I think they were planning a raid on a grocery and pet food installation later in the day. Horrors!
Homosexual Agenda! How dare they have an agenda!
What is the homosexual agenda? I have heard many references to it but never have read what it is. Is it listed somewhere?
Perhaps it is found on the back of the back of the laundry list that good ole Senator Joe McCarthy flapped in the wind when he talked about the communists in the federal government?
Is the homosexual agenda related to the Conspiracy of the Illuminati? Or how about the Trilateral Commission? Conspiracies are so imaginative.
Is the homosexual agenda preparation for a Martian or Venusian invasion?
OMG, maybe the homosexual agenda was part of the genome project? Maybe "they" have figured out a way to add the agenda to the dna of each person born after 1969?
Harper's Magazine has an article about the Ugandan demagogues who want to legislatively murder against anyone "convicted" of homosexuality. What is clear is that Uganda is on its way to genocide by invoking the spectre of a homosexual agenda. Notable of course is that prominent conservative Americans are helping Ugandans in creating a scapegoat, not that these Americans will accept responsibility for the genocide that they support.
If there is any agenda that relates to homosexuals, or witches (in Iran), or communists (in 1950s United States), it is the one used by demagogues to satisfy their lust for blood and power.
However, it is better to give the benefit of the doubt. So, assuming that the term is used as a throwaway term, without consideration of an actual meaning, I again ask, what is the homosexual agenda?
If they don't want it
Then they're more than welcome to give me the $171k each year. I don't do "Army" and I don't do "Salvation", but I'll put it to good use, honest.
What "effort" is there in accepting free money?
In the meantime, in my head I am imagining Sidewalk Santa ringing the bell and then a big red van pulls up with a Salvation Army logo on the side. A guy leans out of the back and tips the meager collection of change from the coin bucket into a larger bag. He looks up threateningly at the Santa and gruffs out "Youse bettah staht fillin' this bag mores or we ain't comin' back 'cuz you're not worth the effeht...if you knows what I means." The van door slams shut as the driver hauls ass to their next Home Depot, K-Mart, or supermarket.
Good thing the Salvation Army
Good thing the Salvation Army does do former inmates, drug users, homeless, handicapped.
But then you wouldn't be interest in that.
you mean Boston cops and
you mean Boston cops and firefighters? They have enough money with all the raises they got recently.
More interested
I'm more interested in why they're unwilling to take $171,000...especially in a time when money is tighter than ever due to the economic hardships on everyone.
I couldn't care less what they do with their budget after they've got it. I have no interest in their secular OR non-secular activities as long as they're not using it to discriminate or harm others.
You misconstrue my comment. I was basically saying that if they don't want the money because it's not worth their effort, I'd more than gladly take it as long as there were no strings attached. Nothing about my post had anything in particular to do with their status as a Christian group or whether they do good work with inmates, homeless, handicapped, whatever.
strings attached
It's not like UW hands over a big check and says "have fun, send us some pictures!" There's the whole grant writing and reporting part of the equation which, if you've never had the thrill of doing it, is a sort of cross between some of the worst human resources/performance evaluation forms you've ever seen along with insurance forms. It's not impossible but it is work that someone has to do -- the development staff. If you have a limited staff you may want them spending their time on other philanthropic sources where you get more bang for the hours spent putting together ever-changing reports and indicator lists and such.
And/Or you just might have something against homosexuals. Whatever.
Yup
I write grants for a living, most of them for federal opportunities, and the mere thought of getting involved in a UW grant process again is enough to send me to bed with an epic migraine. They are somewhat notorious for an extremely difficult application and reporting system. However, if SA only got $171K from UW last year, I wouldn't be surprised to find out it was unrestricted money, meaning that very little reporting should be required.
I should say this is my personal experience, reinforced by what I've heard from other grant writers - although I will also say that I am a big weirdo because I LOVE writing grants and you still can't pay me enough to write a UW grant application.
strings attached
The UW also tells the Salvation Army what they can talk about in the programs they fund and they also have blackout periods during their fundraising season and use the salvation army's name
From United Way
Hi Universal Hub,
I wanted to follow up to add in a little more information about the story. I work at United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley. The following is a portion of a statement our organization put out after hearing of The Salvation Army's decision. Hope it helps. We're around if any of you want some more information about UW or how we invest the money donors entrust to us. All our contact information is at http://supportunitedway.org/contact
Yesterday, Major William Bode of the Salvation Army informed United Way of Massachusetts Bay & Merrimack Valley (United Way), via a phone call to United Way President Michael Durkin, that their organization has decided to turn down United Way’s investment this year and corresponding affiliate status.
United Way’s total investment in The Salvation Army this year is more than $415,000 and has increased about 18% this fiscal year over last. These funds were to be targeted at supporting emergency basic needs, healthy childhood development, and opportunities to ready youth for college and work.
United Way and The Salvation Army have had a productive partnership spanning more than 70 years. United Way is interested in maintaining that partnership and exploring other affiliation options with the Salvation Army. The organization will be working with Major Bode in the coming days to do so.
United Way’s highest priority at this point is to ensure that Massachusetts children and families relying on the services that would have been provided by the investment are not affected by the Salvation Army’s decision. United Way is committed to finding the best way to leverage these funds to ensure Massachusetts children enter school ready to learn, youth graduate with options for the future and families have the support they need to attain financial stability.
Outta the Way
As a fundraiser I hated dealing with the Uway. Complaints about the reporting required are valid. My opinion is that all the work that goes into it does not deliver a good measure of the quality of the charity/ non-profit's propram. I got the explicit message that the corporate donors were more important to Uway than our work and the uber/hyper/pseudo corporate culture of the place was laughable. The S-Army takes socio-political stands I disagree with. However their efficacy can not be denied and must not be under-appreciated. Thank God for them and be generous this Xmas