United way? (Charlotte, King: salaries, homeless, food)

[Metallisteve]

Well I emailed the HR and Finanace Departments here the other day. No more $3 a week from me. Cancelled immediately.

[Whytewulf]

Originally Posted by Metallisteve

Well I emailed the HR and Finanace Departments here the other day. No more $3 a week from me. Cancelled immediately.

Good call, they lost my business years ago..

[Miker2069]

Pretty interesting reactions. I personally wouldn't care how much the CEO or anyone in a non-profit makes as long as the majority of each contributed dollar goes to who you believe (and who they say) it's going to. The United Way does a LOT as well as support many smaller charities that do not have a voice or can make their position visible.

I've not really looked at this story a great deal (yes I did have the reaction of that's a lot of money), but as I understand that's salary *and* 401K contributions. Don't be so quick to jump down the throat of the organization because there officers are making more money than you think they deserve to make. Check out the historical track record to see if it's something you want to give money to.

[Metallisteve]

The salary is only the tip of the ice berg. The fact that I can give directly to the organizations that I want my dollar to go to and know that 100% will be used for that charity (since they don't have a payroll) is what gets me.

I don't know the exact efficiency number is of the United Way, but I gather that it is pretty low (as far as amount of each dollar going to the organizations). That's the real kicker. I don't want to hear how much she's on par with other exec's and that's what her industry demands. That's a load of crap...as a matter of my opinion. I won't believe for one second that she works any harder than the average office person...going to meetings, typing emails, showing up at some fancy to-do shin digs just to show face, wearing fancy clothes to look professional...that's not needed to buy a Cub Scouts pack their pine wood derby cars!

[flexysteve]

My issue is if people give United Way money in good faith that their money will do the most help for those who need it, her salary and benefits prove that the donators money isn't going to someone who needs it.

As far as her deserving the salary. I'm sure there are just as qualified or better people out there that can do the job for less. Is she out there attending the rallys with us common folk. Is she ringing the Xmas bell in front of Walmart when its 15 degrees outside? What does she really do for work?

The real question is how is she getting company big wigs to sign up. What benefit do they have other than just the advertising of being a United Way platinum member or some crap? Someone making those decisions is getting kickbacks somewhere along the line.

I find it deplorable that companies will strongarm people to donate. The main reason this would be is because the management of those companies are getting kickbacks based on how much the employees donate. Thankfully my company doesn't have any of the "Fair Share" nonsense. If I wanted to help a charity, I'd give $20 to the local boyscouts or swing a hammer at Habitats for Humanity. At least then you know your money is getting there 100% not getting cut by atleast 14% that United Way chops off.

[jsmikesell]

She's making chump change for a CEO of a company/organization that large.

As a matter of fact, of all the good the United Way does, she's underpaid.

[bibit612]

I understand that this applied to the Charlotte president of United Way and not all chapters of United Way. An article in the July 2, 2008 issue of the Fort Mill Times quotes the salary of York County President Kim Keel as $65,627 in 2007 with an additional $10,481 in retirement benefits. The article also said that York County residents who work in Charlotte can designate their donations be returned to their home community.

The principles by which UW was founded was noble. It's a pity that one rotten apple in Charlotte can spoil it for everybody, and those that need it the most are the ones that suffer as a result of one person's greed.

[Miker2069]

Originally Posted by Metallisteve

The salary is only the tip of the ice berg. The fact that I can give directly to the organizations that I want my dollar to go to and know that 100% will be used for that charity (since they don't have a payroll) is what gets me.

I don't know the exact efficiency number is of the United Way, but I gather that it is pretty low (as far as amount of each dollar going to the organizations). That's the real kicker. I don't want to hear how much she's on par with other exec's and that's what her industry demands. That's a load of crap...as a matter of my opinion. I won't believe for one second that she works any harder than the average office person...going to meetings, typing emails, showing up at some fancy to-do shin digs just to show face, wearing fancy clothes to look professional...that's not needed to buy a Cub Scouts pack their pine wood derby cars!

I think the real issue is that there's just a general loathing for people that make a *lot* of money (or what's considered a lot of money). If you can make it, then make it, I don't get why it bothers some, other than they're aren't the ones pulling down a fat salary.

[MommyV]

I don't think it's news that UW has had questionable practices for a very long time. I have always turned them down at work, but there is a way to donate through the program they promote at work and have the dollars at the end be given to a different organization. They themselves don't do the helping, but are more so a referral agency who sits on their high horse deciding who gets the money and tells you where to go for help.

[Stripes17]

Originally Posted by Miker2069

I think the real issue is that there's just a general loathing for people that make a *lot* of money (or what's considered a lot of money). If you can make it, then make it, I don't get why it bothers some, other than they're aren't the ones pulling down a fat salary.

With all due respect, I wholeheartedly disagree with your broad swipe at the growing group of people who choose not to donate through a well paid middle-man. Did you see where the head of the Charlotte chapter pulls down more money than the head of the Chicago chapter? Is there a reason why a non-profit leader needs to earn the same as blue-chip CEO's? This one is a stretch, but since the Pope doesn't make that kind of money, is he less effective as the leader of a non-profit organization?

Let's be real. The UW has been riding the donations wave for a long time and they've made a pretty good living for themselves on the backs of the donors. Well, thanks to the economy and a plethora of various people willing to take your hard-earned dollars (rising costs of everything!), we are now growing very cognizant of how our money is spent. Sure, many of us want to give to charity; we're just seeing that we need to cut out the middle-man.

The UW not only sets the bar for this, but rubs it in our faces trying to defend it. Well, no thanks; I'm not one of the one's PT Barnum talked about in his famous quote.