WHY SHOULD I GIVE?United Way offers the best way to make a positive impact on the needs of our community. Knowing youve made a difference makes you feel great!
Why should I give?
Why give through the United Way?
How is United Way accountable?
How much are United Ways overhead costs?
I never use agency services, so why should I give?
Why should I give when my spouse already gives?
Who manages United Way?
Why do United Way Agencies charge fees?
Can I specify which United Way Agency receives my pledge?
What were the major service areas funded for 1998?
Is giving to United Way voluntary?
What is the community support guide?
Who pays for United Way advertising and events?
Where can I get help?
What does the United Way Staff do when the campaign is over?
What is the difference between the United Way of the Greater Dayton Area and United Way of America?
WHY SHOULD I GIVE?
United Way offers the best way to make a positive impact on the needs of our community. Knowing youve made a difference makes you feel great!
WHY GIVE THROUGH THE UNITED WAY?
There are several reasons that United Way is among the best ways to give to charity:
HOW IS UNITED WAY ACCOUNTABLE?
United Ways own operating budget is audited by an independent accounting firm and is carefully scrutinized by a panel of local community volunteers and United Ways board of directors. (An audited financial statement, prepared by , is kept on file and is available for public inspection at all times.) United Way meets the Better Business Bureau of Dayton/Miami Valleys Charity Standards as of the June 1998 review.
HOW MUCH ARE UNITED WAYS OVERHEAD COSTS?
Costs for fundraising and administration are 16 percent. This compares favorably with Better Business Bureau guidelines of 30 percent and the of 40 percent.
I NEVER USE AGENCY SERVICES, SO WHY SHOULD I GIVE?
You never know when you, a member of your family, or a neighbor may need a United Way service. Job loss, loss of a loved one, illness, disabilities, family problems, and the problems of growing up and growing old know no boundaries. Your gift helps ensure that United Way services are available when theyre needed.
WHY SHOULD I GIVE WHEN MY SPOUSE ALREADY GIVES?
Each and every contribution is important and makes a difference. If only one spouse in each family gave, many programs could not be supported. Each member of a family is encouraged to contribute as generously as he or she can.
WHO MANAGES UNITED WAY?
United Way is a local, autonomous organization governed by a volunteer board of directors. Policies, activities, procedures and programs we support are determined right here at home. The community volunteers who lead United Way come from all walks of life and reflect the cultural diversity of our area. United Ways daily operations are handled by a small, but knowledgeable professional staff which works closely with volunteers at all levels.
WHY DO UNITED WAY AGENCIES CHARGE FEES?
Because the extent of United Way agency services is so great, United Way funds provide only a portion of the money agencies need to provide services. Many United Way agencies charge sliding scale fees so they can help more people.
CAN I SPECIFY WHICH UNITED WAY AGENCY RECEIVES MY
PLEDGE?
Yes. United Way will honor designations in 1998 to any 501(c)(3) agency that provides a health and human service. You may also designate your gift to Community Care which benefits the entire human service system or to a Focused Care outcome area to support a specific cause of importance to you. There is a space on the United Way combined pledge card for your designation, or use a Donor Choice Form.
WHAT WERE THE MAJOR SERVICE AREAS FUNDED FOR 1998?
Donations from the 1997 United Way Campaign were invested as follows (pie chart):
IS GIVING TO UNITED WAY VOLUNTARY?
Yes! Giving to United Way is strictly voluntary. United Way has a written policy against coercion. Education about how United Way agencies help is the best way to encourage contributions.
WHAT IS THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT GUIDE?
It is often difficult to decide how much to contribute. The Community Support Guide has been prepared by local volunteers to assist people in making a decision about their contribution. With payroll deduction, this lets you give as generously as youd like for just a few dollars per pay period.
WHERE DOES MY UNITED WAY DOLLAR GO?
75% Direct community services
17% Volunteer-monitored administrative & fund-raising expenses
8% Pledge loss (pledges donated that were not received)
WHO PAYS FOR UNITED WAY ADVERTISING AND EVENTS?
United Way receives free space in newspapers and free time on radio and TV. Also, some companies sponsor ads for United Way or host events to thank the volunteers. Creative and production services are also donated by generous companies.
WHERE CAN I GET HELP?
Information is available free of charge, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through the HelpLinkTM Information & Referral Service. Anyone can access this service by calling 225-3000 or (toll free in Greene and Preble Counties, Voice or TDD) 1-800-917-3224/1-800-91-REACH.
WHAT DOES THE UNITED WAY STAFF DO WHEN THE CAMPAIGN IS OVER?
The entire United Way Staff works diligently year-round to ensure that your donation is used where it is needed the most, and the money is well spent. While the formal campaign only runs for several months, fund-raising is a continuous process. The staff continues to work with volunteers, reviewing programs and agencies, collecting and counting monies, distributing donations, and planning for the next campaign to benefit the health and human services throughout Montgomery, Greene, and Preble Counties.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE UNITED WAY OF THE GREATER DAYTON AREA AND UNITED WAY OF AMERICA?
The United Way of the Greater Dayton Area is an independent, nonprofit organization overseen by a local volunteer board of directors. It is the largest non-governmental funder of human services in Montgomery, Greene, and Preble Counties. All monies raised here stay in our community. The is a national service and training center based in Virginia that provides leadership, support and a wide variety of services to more than 2,100 community-based United Way's throughout the nation.
In 1914, the Federation of Charity and Philanthropy was organized under the auspices of the Greater Dayton Association (forerunner of the ) with ten cooperating agencies. A survey of these agencies made by the Dayton Bureau of Municipal Research was completed in April 1915, covering the following organizations:
In 1918, the Dayton War Chest was organized, also under the auspices of the Greater Dayton Association.
In 1919, the Dayton War Chest became the Community Chest, governed by the Board of Directors of the Dayton Bureau of Community Service, which declared its purpose "to foster the moral, mental, and physical welfare of the community to seek to harmonize the efforts of civic, charitable and philanthropic organizations for the sake of civic unity and greater efficiency." The Dayton Community Chest Association was incorporated in 1920 as a non-profit corporation under the laws of the State of Ohio.
The appointed a committee in June 1958 to meet with representatives of the Dayton Community Chest Association and the to lay plans for a joint drive. The first joint campaign was conducted in the Fall of 1958.
The Dayton Community Chest Association extended its area of operation to Greene County in 1960 when the campaign goal included the needs of ten Greene County agencies.
In October 1963, following a community needs assessment, United Way launched the first generic information and referral service in the area and one of the first in the country. HelpLinkTM, Information and Referral Service gave people a centralized source of information on all kinds of health, human and government services not available anywhere else. The service began operations with one staff person during regular business hours but expanded to 24 hour service and many more staff within a very few years in response to demand from the community.
On March 17, 1965, action was taken by the Board of Directors to change the name of the Dayton Community Chest Association to United Fund, Inc. of the Dayton Area.
On June 18, 1969, the United Fund Board of Directors approved the merger of the Eaton Community Chest and Preble County agencies with the United Fund of Montgomery and Greene Counties. The Eaton Community Chest, which served the Preble County area, was thereby dissolved. The campaign held in the fall of 1969 for 1970 allocations was the first all inclusive United Appeal Campaign for Montgomery, Greene and Preble Counties.
Agreement was made with the Federal Executive Association in 1969 to combine two Federal Campaigns (the International Service Agencies and the National Health Agencies Campaigns) and the United Appeal Campaign into one Combined Federal Campaign at all Federal establishments in the three-county area. The first Combined Federal Campaign was held in the Fall of 1969.
The United Way name was adopted in 1974 after a year-long long range planning process to better describe the more comprehensive fund raising program and planning and allocations responsibilities of the organization.
In January 1975, the Board of Directors of the United Way and the Board of the Volunteer Service Bureau agreed to a merger. The Volunteer Development Services of the United Way was established, which became known as the Voluntary Action Center (later renamed to Center for Nonprofit Resources) two years later.
The United Way Board first took action to begin merging the Health and Welfare Planning Council and the planning, budgeting and coordinatiing functions of the United Health Foundation in December 1974. In January of 1976, the Board accepted recommendations on structuring, organization and formation of the new United Way. The recommendations were officially accepted at the April 5, 1976, Annual Meeting of the United Way.
In 1976, under the direction of the United Way Board of Directors, the Greene County United Way advisory Board and the Preble County United Way Advisory Board were established.
THE POWER OF YOUR GENEROSITY
Thanks to the generous support of the people living in the Miami Valley, literally thousands of people in our community are helped by United Way of the Greater Dayton Area each and every year. United Way funds numerous worthwhile programs that achieve dramatic results on high-priority needs such as homelessness, early childhood education, teen programs, and domestic violence prevention. There are lots of great reasons to give to the United Way of the Greater Dayton Area, for instance:
UNITED WAY FACTS
| $5... | covers a typical call to HelpLinkTM that includes obtaining information, assessing the callers needs and linking him or her to the appropriate service. |
| $20... | buys one hour of homemaker service so an elderly shut in can live at home. |
| $65... | buys an hour of counseling to prevent teen pregnancy or to help a teen parent learn positive parenting skills. |
| $80... | provides a wholesome recreation program that keeps one young man off the streets on summer nights and weekends during the school year. |
| $325... | provides interpreter services to accompany a person who is deaf on a medical or other important appointment. |
| $1,000... | will provide one week of shelter for a family escaping domestic violence. |
UNITED WAY
The United Way of the Greater Dayton Area is an independent, nonprofit organization overseen by a local volunteer board of directors. It is the largest non-governmental funder of human services in our community. United Way works cooperatively within the entire human service system to make sure that the funds are spent wisely and the programs achieve results. The annual campaign is the most efficient way to help people who really need help.
UNITED WAY MISSION
To increase the organized capacity of people to care for one another.
UNITED WAY VISION
United Way will improve the quality of life in the Miami Valley through human services by building on community strengths.
UNITED WAY HISTORY
The volunteer fundraising organization known today as United Way has been active in the Dayton area since 1914. Earlier it was known as "Community Chest," "The Red Feather Campaign," and "The United Fund." The organization adopted the name "United Way" in 1974.