Rant: United Way at Work

[tlombard]

It is not even 2pm on the first day of my company's annual week long United Way push and I'm already sick and tired of them trying to get their hands on my money. At least send somebody who is getting paid by the United Way to try and get me to finance their scheme!!! Instead people I work with volunteer to try and cheerfully get every penny they can out of me and then decide that I'm a horrible person because I choose to directly help and give to organizations that I choose and where I think the most good is done.

I know we've covered this before but I'm not smart enough to find the thread.

[cardinalkarp]

It is not even 2pm on the first day of my company's annual week long United Way push and I'm already sick and tired of them trying to get their hands on my money. At least send somebody who is getting paid by the United Way to try and get me to finance their scheme!!! Instead people I work with volunteer to try and cheerfully get every penny they can out of me and then decide that I'm a horrible person because I choose to directly help and give to organizations that I choose and where I think the most good is done.

I know we've covered this before but I'm not smart enough to find the thread.

+++++++

Just went through this song and dance at my office this past couple weeks

[tlombard]

And this year the theme is absolutely horrible. Somebody decided to go 80s. The building is plastered with absolutely hideous posters and volunteers are wearing the ugliest t-shirts I've ever seen. I'd rather wear a cubs shirt than one of those. They are that bad.

[lukethedrifter]

at my place of employment, no one cares if you donate. at all. the various charities gave up on coming around; just leave some pamphlets

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

our company set up a 501c that acts a lot like united way but with no overhead. the company matches 100% up to something like $500/year from each employee. There is a selection committee that takes applications and divvies up the money. It actually works really well. I think the money comes out before taxes if you donate from each paycheck. With no overhead, the money isn't eaten before going out, and the committee actually does a good job of avoiding the fraudulent type charities (which is probably helped out some by individuals that donate also apply for the money to go to a charity they know). A guy in our office has a disable daughter who paints with her eyes (I think, or something like it) as she can't use her hands. One of her organizations where she gets therapy really wanted a new age device that allowed for this painting, so he asked the 501c for something like $5k to help cover the cost and got it. That along with another donation from somewhere was enough to buy this machine. He took a lot of pictures and shared them with the board and with all of us. It was really a pretty rewarding experience and a lot more hands on than writing a check to whatever organization that makes millions and does something with it.

[lukethedrifter]

way better ^

[tlombard]

That's also what I don't get. Our company has a very similar setup (although we can't donate out of our paychecks) and supports a ton of causes that fellow employees volunteer for by helping them with promotional materials and giving them a platform at work to drum up support, advice regarding logistics, etc. in addition to financial support (including matching donations, etc.). I especially like the fact that the majority of the causes the foundation supports are those that our employees are a part of and you can easily approach the foundation with a proposal and as long as you have your stuff together, they will support you in many ways other than just handing you money. There are a couple of events that co-workers started with the help of the foundation that have become rather large annual events that can now actually garner sponsors from other companies to raise even more money. That never would have happened without the foundations help.

[tlombard]

Got another email from work today trying to pry money out of my pocket and it came from a specific email address set up for the yearly campaign. Gmail had a notification at the top that said the email was suspicious and possibly trying to get personal information from me along with an option to report it. So I reported it. Take that!!!

[Molly]

at my place of employment, no one cares if you donate. at all. the various charities gave up on coming around; just leave some pamphlets

Same here. The only one I donate to is Backstoppers.

[Famous Mortimer]

Rather than matching donations, businesses should donate a similar percentage of their annual income that their employees do.