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Are United Way Dollars Reaching
The philanthropic organization United Way has been collecting money for
those hurt by the September 11th terrorist attack in a special program called
the September 11th Fund. Now, questions are arising over whether the money
is reaching the victims in a timely and appropriate manner.
On the Fox News' show "The O'Reilly Factor," Bill O'Reilly complained this
week that, "up to this point, the United Way has received $87 million for
its September 11th Fund. Only $5.9 million has been allocated so far. And get
this, the allocated money doesn't go directly to the families, it goes to
local organizations who can then give the money out as they see fit." His
show featured some victims of the attack who claimed not to have seen any
assistance from the September 11th Fund administered by United Way.
The United Way's web site lists the organizations that have received
emergency grants from the September 11th Fund as of October 3. Some of the
amounts are relatively small and some of the agencies do not directly aid
victims of the attack at all.
For example, while $4 million went to an agency called "Safe Horizon" to
provide emergency financial assistance to the families of attack victims,
other money has gone for such things as the Liberty Center for Immigrants
"to provide emergency assistance to Guyanese immigrants in the Richmond Hill
area of Queens to deal with fear, bias incidents and concerns of the
undocumented."
More than $200,00 went to legal aid and psychiatric outreach organizations
to provide services to victims, and another $100,000 went to "Interfaith
Neighbors, Inc." to provide counseling, support, and crisis interventions
to children, teens, teachers, and youth practitioners" after the attack.
(The full list of organizations receiving grants so far is available on the
United Way's web site at
http://www.unitedway.org.)
A Vermont United Way leader, however, believes that there is a general
misunderstanding of how United Way works and how much money is really
available.
"A lot of the money is pledged," explains Mary Helen Hawthorne, president of
United Ways of Vermont and executive director of the Southern Windsor County
United Way. "It might not have been received yet."
She also points out that United Way has always worked through a network of
intermediary agencies, and that many victim families have not registered for
help.
"I watched the O'Reilly Factor show," says Hawthorne, "and one woman did say
she'd received $26,000 from various agencies but not from United Way. United
Way provides services through intermediary agencies."
How can Vermonters be sure their contributions are going to aid the victims'
families? Hawthorne says donors can specify where they want the money to go
and it doesn't have to be a United Way agency. But she also believes that
indirect aid is just as necessary as direct aid to victims' families.
Hawthorne doesn't know for sure how much United Way money for the September
11th Fund was raised in Vermont but she does recall the Chittenden County
chapter reporting that they'd received about $100,000 in donations.
James Dwinell and Libby Sternberg are editors of the conservative
Dwinell-Sternberg Report, which is published weekly by JDLS Publishing, LLC.
Portions of the Dwinell-Sternberg Report may be reprinted with attribution.
Responses may be emailed to
editor@burlingtonwebmagazine.com or
posted on the
Burlington Open Forum
I Don't Understand
I don't understand your article about United Way. UW
doesn't give money directly to individuals; it only makes allocations to
agencies. The thought behind this philosophy is that each agency knows best
which of its clients is most needy and how best to help them.
My experience working with UW leaves me very comfortably believing that
all $87 million will reach the people who need it most< through
carefully screened agencies that will make the best use of the funds
allocated to them. Have you talked with the UW people here to ask them about
the Fox story?
Response
DSR did talk to a local UW person about the Fox story.
Those comments were included in the article.
United Way Does Not Give Money To Individuals
Clyde, thanks for the opportunity to present a more balance view of what United Way is doing with the Sept. 11th Fund. What many people don't understand about the fund distribution is that United Way does not give money to individuals, but rather works through established non-profit agencies that can evaluated and prioritize the needs and balance the funding with other funds available from insurance, government and other funding.
The info below is an excerpt from the 30-day United Way report issued last week by United Way of America. For the full report, you can go to our website
www.unitedwaycc.org
The latest tally of what Vermonters are contributing to the Sept. 11th Fund is nearing $300,000. That number comes from reports from other United Ways across the state. In Chittenden COunty the number is about $150,000. That number is not being counted toward the local Community Care Fund Campaign since it all goes to New York.
Former Ford Foundation President Franklin Thomas
New York, October 15 – The New York Community Trust and United Way of New York City, the nonprofit organizations that established The September 11th Fund, announced the formation of a Board to oversee and direct the activities of the Fund, as well as the separate September 11th Telethon Fund supported by the entertainment industry’s “Tribute to Heroes” show. Franklin Thomas, former president of the Ford Foundation, was appointed Chairman. Members of the Board were also named, drawn from the governing bodies of the two sponsoring institutions and other recognized leaders from the public and private sectors. Joshua Gotbaum, former executive associate director and controller of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, has been named Executive Director and CEO.
Under the leadership of Mr. Thomas and Mr. Gotbaum, the Board will be responsible for making grants from the September 11th Fund and the September 11th Telethon Fund. To date, the September 11th Fund has received pledges and contributions from thousands of individuals, corporations, and charitable organizations totaling more than $170 million and will address both the emergency and longer-term needs of the victims, their families and the affected communities. The Board will also establish guidelines for the distribution of about $150 million pledged to the September 11th Telethon Fund for victims and families. It will ensure all funds are distributed fairly and effectively, in accordance with the wishes of those from around the world who have donated.
The September 11th Fund’s grant program is currently supporting efforts to improve the health and well-being of individuals and families touched by the tragedy; spur the economic recovery of individuals and families in New York and other affected communities; and ensure the capacity of nonprofits to continue to provide services.
The September 11th Fund works by making grants to organizations that are expert in providing direct services and meeting a variety of needs. Nearly $16 million in grants has already been approved to more than 35 nonprofit agencies in the New York region. For example, emergency grants from the Fund have already made it possible for Safe Horizon to distribute over 6,000 checks to victims’ families that will cover basic needs such as mortgage payments and utility bills. The Fund is currently reviewing more than 100 proposals for both immediate and longer-term needs.
In accepting the position, Gotbaum noted, “Thousands suffered from the events of September 11th, but thousands more have reached out to provide help. Our task is to turn their contributions into action, to work with many organizations and speed the recovery.”
All of the funds contributed to the September 11th Fund will go directly to grants. Mr. Gotbaum and a small staff will be supported by funds raised separately and expressly for this purpose. The Fund will continue to draw as well on the experienced teams at United Way of New York City and The New York Community Trust.
CRISIS RESPONSE REPORT ISSUED: "United Way in Service to the Nation: A 30-Day Report Following the September 11 Crisis,” highlights some of the specific work United Ways have done in response to the September 11 tragedy. Also included in the report is a recap of activities at Ground Zero and national efforts regarding immediate needs and long-term planning. United Way of Chittenden County’s local efforts to help children cope was cited in the national report. The full report is available at www.unitedway.org
Response at Ground Zero
United Ways in the affected areas of New York City, Washington, DC and western Pennsylvania were quick to respond to the needs generated by the crisis and will continue to provide aid to those affected by the tragedies of the September 11 attacks.
NEW YORK CITY
The United Way of New York City (UWNYC), in conjunction with The New York Community Trust, established The September 11th Fund as a vehicle for giving during the crisis. They are leading the effort to determine how dollars raised through the fund should be distributed to meet the immediate needs of the victims and their families. As of October 3, $5.8 million had been distributed to organizations including:
This is just the beginning of the disbursement of the more than $300 million pledged to The September 11th Fund to date. One-hundred percent of the funds raised will go to aid the victims, their families and the needs of the community. Systems, financial and governance experts have been assisting UWNYC and The New York Community Trust in developing mechanisms to track and account for all funds donated and distributed. A volunteer committee is in the process of being recruited and will be announced shortly.
UWNYC has met with more than 250 non-profit health and human service providers, a dozen government agencies and more than 50 other funders. They are working closely and are in daily contact with FEMA, the New York City Human Resources Administration, American Red Cross and Safe Horizon, among many others. They have published a comprehensive resource and referral guide for victims and their families.
WASHINGTON, DC
The United Way of the National Capital Area (UWNCA), in Washington, DC has also brought together a volunteer governance committee to oversee the disbursement of funds that have been raised to benefit those affected by the attack on the Pentagon. In addition, UWNCA is helping to coordinate health and human service agencies responding to the crisis, and linking victims to those agencies so their immediate and long-term recovery needs can be met.
In addition, UWNCA is looking to the future and healing the community. Volunteers from UWNCA have identified four areas on which to focus during this phase:
Volunteer committees are being convened to develop action plans that address each of these areas.
Helping Communities Across Our Nation Cope
United Ways had been working in their communities long before September 11 to strengthen them and prepare them for crises. United Ways have long been partners with, and supporters of disaster and relief organizations. In fact, the American Red Cross is the single largest recipient of United Way funding nationally, with The Salvation Army second. The latest fund distribution data from United Way of America (UWA) show that, nationally, United Ways fund disaster and crisis-oriented agencies at a high level, with funding at:
The affects of the September 11 attacks go far beyond New York, Washington and Pennsylvania; and the needs created by this crisis will extend into the foreseeable future. In much the way United Ways are there for communities in natural disasters, as well as crises like Oklahoma City and Columbine, they are there during this crisis, continuing to help their communities cope with both immediate needs and long-term issues, as well as emphasizing preparedness for any future crises.
In the wake of the September 11 tragedy, United Ways across the country have been doing what they do best - mobilizing their communities to deal with their most urgent needs.
MOBILIZING FINANCIAL RESOURCES IN TIME OF CRISIS
United Ways across the country swung into action to help raise funds for those affected by the September 11 tragedy. Most notably, The September 11th Fund was established to aid the victims, with more than $300 million in pledges to-date. Many local United Ways enabled their donors to give to The September 11th Fund, and many offered a special designation for the fund during their campaigns. United Ways across the country led special efforts to reach out to their Alexis de Tocqueville Society donors (who give $10,000+ to the annual United Way campaign each year) and encourage them to contribute to The September 11th Fund.
In addition, more than $150 million was pledged as a result of the "America: A Tribute to Heroes" telethon, which solely benefited The September 11th Fund. United Way's National Corporate Leadership (NCL) companies also allowed their employees to contribute and contributed themselves, resulting in more than $50 million in financial and in-kind gifts.
September 11th Victims?
By Dwinell and Sternberg
By Sherry Mahady
By Stephen Mease
to Lead September 11th Funds as Chairman
Stephen Mease
Communications Director
(802) 864-7541
steve@unitedwaycc.org
United Way of Chittenden County
95 St. Paul St.
Burlington, VT 05401
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