In just 12 weeks, the 2011-2012 Mesa United Way Pledge Campaign will end with what officials hope will be $2,825,000 they can use to fund 26 nonprofit agencies that help homeless families, low-income senior citizens, people with disabilities, children in foster care, and others in need of assistance throughout the East Valley.
This year’s campaign goal was bumped up from the previous year because so many people in our community are continuing to struggle from an economy that took away their jobs, businesses, income and homes. Many were once regular donors to the United Way, only to find in the past few years that they are now in need of help themselves.
As of last week, the campaign had raised $2,234,531 — still short more than $590,000 of its goal.
“Although we are getting close to our campaign goal, we are not there, and this is always a high anxiety time as we are only a few months away,” said Linda Haskell, resource development director. “We see the needs and requests to our agencies are greater than ever and our support to them is critical.”
Last fiscal year (July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011), agencies funded by the Mesa United Way provided assistance to 30,858 people. In addition, agencies that feed those in need – Meals on Wheels, United Food Bank and Paz de Cristo – served 4,631,686 meals. (For more on Paz de Cristo, see today’s “A Helping Hand” feature on Page 4)
The United Way pledge drive always brings out the best in people, and this year’s campaign is no exception. Recently, DMB Associates donated $15,000 from the proceeds of hosting the Tough Mudder competition. High school students at the East Valley Institute of Technology recently raised nearly $3,000 for the campaign.
And then, there are the folks at Leisure World in east Mesa, who, under the tireless leadership of resident Howard Rubin, raised $7,226 by hosting a golf tournament and $20,248 so far in a residential campaign.
For those who have already contributed to this year’s pledge drive, the Mesa United Way thanks you, and we thank you too. For those who haven’t made a donation, we hope you’ll consider making one.
Only you know how much you can afford to give, but no donation is too small; it all helps. Maybe one weekend, you stay at home with your family instead of driving to the movie theater or some other venue — and then donate what you would have spent on gas and tickets. Maybe for one week, you give up that morning grande, double espresso latte on the way to work — and then donate the money saved.
And, if you are someone who lost a job or home or experienced a severe pay cut, don’t let these tough economic times also rob you of the satisfaction and feelings of belonging that come when you contribute to your community: You can still make an impact. Think about it: If each of the 30,858 people who received help from United Way-funded agencies last year donates $1, that’s a contribution of more than $30,000. If each one gets a friend to donate $1, that doubles to more than $60,000.
There is indeed power in numbers. So let’s pool our numbers and get that pledge drive total where it needs to be to keep our community strong.
Retired Citizen posted at 10:26 am on Sun, Apr 8, 2012.
In the late 60s, the united way, was found to be just a fraud. After all the overhaed was paid there wasn't any money left over to help anyone. The main thing wrong, was there were to many very high paid people running it. I would like to hope that type of managment no longer is in use.
bfgair posted at 11:32 am on Sun, Apr 8, 2012.
when I used to work at Motorola United Way came to our company and made their pitch. So several of us got together and pledged to give $20.00 a week each to a charity that we choose to help. We were all horse lovers and choose a very worthy charity that we all believed in. "HORSES HELP" was the chosen charity. They help children with severe handicaps ride around on horses. Since we all gave our time to this WONDERFUL organization we thought that this would help with the expenses. When we went to the managment of "HORSES HELP" to find out how they were doing we were told that they needed money badly. We asked if they had been getting funds from "The United Way" No they were not. Here we were having $20.00 per week taken out of our checks ($120.00 a week total] for over two years we were suprised to find out that NOT ONE RED CENT had made it to our choosen charity.
SO we got in touch with "The United Way" and they explained that our donations were all used in "Managment Fees, Collection Fees, Book Keeping Fees, and other Working Fees" and that there simply wasn't enough funds from our contributions to be able to give "Horses Help" one red cent. So for the over two years that we had paid into "The United Way" over $13,000 dollars NONE OF IT HAD MADE IT OUT OF THEIR OFFICES. NOT ONE RED CENT.
CAUTION "The United Way" is the BIGGEST RIP OFF AROUND. You might just as well save your money for a year and walk on down to your favorite corner and throw it all up into the air as this will help FAR MORE than ANY CONTRIBUTION that you give to this GIANT MONEY PIT that in reality help no one but themselves. Look up their CEO and you will find that he makes a 7 figure salary, the Board Members all make 6 figure salarys and their offices are VERY WELL furnished and appointed.
PLEASE SAVE YOUR MONEY AND USE IT IN A MUCH BETTER WAY THAN TO FUND THESE THIEVES. Contact your local church or food bank or any one of thousands of charities that do not get one red cent from "The United Way" THIEVES.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 7:15 pm on Sun, Apr 8, 2012.
The United Way of Mesa website does not list the amount of their monies that go to the different Charities. The websited does not list the administrative costs that it subtracts from donations. The website does not list the salaries of the United Way of Mesa.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE GIVE THEIR HARD-EARNED MONEY TO A ....."PIG IN A POKE" ???
One of the Charites mentioned is .... Paz de Cristo. This Catholic Church Charity provides meals and food to ....HUNDREDS OF ILLEGAL ALIENS.
Why should the good people of Mesa feed Citizens of Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatamala who have entered the United States ...."I.L.L.E.G.A.L.Y"....in the dead of night carrying 40lb backpacks of marijuana, heroin, cocaine, meth and even opium ????
Arizona Willie posted at 7:32 am on Mon, Apr 9, 2012.
All of the charities like this and Salvation Army etc. etc. help illegals invade our country.
I no longer contribute to any of them.
Instead I donate to places like Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's Research and Cancer Research.
The money does more good there than just to feed some illegals.
It helps ALL of mankind not just people invading our country.
When Americans go to most of these agencies there is no money for them ... all gone..sorry Charlie ...
Besides that, when I call Mayo I never have any trouble getting an appointment pretty quick.
sockratties posted at 8:08 am on Mon, Apr 9, 2012.
The following was common knowledge at the time but I can't find any reference to it now:
In late the '70s I lived in the Denver, Colorado area. The company I worked for tried to get every employee to commit to a payroll deduction for United Way. United Way was so good in advertizing, collecting and obtaining commitments from corporations that charities who previously relied on donations had to rely on United Way. United Way simply siphoned donations from every other charitable organization in the area and redistributed them to fit their politics.
Catholic Services was one of the charities supported in part by United Way. A major contributor to United Way was Mountain States Power, the huge power utility for the entire area.
Catholic Services complained in the press (maybe the Denver Post in winter 1976) that the power company was cutting off power to customers who couldn't afford high winter power costs. Catholic Services would call on old folks who were living in unheated houses and eating cat-food during sub-zero weather and found that some actually froze to death.
The power company pressured United Way to put a muzzle on Catholic Services or they would stop their contributions. United Way threatened Catholic Services with withholding support if they didn't shut up about the power company cutting service for non-payment. This was an opportunity to do the right thing, but the money won. I haven't given a cent to United Way since. Salvation Army; yes, Upwards Foundation; yes, Boy Scouts; yes, Child Crisis Center; yes. United Way; No, not ever!
sockratties posted at 8:55 am on Tue, Apr 10, 2012.
AZ Willy – It's true that if you can afford it, Mayo Clinic is one of the finest. Unfortunately “non-profits” tend to drive smaller, for profit clinics and hospitals out of business. Mayo doesn't contract with medicare so they don't have to accept medicare caps on charges. They'll take what medicare offers, then charge you the rest. Those who can afford “Cadillac Care” can get it. If you can't afford it you will have to find a different alternative which will be limited by the presence of a large non-profit like Mayo. Most part B medicare providers limit the amount they will pay so the patient is stuck with a massive bill.
Because they have to spend their excess earnings, rather than pay taxes with it or give it to shareholders, they buy the latest and greatest technology and lure the finest doctors, specialists and surgeons away from those who can't afford them. Mayo (and other “not-for-profits) does to the local medical community what the big box stores do to the Mom-Pop shops in any community; they drive them out of business or into the ground. It's not unusual for a community hospital to end up as an assisted living facility after a few years of competing with a large non-profit establishment.
Arizona Willie posted at 10:37 am on Tue, Apr 10, 2012.
sockratties ... the insurance companies shouldn't be allowed to sell Medicare Advantage policies ... only Medicare supplement policies.
With Medicare Advantage the gov't gives the insurance company x amount of dollars every month for each subscriber to handle the subscribers medical care. The company has those x dollars plus the subscribers premiums to make their profits.
Most Medicare Advantage plans require you to go to the companies K-mart doctors and hospitals and labs in order to increase their profits.
With a Medicare Supplement policy you can go to any doctor you want and any lab or hospital. Medicare pays 80% and then the Medicare Supplement policy pays ( usually ) 90% of the balance so for a $1000 bill the insured winds up paying $20 or so.
In fact, Mayo does take quite a few insurance companies. You'd have to ask them which ones. Probably have it on their website somewhere.
Mayo can actually be quite affordable, depending on your insurance.
I've seen a lot of people there who obviously were not wealthy.
It just depends on how much your health means to you. If you have a problem would you rather have a doctor who graduated at the top of his class and perhaps has written some books / papers in his specialty and is involved in research in his field or an insurance company doctor who graduated in the bottom third of his class in medical school in Italy?
But I don't think I agree with your premise that places like Mayo drain resources from other medical establishments. Here in Phoenix we are blessed with quite a few top notch hospitals such as Scottsdale Osborn and Banner Baywood and the St. Joe Neurlogical place among them.
If your premise was true those places would not exist here.
sockratties posted at 9:04 am on Thu, Apr 26, 2012.
AZW -- All those places you mentioned are all part of not-for-profit organizations. They will take most insurance including medicare and medicaid but they don't contract with them so you must pay the difference as they are not bound by any limits.
The places that are driven out of business are like Mesa General which was a pretty decent hospital which couldn't compete and pay shareholders and taxes, too.
Engaged Voter posted at 11:28 am on Fri, Jun 1, 2012.
"Each dollar counts" for what exactly?
Why is the United Way so afraid to post their administrative costs and salaries of their board members?
If you want to donate to charity, find a legitimate, REAL charity that won't siphon your money to line their greedy pockets.
Arizona Willie posted at 10:19 am on Wed, Jul 18, 2012.
If you don't mind your money going to invading aliens you can give to Catholic Social Services.
Most of the money WILL actually do something for people, not just line an executives pockets as a bonus.
I have no problem with helping hispanics who are here LEGALLY, but our charities will not even try to screen for legality.
And I < DO > have a big problem with helping invading aliens.
For them I have nothing but a peanut butter sandwich and a Coke on the bus ride back to the border.
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