United Pressure

So I just got off the phone with C, who mentioned he was on his way back to the office from a United Way fundraising drive.

I remember those drives. At our old company, we had competitions amongst different floors to raise the most amount of money donated through paycheck deductions. Our VP was pitted against other VP's to have his group raise the most money. You didn't "have" to give...but if you knew what was good for you, you gave. Even the smallest peon knew that what was best for their VP was what was best for them. I don't have a problem with the United Way in general. I have always believed in giving to charity . I gave. Nearly every year our floor won the warm cookies after lunch one day "reward" for donating the most as a percentage of income.

So now C is at a level where politically, he really needs to give at a certain level. The level just above his (those at the VP level, which are few and far between at his company) is expected to donate at what most of us would consider an astronomical level, but with astronomical salaries, that comes with the territory. C's expected donation level is less than astronomical, but still substantial. I have no issue with this. Overall, it is still a relatively small percentage of our income. We both believe in giving back.

My problem is this: C can have his paycheck deduction given to NIN. It's possible. It just isn't politically possible. He HAS to give x amount to the United Way in order to meet the political pressure within his company to meet fundraising goals...for the United Way. Not just any fundraising, but United Way fundraising. The United Way has created a virtual monopoly on paycheck deduction fundraising. C can't give the same amount he would give to United Way to the charitable organization his wife is on the board of directors for without it causing issues for him politically at work. And I think that is crap. Total crap. Yes, the United Way does good stuff, but so does NIN...and when I think of the quantities of money being monopolized by the United Way and I think of what the donation of just ONE vice president could do for us, it kinda pisses me off. One minimum VP donation could buy us nearly 8,000 yards of flannel. That's a lot of warm, snuggly baby blankets.

Now, C can always give additional money to NIN from his paycheck...or through me. He only half-jokingly considers me his biggest charitable contribution...I mean, he works to support me and I contribute a fairly substantial amount of my time to NIN...not to mention all the little bits and pieces I purchase and donate to the organization...but time doesn't buy flannel. Money buys flannel, and I don't go writing big checks to NIN because I know that we are obligated to essentially write checks every month to the United Way.

And apparently you don't mess with the United Way.