United Way of America

United Way of America is a non-profit organization that works with the 1,303 local United Way offices throughout the country in a coalition of charitable organizations to pool efforts in fundraising and support. The focus of United Way is on identifying and resolving pressing community issues, as well as making measurable changes in the communities through partnerships with schools, government agencies, businesses, organized labor, financial institutions, community development corporations, voluntary and neighborhood associations, the faith community, and others. The issues United Way offices focus on are determined locally because of the diversity of the communities served. The organization raises money in numerous ways; one way is through the workplace, where employees can have automatic payroll deductions for United Way.

History
The organization has roots in Denver, Colorado, where in 1887 church leaders began the Charity Organization Society which coordinated services and fund raising for 22 agencies. Many Community Chest organizations, which were founded in the first half of the twentieth century to jointly collect and allocate money, joined the American Association for Community Organizations in 1918. The first Community Chest was founded in 1913 in Cleveland, Ohio. The number of Community Chest organizations increased from 39 to 353 between 1919 and 1929, and surpassed 1,000 by 1948. By 1963, and after several name changes, the term United Way was adopted.

Frances Wisebart Jacobs, known as Colorado's "Mother of Charities," was the driving force behind the concept of today's United Way. In 1887 she spearheaded the creation of the Charity Organization Society, which became a federation of charities that coordinated fundraising and other efforts and shared the proceeds. This was the model that led to the creation of today's United Way, which recognizes Jacobs as its founder. She brought together the Rev. Myron W. Reed, Msgr. William J. O'Ryan, Dean H. Martyn Hart and Rabbi William S. Friedman to put their heads together and plan the first united campaign for ten health and welfare agencies. They created an organization to serve as an agent to collect funds for local charities, as well as to coordinate relief services, counsel and refer clients to cooperating agencies, and make emergency assistance grants in cases which could not be referred.

That year, Denver raised $21,700 and created a movement that spread throughout the county to become the United Way. Over 118 years later, United Way is still in operation. 

In the 2006 Philanthropy 400, United Way of America was again number 1, with more than 1,300 local United Ways reporting $4 billion in contributions last year, a 3.9% increase over 2004. 

Common focus areas
United Ways identify and build on community strengths and assets, help individuals and groups with specific community interests find ways to contribute their time and talents, support direct-service programs and community-change efforts, and advocate public policy changes.

All of this is done in collaboration with diverse partners. Depending on the issue and how the community chooses to address it, United Ways work with schools, government agencies, businesses, organized labor, financial institutions, community development corporations, voluntary and neighborhood associations, the religious community, and others. The United Way of America has also worked with local United Ways along the Gulf Coast to sponsor two Alternative Spring Break programs in 2006 and 2007 to help with the recovery and rebuilding of the areas devastated by hurricanes Ivan, Katrina, and Rita.

Because of the unique conditions in diverse communities, the issues United Ways address are determined locally. However, some common themes emerge:
 * Helping children and youth succeed through engagement
 * Strengthening and supporting families
 * Improving access to health care
 * Promoting financial stability

National partnerships

 * The on-going partnership with the National Football League began in 1973 when the NFL and United Way of America came together to discuss the possibility of using the NFL’s network contract airtime to promote United Way during game telecasts. Commissioner Pete Rozelle recognized the partnership as a viable means of communicating the good works of United Ways while putting faces on a league of players hidden by helmets.
 * National partnerships with over 100 corporations are formalized through the National Corporate Leadership Program.
 * Since 1946, the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) and United Way of America have enjoyed a cooperative relationship
 * Leadership 18 a coalition which represents long-established charities, faith-based organizations, and social and health groups that support and promote the safety, health, well-being and social and economic development of people across America.

Criticism and scandals

 * Reportedly, some workplaces with United Way collection programs do not follow commonly used ethical procedures when soliciting donations. Employees may be pressured into donating through peer pressure, which is tolerated or even encouraged by management. United Way has made public that it does not support such measures.
 * In 1992, William Aramony, CEO of the national organization, and in 2004, Oral Suer, CEO of the Washington, D.C. chapter, were convicted of misuse of donations.
 * Some local United Ways have been known to double count contributions, thus making their totals look higher and the perceived overhead of operations look better.
 * Others have been accused of double-dipping overhead costs in donations, especially when donations are earmarked for a specific charity, or transferred from one location to another.

In an effort to address these problems, United Way has implemented new membership requirements and accountability standards in 2003; however problems have continued to occur.
 * In May 2006, Kim Tran the former CFO of United Way of the National Capital Area (Washington, D.C.) resigned, claiming many issues remain.
 * In April 2006, the New York City United Way revealed misappropriation of assets by Ralph Dickerson, the retired CEO of that chapter. The appropriation of resources occurred over a three year period, ending in 2005.