United Way of Greater Houston

I am here frequently for work. It is a very nice building and they offer their meeting rooms for free to local non-​profit and government agencies for meetings and conferences-​very supportive of civic engagement.

I first ran into this organization when they enforced 100% compliance in my company, even to the point of making a pay raise contingent on contributions. This was blackmail, and I was not happy as I choose to spend my money, time and considerable effort every year, on charities of my choice and where I can physically do some good.
The second time I ran into this operation was when they had offices just down the street from me, and I saw the amount of waste out in their dumpsters and the quality of cars in the parking lot. I was really upset when they chased a homeless person away who was part of the friendly neighborhood scene and tended to do small favors and look out for people.
Thankfully they moved headquarters and I am not constantly reminded of their proliferate behavior and the interminable parade of Lexus’.
The rest of the problems with double accounting, and various methods of dispersing their $ 4.2 billion a year, and the 10−15% administrative fee for giving your money to a local charity you could have donated to directly, add up to the 800 lb. gorilla with a large appetite.

Do something about it! That’s the United Way Greater Houston tagline… and everyday I see these folks doing something about it. From the gaps in services to long range planning for our low income and underserved populations, United Way is making a difference in the lives of Houstonians.
1 out of every 2 people utilizes a service supported by United Way. So next time you feel the urge to give, please consider giving to the United Way.

I agree wholeheartedly with Dolph. As a social worker with «inside knowledge» of some of our local non-​profits, I can assure you that the money given to United Way is money well-​spent. Out of every dollar you give them, 90 cents goes back out to the community. They have EXTREMELY stringent standards in qualifying for funding, so you can rest easy that your money is really helping someone. And they also have an internal campaign, meaning their own employees contribute; after all, how can you ask for money from the community when you’re not willing to give any yourself?
I’d also like to point out a free service offered by United Way, called 211. If you or someone you know is in need, simply dial 211 from your phone and you will talk to someone knowlegeable about the resources available to you, if there are any. 211 has info on everything from food pantries to rental assistance, and they are open ²⁴⁄₇. There is also bilingual staff in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese-​if no one there speaks your language, they will get a translator.
Just wanted to put that out there as I’ve used 211 numerous times for my job and it’s always been helpful!

We live in a culture which often seems to cater solely to selfish interests. How can I get ahead? What makes me feel good? Where do I get best value for money? Unilocal itself creates its biggest pull by facilitating this mindset (the fact I couldn’t find a «Charity» or «Non-​Profit» category when editing this business is a case in point). However, if we are to be truly fulfilled in this life, we need to find opportunities to give back and make a difference.
Faith-​based organizations who haven’t sold out to the gospel of self-​prosperity provide many ways to do this. Donating to your alma mater or a specific charity is another. However, if you want to make a difference in your local community with little or no effort, the United Way is your best bet.
If you work for a medium to large size company, chances are it has an annual United Way Campaign. All you need to do is check a box and a designated portion of your salary begins making a difference in others’ lives via automatic payroll deduction. If you don’t do this, ask yourself why? If your employer doesn’t have a United Way connection, ask them why too!
The United Way has a low overhead, is efficient and does their homework. You know your hard-​earned money will be targeted effectively in their hands.
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07-​Jan-​2008 Note: Unilocal has added «Non-​profit» to its business category pick list since I wrote this review. Good for you, Unilocal