Is anyone giving?
charitynavigator.org is a very interesting website. You can find out about anything you want about a local charitable organization. The Tulsa Area United Way reported about $21.7 million in revenue for 2005, while the Benton County Arkansas revenue was $24.7 million. The Tulsa head, Kathleen Coan, President and CEO was paid $254,800 or 1.27% last year while the Benton County head, Jill Darling was paid $61,970 or .24% of the total revenue. In Benton County 98.4% of your donation actually goes to programs and services compared to only Tulsa. How is it that Benton Country, with a revenue nearly 15% higher that Tulsa can operate so much more efficiently? I am just kind of sickened by that sort of compensation at the top and overall overhead by the local chapter. Are any of your employers bugging you right now to give to the Tulsa Area United Way? Well if they are, show them this:
http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/search.summary/orgid/4590.htm
http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/search.summary/orgid/6332.htm
Some of the other salaries of the other local charities or non-profit organizations:
Steadman Upham, President, University of Tulsa, $264,200 ($241,000,000 annual revenue)
Nancy Kachel, President, CEO Planned Parenthood of Arkasas and Eastern Oklahoma, $132,330
Mary Collins, Executive Director, Tulsa Area Zoo Friends, $98,000
Rev. Steve P. Whitaker, Executive Director, John 3:16 Mission, $71,668
Marcia Mitchell, Executive Director, Little Light House, $59,346
Kay Todd, Chief Executive Officer, American Lung Association of Oklahoma, $74,172
I've never given to the United Way, and I'm not about to start. There are other charities that I find are more worth of my money.
Rev. Steve Whitaker donates a lot of his money. I should know since he's a member of my home church. He is a great guy, and he really makes a sacrifice to the Tulsa area.
My company raised about $5,000 internally this past week. I did not contribute, but what gets me is that another 50 companies or individuals locally will need to give at least as much just to pay for Kathleen Coan's salary.
What justifies her salary. Is it because she raises so much? I don't buy that because when your charitable organization reaches a certain point you aren't really out there marketing anymore--you're just guilt-tripping deep pocket organizations. I know this first hand. My company didn't want to contribute, but we did't want to turn them down for negative PR.
I have never given to the UW -- even when I worked for a company that practically blackmailed their employees to give. It ticked me off just a little when my boss sent out a memo listing those who did not give their "fair share" to UW.
Arm twisting is no way to raise money. I give to the charities of MY CHOICE.