Has Columbia's United Way become too political?

From blood drives to disaster relief, the Red Cross
helps all in need. United Way is going in a different
direction so UW and the Red Cross have parted ways.

The Red Cross Central South Carolina Chapter has cut ties after an 89-year relationship with the United Way of the Midlands.

A Columbia newspaper reported Monday that the Red Cross had withdrawn as a partner agency from United Way.

Anyone who has worked for a large employer has been subjected to United Way's pitch. It is a major coup for United Way to get into companies, and persuade the employees to give, while the boss is watching.

United Way is a deep pockets non-profit, that has a mountain of corporate sponsorship. The money can be spent according to the wishes of United Way's chiefs.
The United Way is distributing funds of  $12,169,276 this year. It gets money from more than 75,000 individuals and more than 800 companies, schools and government offices as a part of UW's fall fundraising drives.
The money goes for 122 safety net programs that make up the UW's Community Care Fund. The fund is supported by unrestricted donations to United Way’s fundraising campaign.

But over the years, if you looked under the hood, to see what the UW has been funding, it seems to go more in-hand with the focus of liberal government planning.

The Red Cross is essential in crisis assistance, especially for victims of a fire. And without the Red Cross overseeing blood bank supplies, where would the state of our healthcare be? Yet Red Cross is not the direction UW wants to go. 

In explaining the split with Red Cross, it was reported by The State newspaper: “The United Way has shifted its funding strategy in recent years, and based assistance on a core set of community needs. Those needs include, according to UW, homelessness and financial stability, kindergarten readiness and third-grade reading as well as dental and eye care.

It would seem strange that as Obamacare is the law of the land, why would UW take resources from other help agencies, to do something the federal government is charging us exorbitantly to do?

The same with kindergarten. Kindergarten programs are expanded more each year, with taxpayer money. This year millions were added for kindergarten. And the ages for expanded government assistance keep getting lower for inclusion.

It is possible that UW has gotten too liberal to think Red Cross is one of their concerns. That should be remembered if UW comes to your place of work, and asks for money to be taken from your paycheck.

It may be a better idea to choose your donation, yourself. To donate directly to the Red Cross can do so on line at www.redcross.org.