How can you compete with a billionaire?

Posted on April 23, 2013 by mrodgers

Do you know who Warren Buffet is? Bill Gates? Of course you do. How about Patrice and Precious Motsepe? Not ringing a bell? Well, Mr. and Mrs. Motsepe are a couple from South Africa – and they also happen to be among the wealthiest individuals and families in the world.

Another thing they have in common with Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, and most recently Richard Branson, along with another 101 billionaires (so far!) around the world is they have pledged to donate half – or more – of all their wealth to charitable causes during their life or immediately upon their death. They have all embraced a philosophy of philanthropy created by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffet called “The Giving Pledge”.

At the core of the pledge is this affirmation: “We are inspired by the example set by millions of people who give generously (and often at great personal sacrifice) to make the world a better place.” Each donor decides how much they will ultimately pledge, and to what organization and causes.

According to the National Philanthropic Trust, 81% of the high net worth individuals in the U.S. that donate to charity cite “giving back to the community” as their chief motivation for giving.

But all of this is only for “high net worth” individuals, right? Well, according to the same report 65% of all households in the U.S. give to charities. And while the average amount of all donations was $2,213, the middle amount given was only $870. You don’t have to be a “high net worth” individual to donate $870.

And in 2011, 73% of all charitable giving came from people – like you and me. And while billionaires can easily afford to pay someone to research the 1,080,130 charitable organizations to decide where to donate, you don’t have to.

United Way of the Greater Triangle supports many successful and vital programs in the Orange, Durham, Johnston and Wake county area. Eighty-seven agencies and 162 programs that focus on hunger and literacy, safety and well-being of children, single parents, homeless and more provide services for the 1.4 million people of the four counties.

That’s a powerful reach that helps “make the world a better place.” And while you may not have the money of a billionaire, your money, along with your neighbor’s and mine, can have a powerful and lasting impact on our world right here in the middle of North Carolina.

Go to http://www.unitedwaytriangle.org, look around our website and see the ways you can help. If you can’t donate money, there are plenty of other ways you can give – donate your time, advocate our mission to help others, tell someone about 2-1-1. Just know that we’re here to support your community, and a better community is better for you.

The People on the Bus

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Jennifer Bosk

Joe Burgess is the manager of United Way of the Greater Triangle’s Technology Outreach Program. He works in our Teaming for Technology location on McCrimmon Parkway in Morrisville. He is an avid bicyclist but on inclement days he rides the bus. This is his story.

Every day is always an experience when you take the bus to work; you make friends and chat with those around you. You get to meet all sorts of people and even the bus drivers themselves can be quite entertaining.

The other day I left work early because it started to ice. The bus home was packed and I took the last seat. I sat next to two ladies in their late sixties. The woman to my left said her home heater just broke and she didn’t have any money to fix it. I felt bad for her because it was one of the coldest weekends we’ve had around here. She moved to Raleigh from Barbados 30 years ago and I thought how warm it must be there.

I sat perpendicular to the other lady. She was on her way to church to fold bulletins for the weekend service. She saw my Kindle and reckoned she didn’t think she would like to read books on what she called a digital screen. But as she scrolled through historical artworks, one of the scenes was a famous picture called St. Jerome in His Study, and the church lady knew that one right away. She pointed out the lion and dog in the foreground. By the end of the ride we were all friends, with the church lady and the lady from Barbados calling each other “Sisters in Heaven” though they had just met.

Then a sad incident happened which I’ll never forget. Brooks Avenue is typically a busier stop where people get on and off. The last person to get on was an 83 year old woman. She was a tiny thing, all bundled up in her jacket and hat. As she got on, we waited so the driver could give her time to get seated. Everyone moved their stuff out of the way to give her space to walk down the aisle. Because it was icy out, I’m sure her feet were wet and slippery as she made her way down the bus aisle. Continue reading →

Financial Stability for the State of NC

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Stan Holt

Any good financial literacy program that we fund at United Way of the Greater Triangle has at its very core a simple philosophy. It must teach smart budgeting and in order for households to get ahead, there has to be more income than expenses. Unfortunately, the State of North Carolina is beginning to walk on some very thin ice as the General Assembly begins planning for changes in the tax code. These changes are supposed to improve state revenue. However, the recent plan that is being considered by North Carolina’s Senate leaves North Carolina and its middle class and poor citizens vulnerable.

The proposed plan would eliminate personal income tax, corporate taxes, and business license taxes. That eliminates $12 billion in revenue that is used for public schools and human services across the state. So how do they propose to raise revenue? The plan’s proponents suggest increasing sales taxes on goods and services. Sounds reasonable, I’d love to pay fewer taxes on my personal income. Oh wait, that means the tax on food, gas, home repairs, and car repairs will all increase. Hmmm. I wonder if we are “robbing Peter to pay Paul.”

The opponents of this argue that expanding the sales tax means a much bigger contribution from the non-wealthy. According to the Budget and Tax Center, “Under the (proposed Senate) plan, a family earning $24,000 would see its taxes increase by $500, or by 2.1 percent of its income, while a household earning $1 million would get a $41,000 tax cut, representing 4.5 percent of its income.” It also means that if personal income tax goes away things like the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Care Tax Credit are likely to go away too. Cutting these tax credits are essential ways that working households are increasing their income. In fact we know one of the best antipoverty strategies around is helping qualified households receive the Earned Income Tax Credit.

United Way of the Greater Triangle is committed to helping provide services in our communities to those of limited wealth. However, I fear the path the state may go could undermine efforts to improve each households situation. I’m worried that we will see even greater human service needs if services and education take further cuts because the state’s primary revenue stream has been eliminated.

Graphic from antiguaobserver.com

A Day of Service = A Brighter Life

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Jennifer Bosk

Marketing Intern Logan Tallent wrote about her experience at our United Way MLK Day of Service on January 21.

“One question we must consider today is how we can take action to unify our nation, heal racial division, end poverty and give real life meaning to the Constitutional mandate that there be equal protection under law.” – Ted Kennedy

Martin Luther King Jr. would have been proud if he had witnessed the site I was watching Monday, January 21. Weeks of gathering donated supplies for baby blankets, walker pockets, hygiene kits, canned foods, birthday kits and cards for homeless shelters and war veterans made the MLK Day of Service signature projects come alive. Hundreds of people gave their time off that day to help those in need in the Triangle area.

The most exciting piece of the puzzle was the diversity among these dedicated volunteers. I was assigned to the Wake County signature project and could not believe the age and generation diversity. There were children coloring next to senior citizens sewing. The volunteers were not just excited to be working there but were also excited about the community that surrounded them. It was truly a humbling experience.

As I jumped around from project to project, I had the opportunity to sit down with a 12 year old girl and talk about her volunteering experience. When I asked her how she found out about United Way’s MLK Day of Service she answered her entire family was there that day and wanted them to understand the importance of helping others. How honored Dr. King would be to know this drive for service and helping others was being passed on to the next generation.

Aside from the actual Day of Service event, I experienced what I feel was the very best part of the entire process. Part of my tasks for the service day was to call our partner agencies and see who had the greatest need and what supplies they could use. Hearing the voices of our friends at Interfaith Food Council, Threshold, Urban Ministries, along with many others, was enough to make anyone realize the greater picture of what we are doing at United Way.

These agencies depend on events such as the MLK Day of Service to provide for these families, mothers, babies and individuals who need help. Today I watdched one of our agencies pick up baby blankets, hygiene kits and birthday kits. All the agency representative could say was, “Everyone is gong to be so excited!”

MLK Day of Service was incredible but seeing the greater picture take place was truly rewarding. Every volunteer who took ONE day to create a small bear, a kit or a blanket made a LIFE in the Triangle a little bit brighter.

Hey Brother, Can You Spare A Platelet?

Posted on January 17, 2013 by mrodgers

Hey Brother, can you spare a platelet? Ever heard someone say that? Probably not.

Ever had your buddy call you up and say, “Hey, come on, let’s go apheresis!” Not likely.

Ever had someone you know get cancer, be in a bad car accident, get seriously burned, have open heart surgery? Of course you have.

What would someone in any of the above situations probably need when they’re treated? Blood, of course. And guess what: January is National Volunteer Blood Donor Month!

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, in 2009, 10,877,000 people donated blood. Twenty nine percent of those were first-timers; repeat donors averaged 1.5 donations that year.

But what’s that about platelets and apheresis? Platelets are the part of your blood that controls and stops bleeding and apheresis (ay-fur-EE-sis) is a process that extracts platelets from blood. Continue reading →