|
Can You Trust United Way?
Trust. Earlier today I heard a story about a popular radio personality who listed four institutions people can no longer trust. They are, government, academia, the media (of which he is a part so that seemed a little odd) and science (which clearly is not an institution but made the list anyway.) I guess I am very naive, or maybe hopeful but I still trust three of the four units on the list.
At a recent meeting of Minnesota United Ways, the issue of trust in United Way was discussed. A 2010 Public Opinion poll reported 24.2% of the respondents said they do not trust United Way because they didn't know enough about the organization. That was the number one reason for distrust in us. We could all look at that and say well... good, at least it's not for bad opinions and hearsay. We can work to improve the knowledge of what we do. That's easy, right?
Well, maybe not easy but do-able? When I stop to think about this I realize that people don't know enough about the work we do for a number of reasons. First of all, although we all work under the brand United Way, each United Way is different. That is one of the wonderful things about us that people often don't understand. At United Way of Goodhue, Wabasha & Pierce Counties our work reflects the needs and wishes of those communities we represent. United Ways worldwide may all work on Education, Health and Basic Needs but since those vary from community to community, so does the work of the local United Way. We work under the brand of United Way, but we are not chapters or franchisees, we each work under our own bylaws.
The other reason our work becomes difficult to follow is because it is constantly changing and flowing with the needs of the community. We certainly can never be accused of becoming stagnant. This is one of the reasons I love the work I do. We never sit still for very long. We look at data for our area, and best practices in the areas of education and health. We are always looking for ways to reach out and keep up with the people who live and work in our service areas.
At United Way of Goodhue, Wabasha & Pierce Counties we want you to trust us. To that end, we are always open to questions and comments. Our doors are open to all, and we invite you to stop in any time you are in Red Wing. Our website is full of information and our Facebook page is updated several times a week. Diane, Tonya, Malia and I welcome your feedback and will do our best to answer questions. Our board is well informed and can also answer questions. You can find their names and any other information you need at www.uw-gwp.org. If there is information you would like that cannot be found there, please call us. If we don't know the answer, we will find it. We want to get to know you and definitely want you to know us!
Only by working together, and trusting each other, can we create opportunities for a better life for all!
Maureen Nelson
| 
