GAP Review: United Way of America

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GAP Review: United Way of America

United Way of America (UWA) is a non-profit organization that is unique in that it is the central functioning unit in a pool of charitable organizations that has agreed to cooperate and work together to fundraise and provide support for various causes. There are more than 1,200 UWA offices across the US supporting local, state and national efforts to resolve issues that matter to communities and families across America. As such, the organization has, over the years created partnership with schools, government agencies, labor unions, businesses, financial institutions, community development organizations, volunteering groups, neighborhood associations, faith organizations, and a lot more, to forward, advocate and support activities and issues essential to American families and communities. The main focus areas however center on education, income and health. The organization traces back its history to 1887 in Denver through the Charity Organization Society who did locally coordinated fundraising activities for 22 agencies. By 1948, this became the United Foundation as structured by Walter Laidlaw which soon saw a national governing body becoming the UWA by 1970 with its main offices in Alexandria, Virginia. UWA fundraises and contributes billions of dollars per annum with their 2006 contributions totalled at $4.2 billion.

Table

Name - United Way of America
Services - Fundraising, Advocacy and Charity-funding
Policies - Fundraising and support of large to medium sized-organizations across America to promote education, financial stability and healthy lives in American Communities. The organization's program policies aim at creating long-term solutions, not only in the activities it funds but in advocating lawmakers to convene and cooperate for public good.
Market/Clients - Has 1,200 offices across America in support of local communities. It works with a wide number of large and medium organizations and charities to fundraise for them and to help them in their goals.

Values and Mission

According to the UWA (2014), their mission is to improve, "lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities around the world to advance the common good." This is guided by their visions as follows - "United Way envisions a world where all individuals and families achieve their human potential through education, income stability and healthy lives." While largely based and acting in the United States for Americans, over the years, UWA have sent missions and support activities abroad to over 45 countries and counting. Their aim is to improve education, help people ...