Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1955-05-12
BY HERBERT C. BLUNCK,
PRESIDENT
COMMUNITY CHEST
FEDERATION


has noted the increasing interest
in the possibility of a United
Fund for Greater Washington.
The leadership of the Commu-
nifty Chest Federation again
states its position that it stands
ready to cooperate in the develop
ment of a United Fund for the
National Capital Area.
Before the community goes in
to United Fund, it is important
that there be a general under
standing of what a United Fund
means. The Community Chest
Federation Board of Directors,
in the interest of better commu-
nifty public understanding, would
like to bring some of the essen
tial facts to the attention of the
public.
The term United Fund (also
called Torch Fund, Good Neigh
Dor Fund, Zone Package Drive"
etc. is generally used to mean
single campaign for funds for
the health, welfare and recreation
agencies that are already joined
together under the banner of the
Community Chest, plus many of
the other agencies which have
been conducting independent
campaigns in recent years. AL
though the United Fund move
ment has been sweeping the
country, no two cities initiate the
movement or organize the Fund
in exactly the same way. Varia-
tons exist from city to city de-
pending upon local conditions.
Of the 1900 cities that have
Community Chests, 665 cities
have taken the next step and
developed United Funds since
1850.
In 1888 of the 665 United Fund
cities the American Red Cross
has become a participant in the
United Fund, in addition to one
or more of the other national
health appeals.
In the 665 United Fund cities,
the local affiliate of a national
health agency may be a member
of the United Fund, but in some
cities the United Fund includes
the cause" of the national health
agency even though the local af
filiate chose not to join the
United Fund. On this basis, the
record of inclusion in the 665
cities Is as follows:
Community Chest .............. 665
ION Behalf of Its Regular Agencies)
cancer ..."...................... obS
Crippled Children ,.........,..... &c
Heart ........"..................... 395
Polio ......"....................... 7S
tuberculosis .......................... ID
Red Cross ............................ 383
In addition to the inclusion OF
the agencies or causes" listed
above, each city has to decide for
itself what else should be includ
ed of a strictly local, national OF
international interest.
Many people are concerned as
to whether the United Fund car
raise as much money as the in
dividual agencies raised previous
. ly in their separate appeals. A
quote from a report recently is
sued by the Community Chests
and Councils of America, Inc. an
swers this question as follows:
I'm "a cities which compiled
> comparable data the United
Funds in their first campaign
produced about 300 more than
all participating agencies rails
ed In the previous year i'm sepa-
rate appeals. In individual
cities the increase range as
high as 1857. With nearly one.
: third of the cities show an in
, crease of at least 309o. lin
compiling these figures no at
tempt has been made to take
into account the savings in
campaign costs which undoubt-
. edly resulted from the cOmbina.
ton OF appeals.)"
The report also states:
"The majority OF United
Funds consistently make gains
each year; as a group the Unit.
ed Funds have achieved a some
what higher percentage of bOal
, each year than the regular
, Community Chests"
The experience also indicates
that the organization Of new
United Fund usually results in
substantial increases from com
pany gifts and from employees
: as compared with previous chest
campaigns. Business firms gen
orally have increased payroll de
, duction plans to aid employees
= in making larger gifts,