Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-12-05
Appeal to the Heart


IS on the United Qivers Fund
states: 1T would be wrong to
give serious thought to aban-
doning the idea OF united Civ
. ing in Washington" ! am
sure that all civic-minded in
dividuals in the Washington
area concur in this senti-
ment. However. ] do not think
II is wrong to take a fresh
look at the psychological APP
proaches employed in solicit
ing donations. and abandon
ing those which may be act
ing as deterrents to more gen.
erous giving.
! have served in some Ca
pacity in every UGF or Com
munity Chest campaign since
its inception in Washington,
from door bell ringer" to
Metropolitan Area group
chairman. Each year ! have
been impressed with what has
seemed to me to be the weak
spot in united giving. Each
year. when / held higher rank
in the campaign. ! would
point out this apparent weak
ness when making my report
to the Community Chest di-
rector. The weakness is that
the donor is at least once re-
moved from the activities Of
those organizations in which
he is vitality interested and
which he genuinely wishes TO
support.
Originally donors to indi-
vidual charities were urged to
unite in one big drive. desig-
nate where their money was
70 go. but acting together to
save time and expense In
solicitation. Subsequently. in
place Of this close relation
ship. the keynote Of the drive
has been giving once for all"
More recently. while you were
permitted TO designate. you
were discouraged from doing
so by their having removed
the names Of the organiza-
tons from the pledge cards.
making Il necessary to ask for
the separate forms on which
designations might be made.
This year the literature stated
that while designations were
permissible. only about 20 per
cent Of donors did so. prefer
ring to leave the distribution
OF their gifts in the hands Of
the UGF.
This, to my mind. is the
reason there is increasing
difiiculty. year after year. in
raising the minimum goals.
The appeal Is to the mind
not to the heart. You ask
us to give because the COM
munity needs our gifts on
many fronts in place Of urg-
ing us to interest ourselves
in those projects which most
deeply appeal to us and for
which we are prepared to
make sacrifices. If necessary.
TO support.
In the earlier years Of
united giving. year round
promotion Of the various
charities was carried on. I
was a member at one time OF
a "Keyman's Club" which
visited once a month in turn
many OF the institutions sup
ported by the Community
Chest. One year / was a coll
lahorator in a group that
made available movies and
speakers on various charities
through church groups. citi-
zens' associations. clubs and
other gatherings. This sort
OF heart appeal" has been
reduced in recent years to a
few heart throb pictures run
In the newspapers at cam
paign time. I do not depre-
cate tho value OF the latter.
but doesn't year round Civ
ing require year round slim
ulating2
In looking TO next years
UGF drive. let's abandon the
roadblocks placed between
the donor and the recipient
Of his gift. Let's acquaint
the people OF Washington
with the activities OF our in
dividual charities. Let's use
the newspapers. the radio.
TV and personal visitations,
10 awaken n heartfelt
warmth for their needs and
their problems. And don't
let's wait until next Septem-
Der. Let's start the job nowl
George "A. Kennedy.