Our Problems--And Their Solutions

In 48 years of United Fund Drives, Ann Arborites have raised more than $9,401,700. Yearly goals have been met and passed 24 times, including the past four consecutive years. But barely had $832,320 been collected last fall to meet the 1968 operating budgets of the 18 local non-profit agencies when a 17.9 per cent increase in allocations was requested this spring. With a rising cost of living and rising needs, the agencies' 1969 budgets represented only a few reasonable expansions of their current programs. This is the dilemma which faced Emerson Powrie, head of the UF board's budget committee. The guideline previously formulated by the committee was 7 per cent- nearly 11 per cent under that requested. "The committee after carefu consideration of all factor; decided that this year th greatest priority would be givei to new programs dealing wit! seriously disadvantaged families and youth, including the Community Center's new staff te work with hard-to-reach teen agers, and Catholic Social Service's expansion of services to low-income families." Striving to "place the available dollars where they will do the most good," the UF Board is questioning more and more the reationship of private to public or governmrnt funds, Powrie said. "Many needs formerly met by community dollars are now being assisted by tax dollars," echoed Wendell R. Lyons, this fall's campaign chairman. "Is there a possibility of a partnership approach? Do various agencies first need to review their services in light of the needs of today?" Lyons asked. He didn't raise these questions rhetorically, for Lyons I feels there are no pat answers.j "I personally think that there is an important role for the services provided by private resources. The contribution of talents from hundreds of volunteers is one of the things that has made America great," he feels. Faced with the largest United Fund goal ever this year, of' $936,038, Lyon's most obvious concern is "how can we more effectively raise the amount and thus continue to better meet the needs of the community?" Board President Nelson DeFord answers: "expanded funding of UF service can be effected, in my opinión, in three significant ways: fair share giving, in which very firmi with three or more peoplei pledges an amount which is automatically deducted from the doner's pay check; a continuous enrollment plan, in which newly hired employés can join in fair share giving to help offset the loss caused by terminating people, and finally, a small degree of profit-sharing by every professional or commercial profit-making enterprise. "The organization derives its strength from the many volunteer hours donated by dedicated United Fund people. We can demónstrate citizenship b y providing social improvements attuned to the accelerated pace of living of our times," DeFord said. UF Executive Director Robert Kershbaum, on the same theme, feels "an adequate and strong voluntary leadership and voluntary givership program is essential not only because it provides needed services but because it involves area residents personally in the social problems faced b y others. There must be more people wiiling to take part in the effort if it is to continue to succeed, however. "It would be helpful if more people could realize how vital the day-by-day, often unspectacular work of the UF aoncies is to the well being of all of us," Kershbaum said. "We need to work constructively with other significant community forces and to stay alert for new and better ways to meet human needs. Albert J. Coudron, chairman of the UF Planning Committee, sees "equity of service" . as a vital problem, particularly to Ann Arbor. "When a community such as Washtenaw County change its complexion from predominately rural to urban, social services tend to congrégate in the later sections. "As the smaller towns increase in population, the demand for services increases more rapidly than does either recognition of the needs or the ability to meet them. The ideal in a rural society, that each individual sees and pitches in to satisfy the needs of bis neighbor, cannot encompass family counseling, adoption services, public health, and the other wants in today's complex world." As a solution, Coudron suggests the organization of a countywide health and welfare council, supported by both private and public agencies and represented by all areas of the county. "Another problem which is very evident to me is the need to decentralize services, move them from single offices inside Ann Arbor to several neighborhood locations accessible to the segments of the community that haven't been reached. "Since most of the UF agencies cannot singly fulfill such moves, I suggest that several agencies combine physically to provide locations in various parts of the city. County-wide agencies, which presently have one location in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti and therefore wait for the cliënt to come to them, also open centers throughout the county. To do this, agencies must stay open nights and share space and operating costs." These ideas, not costless, bring this article around full circle, back to the problem of funding. "It's not that we need larger contributions from our present supporters," Coudron said, "but we do need a larger percentage of the community who are willing to give their share."