Sunday, August 29, 1999
City adds charity to payroll options
Community Shares funds 19 nonprofits
BY MARK CURNUTTE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
More than three years after its initial request, Greater Cincinnati Community Shares is now a payroll-deductable charity option for the city of Cincinnati's 6,500 employees.
A kickoff ceremony will be held Thursday at City Hall.
Community Shares is a federation of 19 local, nonprofit, social-change organizations that do not receive United Way money.
“We're delighted that this is finally happening,” said Mary McCoy, Community Shares director. “This is about a lot more than money. It's about helping the community.”
Community Shares organizations respect the work of United Way, Ms. McCoy said, but very few have applied to United Way for funding.
The addition of city employees adds another large block of govern ment employees to Community Shares' stable. Two years ago, Community Shares added workplace campaigns at the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Public Schools.
The alternative fund has been most successful at persuading governments to allow them to solicit public employees.
Some businesses have resisted the alternative funds because of loyalty to the United Way or because companies don't want to bother employees with another campaign. Many Cincinnati companies allow their employees to be solicited by the Fine Arts Fund, in addition to the United Way.
Unlike United Way, Community Shares distributes donations based entirely on donors' designation.
Community Shares money goes to the Drop Inn Center Shelterhouse, Stonewall Human Rights Organization, Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky, and 16 other organizations.
Mayor Roxanne Qualls and Cheryl Meadows, director of the Department of Neighborhood Services, are co-chairwomen of the Community Shares drive with city employees.
“Greater Cincinnati Community Shares offers employees important new choices for payroll giving,” Ms. Qualls said. “With these new options, employees have more freedom to support organizations in which they believe.”
Community Shares collected $145,000 for its member organizations in 1998.
The 1998 United Way campaign in Greater Cincinnati raised a record $54,100,531.
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