The Salvation Army of Bucks County Announces Disaffiliation with United Way of Bucks County

Business Wire, August 31, 2004

LEVITTOWN, Pa. -- The Salvation Army, a founding member of most United Ways across America, finds it necessary to withdraw its membership from the United Way of Bucks County. This decision to withdraw includes The Salvation Army services throughout Bucks County including The Salvation Army Levittown, PA Corps (serving Lower to Central Bucks County) and The Salvation Army Quakertown Service Unit (serving Central and Upper Bucks County).

A press conference will be held at The Salvation Army in Levittown at 215 Appletree Drive on Thursday, September 2nd, 2004 at 2:00 p.m. by Major William Bode, Captain Douglas Bartlebaugh, Salvation Army Advisory Board Members, and supporters to announce our decision and present our next steps.

The Salvation Army is conscious of the great trust placed by so many in its name and mission practice, and feels it can no longer lend its name to the fund raising efforts of the United Way of Bucks County. Major William Bode, a regional leader for The Salvation Army of Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware, has notified the United Way of Bucks County that, based on allocation choices made by the United Way of Bucks County, The Salvation Army has decided to disaffiliate its membership and that the Army name should not be used in any of its future fund raising promotions.

It was not the desire of The Salvation Army to disaffiliate. However, the United Way of Bucks County decreased The Salvation Army's allocation by 60% (decrease of $37,765) in Levittown for the next two year cycle, with no willingness to reconsider and little promise of restored allocations in the future in the context of struggling campaigns.

The cut in funding is simply too severe for The Army to remain a member agency. In order to continue serving the community through its proven emergency assistance and youth programs, The Salvation Army must now raise additional dollars independently of the United Way campaign.

"With our allocation drastically down and need significantly increasing, you can understand why we are so concerned and felt we had no other choice but to withdraw our membership," explained Capt. Doug Bartlebaugh, Commanding Officer of The Salvation Army Levittown, PA Corps Community Center. "We need to ensure The Army's ability to continue its present critical work of providing food, emergency assistance, positive youth programs and hope to those who need it."

Major Bode and Captain Bartlebaugh are asking donors that have supported The Salvation Army of Bucks County through the United Way of Bucks County in the past to please mail your donations directly to The Salvation Army at 215 Appletree Drive, P.O. Box 824, Levittown, PA 19058. This will enable The Salvation Army to use more of your gift for direct services to help people.

It is unfortunate that many agencies' allocations have been cut or even eliminated this year in the aftermath of a struggling United Way campaign. Unfortunately, while decreasing or eliminating allocations to many long term member agencies, the United Way of Bucks County has chosen to provide funds to new agencies or programs, to use 14% ($400,000) of total funds raised to pay off a significant deficit from the previous year, another 14% ($400,000) to invest in United Way-run service programs, and 21% ($600,000) for administration and fund raising costs. Of the total $2.9 million raised, $1.5 million (52%) is allocated to agencies (with $300,000 of that being donor designations). The balance of 48% went for these other purposes according to a recent newspaper article.

"The Salvation Army has served Bucks County for over 107 years," Capt. Bartlebaugh emphasizes. "The people in Bucks County have always recognized The Army as the "go to" organization when all else fails. The Salvation Army has served as a beacon of hope, as a safety net when people have fallen through the cracks of the helping system, and we can't let down the people who will need us this year."

The Army is recognized for the thousands of children and families it helps during Christmas (3,018 were served last holiday season). Throughout the year, The Army provides comprehensive emergency assistance (rent, utilities, food, clothing, furniture, prescription assistance, lodging) to community members (20,487 points of service in 2003), supporting them in times of crisis and helping to prevent homelessness. And we work collaboratively with many other community and social service organizations. Food is distributed to hundreds of families through our food pantry. Shut-ins and nursing home residents are visited and provided with small gifts to help break their loneliness (5,380 served in 2003). Character building youth programs are provided before and after school, including day care, structured troop type activities, recreation, summer overnight and day camp, arts, a comprehensive basketball program, an open teen community center, and computer learning. 8,249 youth were involved in our programs last year. During 2003 the Army touched the lives of people living in Bucks County over 40,302 times with one or more of the services it provides.