" give to you LOCAL food pantry or LOCAL charities instead.

the United Way is top loaded in administrative fat. "

" " give to you LOCAL food pantry or LOCAL charities instead.

Good point, fb.

My favorite is the Salvation Army. They do a lot for the poor and they operate with a small overhead, especially when compared with the United Way or the Red Cross. Those two are top heavy with executive pay. "

" father bob wrote on Oct 28, 2009 2:25 PM:
" give to you LOCAL food pantry or LOCAL charities instead.

the United Way is top loaded in administrative fat. "


I agree the local food pantry does a lot of good, just as many local charities. Besides you can give to those charities listed without going through the United Way. "

" OKAY, almost all of us would like to help people when we see a need.

This last weekend it was heartbreaking to see three separate people sitting in different places along Route 16 in Charleston with a sign saying OUT OF WORK, or PLEASE HELP.

I know there are shelters, and that they are not 24 hours a day...what are these peoples alternatives to sitting on the side of the road or walking from store to store to get warm?

These people are our people...
What is being done for these people and how can they be helped/ how can we help them without being sued? "

" Why does Goodwill. Catholic Charities, & Salvation Army often have a sign that says "NO DONATIONS BEING ACCEPTED" ? Then people are throwing their donations in the trash and how stupid is that?

We can volunteer our time there, we can donate our clothes and possessions of all kinds there, but they aren't being accepted??? LOL!

These places ought to have free days to get rid of all their old donations for free so that the newer better donations can be taken in! Why not?

And why not put 'our people' who sit on the side of the street with signs - to work at these places where they can be warm during the day & earn a meal or two? "

" I think I'll start donating to my disabled veteran uncle who only gets about $117.00 a month on disability and $70.00 on a linc card. "

" We had a lot of newer clothes, dishes, pans, bedding, towels, bedsheet sets, coats, slacks and jeans for men, shirts for men, dresses and suits for women,
a dress form, like new boots, gloves and hats that matched and was refused at CC and SA. Oh and a nice loveseat.
When looked inside, our stuff looked good compared to what CC and SA were offering. The loveseat looked great.
One can take things to public auction.
I wanted take to public aid office and was told cannot be in parking lot giving things away like this. I thought about DCFS who has things used and helps families with DCFS issues.
But, all the places seem to have enough. "

" MORE GOVERNMENT CHEESE PLEESE. "

" What evidence is there that United Way and the Red Cross are top heavy with high administrative costs? And the Salvation Army (a church) is not? The Salvation Army, after all, maintains the largest piece of property of the three, and I'd imagine that takes a few dollars. The Red Cross and United Way both rent their facilities for next to nothing. And high executive pay? Try visiting with our local United Way and Red Cross managers before you make such absurd assertions.

My point is, all the agencies have a niche to help people, and they all do a good job of keeping the cost of doing business low.

Agencies don't need lots of donated used items... It costs cash to clean, sort, store and sell or even give it away.

Agencies need cash. Then they can disburse cash to families in need, who can then spend it locally to most benefit themselves AND local businesses AND the local sales tax base.

So try looking at your budget, figure a way to save for yourself, pay your bills, and then regularly donate a little each month to the charity of your choice. If you don't know what charity to donate to, then pick the United Way, which does an awesome job of dispersing their donations appropriately. "

" Collatine wrote on Nov 3, 2009 8:25 AM:
"If you don't know what charity to donate to, then pick the United Way, which does an awesome job of dispersing their donations appropriately. """"


they do a lousy job. "

" Collatine- that is the problem. Look around. Most of us do not have cash, and have a hard time paying our bills, so are downsizing.

To put perfectly good furniture and clothes, etc...in the trash is such a waste when it is much better stuff than what the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, and Goodwill already have.

Most of us would love to see good things we payed for used by someone who would appreciate it, instead of them buying old junk from these places out of desperation because they don't have much money either.

Catholic Charities, Goodwill, and Salvation Army really need to clear out all of their old stuff so they and all their customers can reap the benefits of all the new things that would come in instead of paying to send them to a landfill somewhere!

For Pete's sake, cannot accept donations because we're too full of old junk that nobody wants? What a crock! "

" Reference post by CHILL which states: "Why does Goodwill, Catholic Charities, & Salvation Army often have a sign that says "NO DONATIONS BEING ACCEPTED?"

I believe the answer is because they do not have enough volunteers to separate out the items which have been donated. Many people take many items to these locations which should have been placed in their trash can. If it is not something you would still wear or use yourself, then it probably should not be taken to a charitable organization as they will just have to dispose of it.

When we have been to the Salvation Army to donate items, they have a back room completely full of items which they have no volunteers to help sort out.

Catholic Charities last year purchased a baler to reduce the size of bundles of clothing which are not suitable to be sold. They have to pay to dispose of these unusable clothes and baling them reduces their cost. I suspect who ever they sell them too makes these nonusable clothes into rags or recycles them in some way.

If anyone observes a sign indicating the organization is not accepting donations, consider volunteering your time to assist them with their back log of sorting and disposing of those items not suitable to be sold.

I believe when posters comment about the high salaries of chartable organizations, I believe they are referring to the national organization at their headquarters lever and not about the local units. I am a supporter of the local Red Cross, however I do believe the salaries of their national officers are way to high for a chartable organization.

The Salvation Army pays out very little in salaries both nationally and locally and seem to help people on a local level as well as any organization.

I know when my father was a police officer, the Salvation Army was very helpful to people he came into contact with who were in need of assistance regardless of the time of day or day of the week. Seems like struggling families with no money and several kids who were passing through town always had their car break down on Sunday night. The Salvation Army always came through to help him assist these families as did a few other local churches. "

" " What evidence is there that United Way and the Red Cross are top heavy with high administrative costs? And the Salvation Army (a church) is not? The Salvation Army, after all, maintains the largest piece of property of the three, and I'd imagine that takes a few dollars. The Red Cross and United Way both rent their facilities for next to nothing. And high executive pay? Try visiting with our local United Way and Red Cross managers before you make such absurd assertions.

First of all, the comments were made about their top executives and that would not include lowly paid field managers.

I'm not going to bother listing all the salaries, but if your interested just Google for the information. You might be surprised to see that many of the United way area executives make in the range of half a million annually, and get millions put into their retirement accounts.

Do a little research, and I'm sure you will see where you were wrong. "

" Once again FB proves he has no idea what he is talking about. "

" Harry Potter - I'm a former American Red Cross executive and former employee of the national organization. I think I know a bit more than you do on where local donations go, and how little impact (read: none) they have on the salary of the CEO of the American National Red Cross, who is in charge of supplying half the nation's blood supply and the Congressionally-mandated disaster response agent (with no federal funding): Not someone you'd want making minimum wage. Get a clue.

Bottom line, local donations do not support that overhead, and even $10 a month will help some agency. "

" Equalizer wrote on Nov 2, 2009 12:09 PM:
" OKAY, almost all of us would like to help people when we see a need.

This last weekend it was heartbreaking to see three separate people sitting in different places along Route 16 in Charleston with a sign saying OUT OF WORK, or PLEASE HELP.

I know there are shelters, and that they are not 24 hours a day...what are these peoples alternatives to sitting on the side of the road or walking from store to store to get warm?

These people are our people...
What is being done for these people and how can they be helped/ how can we help them without being sued? "

(I'd like to see an answer to this also!) Today, (Tuesday afternoon) I saw two people still hanging out along Route 16 in town in Charleston. The have nowhere to be? Who can do what to stop this and help them or guide them to be somewhere? "

" Harry Potter - I'm a former American Red Cross executive and former employee of the national organization.

Yeah right, and I'm the former ambassador to Spain. lol! "

" I found it hard to find accurate and current salaries on presidents and CEO's of charitable organizations on the Internet. There is a lot of information, but not listed in a manner easy to read or analyze. I do not vouch for the veracity of the following information, but FORBES in 2004 listed the salary of Marsha Evans, president and CEO of the Red Cross at $651,957.00. The Fayette Observer listed the salary and benefits to include housing and car for Salvation Army national commander W. Todd Bassett and his wife together at $94,091.00 in 2003.

I am not listing the salary of the United Way president and CEO as I am not sure of the accuracy. Additionally, many local directors of the United Way in many large cities seem to be paid very well and perhaps more than the national president. I do not believe the local United Way pays much in salaries or expenses and is volunteer based for the most part if not entirely.

I do believe the local United Way funds many excellent organizations on a local bases and does not fund organizations than most donors would object to. That is not the case in many large cities and with the Federal Combined Campaign which is the federal United Way. So please do not penalize the local United Way because of negative media stories about the United Way in several large cities across America. Without the assistance of the local United Way, many of these very worth while local organizations would have more problems than already have with needed funding. "

" $94,091,00 annually not to shabby for playin God. "

" Collatine wrote on Nov 3, 2009 4:31 PM:
"Bottom line, local donations do not support that overhead, and even $10 a month will help some agency. "

Hey, $10 a month would help many of us that would not need so much medicine if the City & Fire Dept. were doing their job and heavily fining all who burn leaves instead of taking them to the free landscape waste hill!

The money the city makes fining those who burn things could add up quickly and be put toward agencies to help our community, let alone help a lot of our community who live with lung & heart difficulties! "

" What surprised me when I moved here is that none of the churches, homeless shelter or battered women's shelter takes any donations of clothing, food household items, the homeless shelter and women's shelter in Galesburg takes those things and gives them to their clients in need. Some of the churches also took things and would give them to the needy. I agree with what Chill wrote : "These places ought to have free days to get rid of all their old donations for free so that the newer better donations can be taken in! Why not?

And why not put 'our people' who sit on the side of the street with signs - to work at these places where they can be warm during the day & earn a meal or two? " I know that Big Brothers Big Sisters will take donations of kids clothing and they may take furniture as well if they know somone in need. Their number is 348-8741 never hurts to ask them. I do think a lot of places may not take donations due to lack of storage space, I had one thrift store in town tell me that before. "

" Please, if you have questions about how things operate or where money goes and doesn't go, you need to ask questions before you go shooting your mouth off about something you know nothing about. I'm sure the employees, or managers of all of the agencies mentioned would be happy to let you know exactly how things work in their organizations and why what you think is "good" stuff may be JUNK to them. Just because you are too cheap to dump at the landfill doesn't mean they should take your stuff and try to sell it. And, as for salaries, all you have to do is walk in and ask questions. Believe me, you will be surprised at what you find out..... "

" The Curious wrote on Nov 4, 2009 10:43 AM:
" Collatine wrote on Nov 3, 2009 4:31 PM:
"Bottom line, local donations do not support that overhead, and even $10 a month will help some agency. "

Hey, $10 a month would help many of us that would not need so much medicine if the City & Fire Dept. were doing their job and heavily fining all who burn leaves instead of taking them to the free landscape waste hill!

The money the city makes fining those who burn things could add up quickly and be put toward agencies to help our community, let alone help a lot of our community who live with lung & heart difficulties! "


They could just have set days to burn leaves and then that wold solve the burning, and waste problem too. All you would have to do is stay inside on those days. As for illegal burns they are fined, unless they are out of the city limits. "

" Be leary of the men sitting on route 16 in Charleston. I know of one who gets a SS check every month and has a place to live. He sits out there all day trying to get odd jobs so he can buy cigarettes and alcohol. I am all for helping my fellow man when times are hard, but I am against helping former drug addicts who refuse to work for "the man". "

" Jr sometimes its easier said than done to stay inside on certain days though so folks can burn leaves. I've had asthma since I was a kid and my parents used to burn leaves, the smell seemed to get through the closed doors and windows anyway and the smoke really botherd me regardless of the fact I stayed indoors. I know its probaly more cost effective for many to burn leaves but its very hard on those of us that have heart and or lung issues. After Galesburg banned burning leaves my dad used to use the bag on our lawn mower and just mowed over the leaves he ended up with lots of mulch that mom used for her garden.

Curious where is the landscape hill at? I don't think I've ever heard of it and what is supposed to be done with leaves? Galesburg went to you had to pay a small amount for a bag, rake the leaves and bag then them sit them next to your garbage cans where waste managment would pick them up.

Outside you do make a good point about things that people may want to donate, before donating items its just a nice idea to make sure the things are in good clean and useable condition. If the charity places in the area take things that are stained soiled or damaged it only takes time for volunteers to sort through those things and toss them out. A freind of mine told me that there is an online program called freecyle that allows people to give away things I don't know anything about the program but it sounds good in theory. "

" jrhendren wrote on Nov 4, 2009 3:10 PM: They could just have set days to burn leaves and then that wold solve the burning, and waste problem too. All you would have to do is stay inside on those days. As for illegal burns they are fined, unless they are out of the city limits. "

---------You are kidding me right? Any burn is an illegal burn in city limits, it has just never been upheld in Charleston. Thank God Mattoon has brains enough to have this thick fog smoke hanging over Charleston gone.

I came to Charleston for business and couldn't breathe. Relatives there cannot keep the smoke out of their homes, the smoke crawls in their crawl spaces and through little cracks, houses are not air proof you know.

Clean up your act Charleston, your people are crying out for air! "

" HerChild wrote on Nov 4, 2009 6:06 PM:
" jrhendren wrote on Nov 4, 2009 3:10 PM: They could just have set days to burn leaves and then that wold solve the burning, and waste problem too. All you would have to do is stay inside on those days. As for illegal burns they are fined, unless they are out of the city limits. "

---------You are kidding me right? Any burn is an illegal burn in city limits, it has just never been upheld in Charleston. Thank God Mattoon has brains enough to have this thick fog smoke hanging over Charleston gone.


I came to Charleston for business and couldn't breathe. Relatives there cannot keep the smoke out of their homes, the smoke crawls in their crawl spaces and through little cracks, houses are not air proof you know.

Clean up your act Charleston, your people are crying out for air! "

I live in Mattoon, which is why we might not be seeing eye to eye. In Mattoon you can have legal burns, such as hot dog roasts. My last line should have read, "As for illegal burns they are fined, unless they are out of the city limits, (then they are legal and not fined). If Charleston is not fining people for illegal burns then, yes they need to do their job. I still believe though that designated leaf burning days would help with the problems. "

" devilishangel61401 wrote on Nov 4, 2009 5:27 PM:
" Jr sometimes its easier said than done to stay inside on certain days though so folks can burn leaves. I've had asthma since I was a kid and my parents used to burn leaves, the smell seemed to get through the closed doors and windows anyway and the smoke really botherd me regardless of the fact I stayed indoors. I know its probaly more cost effective for many to burn leaves but its very hard on those of us that have heart and or lung issues. After Galesburg banned burning leaves my dad used to use the bag on our lawn mower and just mowed over the leaves he ended up with lots of mulch that mom used for her garden.

I have friends and family with asthma and it is terrible, but and not to sound mean or disrespectful, why should I have to pay to get rid of leaves that do not fall from my tree? If we could burn them on designated days of the fall season. Days that were known in advance to everyone, then the arrangements could be made for all. Such as helping a friend or family member who has problems. I don't have all the answers, but charging people to get rid of a natural occurrence? I have allergies, like many others, during harvesting. Should I live in town, should and have problems. Should I be able to get the farmers to stop harvesting? No I went to Wal-Mart and bought an inexpensive air purifier for the house. I run it all the time now, and actually can feel the air is better in the house. Again I do not mean to sound disrespectful and please do not take it that way. Here in Mattoon it would save money for the city, since they would not have the storm drains clogged all season long. "

" I have been using my lawn mower to mulch leaves for years. The only raking I do is around bushes, and that is just to get them out to where I can run over them with my mower. It's a natural fertilizer for my yard. I don't see why more people don't do it. "

" One question.....how did this turn into a debate on burning leaves? "

" Jr I do see what you are saying about certain days to burn and such and no you should not have to pay for leaves that don't fall from your tree that should be the responsibilty of the person whose property the tree is on. ( you were very polite by the way thank you) There should be a way to do something that is as cost effective as burning the leaves is. I don't mean to be disresptful either but I just think it would be hard to contain the smoke from the burning leaves to keep it from coming in through closed windows and such. I dont know how much an air purifier would work for that will have to try it out first. There has to be some solution for everyone out there that is both freindly to those with heart/lung issues or allergies as well as being inexpensive. "

" We have the best air cleaner, over a thousand dollars for it & it was put in with our new furnace two years ago. I can tell you it cleans the air yes, and helps with respiratory problems. Tha is UNTIL someone is burning leaves...that smoke comes in the house and no air cleaner can clean the air fast enough, I know, I live with it every year, and am very ill whenever people burn leaves.

By the way...smoke lingers, sometimes for many hours or days. So having certain days to burn, not a good option, we all can't just make our homes vacuum packed.

The free landscape waste site has been there for years in Charleston, over behind the fairgrounds near the bicycle path. I do wish it would be advertised, and that everyone would use it. No fee, just dump any landscape waste there, they make mulch from it which I believe is free for the taking also. Anyone know the addy or better directions, please speak up? Thank you. "

" Charleston Leaf and Limb Drop-Off.

The drop-off site is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The site is located on West Madison Avenue near the Citys Wastewater Treatment Plant. You may deposit leaves, lawn clippings, dead vegetation and limbs.

NO OTHER ITEMS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

If plastic bags are used, remove the contents from the plastic bags and retain the bags for another use.

Proof of residency or property ownership in the City of Charleston is required.

The City of Charleston has recently ground all yard waste at the Leaf and Limb Drop-Off Site and now has quality mulch available at no cost to City residents.

The mulch is available to all residents daily from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Leaf and Limb Drop-Off Site.

All mulch needs to be loaded by the resident.

Equipment will be available to load mulch on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. These are the only available times for equipment to be on-site to help load mulch


Go west on rt 316, turn south at Lester buildings, take the 1st right after the bike trail. "

" Hello JG-TC!
Would you please put happymom's info on front page of the newspaper? There is no breathing in Charleston right now, and it's really very important for people to bring their leafs & limbs to to the proper place instead of burning them so that we can breathe. Thank you! "

" Outsidelookingin wrote on Nov 4, 2009 2:17 PM: "Just because you are too cheap to dump at the landfill doesn't mean they should take your stuff and try to sell it."

1. Don't you know that the less we as a community send to the landfill, the less it will cost us as a community? I do not believe we even have our own anymore, it was filled up by other communities who paid to send us their garbage so they could have more land...hmmm. So we pay to send ours somewhere now don't we?

2. Most people I know including myself have quality things, mostly name-brand clothing and toys, etc...that we'd love to see someone who needs it get.

3. For those of you who don't know about it, there is Freecycle.com, you type in Mattoon/Charleston area...or Effingham area, etc...to give away things you advertise, or to get things that others advertise...no selling allowed. The whole purpose of it is to keep anything usable from going to landfills.

4. Also, there is Mattoon/Charleston Buy Sell Trade. I do not recall the exact way to get there, but it is for anything you wish to sell or trade, can also request things you wish to buy and people who have them sitting around can sell them to you.

Happy Everything To You! :-)

4. "

" HappyMom thanks for the info on the landscape drop off place. Do they allow Mattoon residents to use it? His Child thank you for the freecycle information! Someone told me about it but they didn't know how it worked exactly your post is very helpful =)

I know for me living on a fixed income I like to re-use things rather then send them to landfills! I only have one thing in my house that is "new" everything else I own is second hand! Not only is it cheaper it's enviromentally freindly too. =) I donate all of my kids outgrown clothing and toys that are in good shape so somone else can have those things. I love thrift stores and pawn shops as well as yard/garage/rummage sales. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle its not only earth freindly but cost effective and in this economy we could all use a little of that. =) "

" I would just like to set the record straight on a couple of issues concerning United Way.

Your local United Way is NOT "top loaded in administrative fat" nor is it "top heavy with executive pay."

We run our United Way office as leanly as possible, we have one paid employee (me) and the rest of the people working in the community on behalf of United Way do so as volunteers, because they know it is a good organization and they believe in it. We do everything as cheaply as possible because we would rather every dollar go back into the community to fund the programs that help people.

The truth of the matter is, none of the local non-profits is loaded in administrative fat or loaded down by executive pay - and certainly not our United Way.

Now I believe that the reference to pay was actually referring to executives more at the national level (correct me if I am wrong, Mr. Potter). But it has long been our policy to fund our national dues by holding additional fundraisers (in addition to our annual fund drive) so that they do not come out of your donations to our fund drive this means not one dollar from our annual fund drive goes to fund our national organization. So your contribution is not funding any "top level executive pay." It all stays right here.

As a matter of fact, our additional fundraisers fund most of our administrative costs so the majority of funds received in our fund drive go right back out to fund programs for the Salvation Army, to buy food for the Mattoon and Charleston food pantries, to fund the Children's Assistance Fund, CASA, Camp New Hope, Big Brothers-Big Sisters, etc. (A complete list was included in the article and I'd be happy to provide a list to you as well.)

Do we have administrative costs? Sure. What business or organization doesn't? Most charities you donate to will have those same costs, but as I mentioned our additional fundraisers pay the bulk of those costs so that more money goes back to the community. And for the agencies that receive our funding that is a revenue source they do not have to spend any money on and relatively little time or manpower to raise and receive, so it is a plus for them as well.

Everyone has a cause they believe in, and one they are willing donate to. I encourage anyone who has concerns about our United Way to take another look - look at all of the agencies and programs we fund, I would imagine there is hardly a person in our community who has not been touched by at least one of them, either personally or through someone you know or love. And we are an efficient, low-cost way to fund those programs and keep them going.

The United Way of Coles County was started as a community movement to support all of the needs in our community through one united and efficient appeal. And that is what still makes it important today; it is still a community effort.

It is your decision to donate to United Way, and I respect that. But please do not "not" donate to United Way because of the wrong reasons, because of issues that do not exist.

I invite you to contact me if you have questions or concerns and I'd be more than happy talk to you about them and then you can make a decision about our United Way.

Thank you.

Carolyn Cloyd
Executive Director
United Way of Coles County
234-8022
unitedway@consolidated.net "

" Mattoon Yard Waste Facility is now open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Monday.

The facility which is for City Residents only is located at 320 N. Logan St near Logan & Shelby Avenue in the fenced in area.

This Facility is NOT for commercial use.

Please call 235-5171 for more info.
Items that may be brought to this facility are:

* Grass - Please dump loose grass on the grass pile or biodegradable paper bags on the grass pile. NO plastic bags, boxes or any other container accepted.
* Limbs - Branches are to be left on the brush pile. NO large logs accepted.
* Leaves - Please dump loose leaves on the leaf pile or biodegradable paper bags on the leaf pile. NO plastic bags, boxes or any other container accepted.

FREE MULCH

Mulch is FREE to the public at the site. For information please call the Street Dept at 235-5171 "

" devilishangel61401 wrote on Nov 5, 2009 12:27 PM:
" Jr I do see what you are saying about certain days to burn and such and no you should not have to pay for leaves that don't fall from your tree that should be the responsibilty of the person whose property the tree is on. ( you were very polite by the way thank you) There should be a way to do something that is as cost effective as burning the leaves is. I don't mean to be disresptful either but I just think it would be hard to contain the smoke from the burning leaves to keep it from coming in through closed windows and such. I dont know how much an air purifier would work for that will have to try it out first. There has to be some solution for everyone out there that is both freindly to those with heart/lung issues or allergies as well as being inexpensive. "

I agree, there needs to be some solution. I will say that I do burn my leaves but I take them out to a family member in the country and burn them. It is a lot better then those that bag them and leave them in a ditch outside of town. "

" Now I believe that the reference to pay was actually referring to executives more at the national level (correct me if I am wrong, Mr. Potter).

You are correct. Thank you for clarifying the point that local donations stay local. That was a good point. "

" 1. Don't you know that the less we as a community send to the landfill, the less it will cost us as a community? I do not believe we even have our own anymore, it was filled up by other communities who paid to send us their garbage so they could have more land...hmmm. So we pay to send ours somewhere now don't we?

Believe me, I do...and the things that are worth selling and "in season" are put on the floors of our local thrift stores. Unfortunately, if you donate all of your summer clothing in the fall the stores do NOT have the storage to keep them until next season. That clothing is put on a truck and sent to third world countries. That is why you see little girls and boys in Africa with Nike tshirts. The ONLY thing that is "thrown away" is stuff that cannot be sold. Why do you think local consignment shops make you have an appt to come in and only take what they think will sell??? "