Hamilton councillor calls for city staff to stop supporting United Way over funding cuts

A Hamilton councillor has decided to stop donating to the United Way and is encouragingcity staff members to do the same after the social services organizationcut off funding to 12 area organizations.

During Wednesday's council meeting, Ward 11 councillor Brenda Johnson said the United Way eliminated more than $170,000 in funding for community agencies.

I was extremely disappointed and absolutely gobsmacked,- Karen Thompson, GlanbrookCommunity Services

She called on city employees to end their payroll donations to the organization and instead give it directly to groups impacted by the funding cuts.

"Until they're ready to reinvest back into Hamilton, I strongly encourage [city employees]to stop your donations and either take what you were paying anyway directly to the organizations of your choice or donate it into the Community Enrichment Fund," she said Thursday.

A frantic callabout funding

Ward 15 councillorJudi Partridgeechoed Johnson's concerns and said it's her understanding no agencies or charities in Flamborough are being supported by the United Way.

"These are small groups they don't have big budgets," she said. "They don't have the time to run around and try to find the money."

Johnson said she got a "frantic phone call" a few weeks ago from Glanbrook Community Services with news their request for funding had been turned down "with no warning."

Karen Thompson, executive director of the organization, told CBCNewsshe was led to believe the $15,000 they requested for their frozen meals program would be granted because it met with the United Way's priorities then she got an email that said different.

"I was extremely disappointed and absolutely gobsmacked because I wasn't anticipating being 100 per cent eliminated," she said.

Funding cut off for 12 agencies

Halton and Hamilton United Way CEO Brad Park confirmed 12 agencies that applied for funding this year were turned down.

"It's been a challenging year," he explained."In addition to us having a shortfall, we also had a record number of agency requests and we had a new application process so it was a really complex year."

He added although the United Way was able to meet its overall target of $10 million, fundraising goals in each of the communities it represents weren't achieved, which led to the shortfall.

But, Park said, the United Way has been communicating with all of its agencies over the past three years that changes to the structure of the organization and its funding might mean they won't get the same financial support they had in years past.

Thompson confirmed she had heard about changes to funding, but said she expected the transition to be more gradual.

"I know they can't fund everything and anything," she said. "But I think it could have been done a bit better."

In the end, the city's grants subcommittee stepped in andrecommendedusing some of the reserves from its CityEnrichmentFund to top up the funding for areaorganizationswho had theirfundingcut, according to Johnson.

United Way will appear before grant committee

Mayor Fred Eisenberger said he was surprised by news of the cuts.

"It's certainly a shock to me that the United Way has made some significant changes to stop supporting some of these local organizations."

He added he plans to personally speak with the organization's leaders but noted "United Way ... has had a long tradition of doing great work in our community."

Park will be appearing before the city's committee on June 12 to explain why there was such a shortfall.

He said annual efforts by city staff raise about $140,000 for the United Way. He's hoping that partnership can continue.

"We need to pull together to support each other, to support the amazing agencies and programs out there that are doing the frontline work," he said."If we all come together we can make it a better place."

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Johnson said she's hoping her refusal to donate will cause the United Way to consider what it can do to make sure area agencies aren't left wanting.

"When you cut people off and it is a big chunk of their project for programs that are reaching the most vulnerable then there's problem."