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1252062
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9/3/74 - White House United Way Message
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1252062
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document
title
9/3/74 - White House United Way Message
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President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
Reading Copies of Presidential Speeches and Statements
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Presidential messages
Speeches, addresses, etc.
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1252062
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1974-09-03
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9
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1974
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1974-09-03
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9
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1974
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The original documents are located in Box 1, folder "9/3/74 - White House United Way
Message" of the President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R.
Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box 1 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
WHITE HOUSE UNITED WAY MESSAGE, 1974
THANK YOU MR. KERR:
TONIGHT, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT THE SPECIAL
CHALLENGE FACING THIS YEAR'S UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND I AM SPEAKING AS ONE WHO HAS WORKED AS A UNITED WAY VOLUNTEER
IN MY OWN HOME TOWN, AS ONE WHO KNOWS WHAT THE UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN
CAN DO.
- 2 -
IN YOUR COMMUNITY, THE ONE ANNUAL CAMPAIGN FOR COMMUNITY
AGENCIES MAY STILL BE CALLED THE UNITED FUND OR THE COMMUNITY CHEST.
BUT THIS YEAR, A NEW SYMBOL FOR*SUCH CAMPAIGNS HAS BEEN ADOPTED.
(REFERS TO LOGO)
WE CALL IT THE UNITED WAY. THIS ONE EFFORT EACH YEAR TO RAISE FUNDS
TO HELP PEOPLE IN NEED IS OF VAST IMPORTANCE TO YOU AND TO YOUR
COMMUNITY - -- AND TO THE NATION AS WELL.
- 3 -
THE UNITED WAY SYMBOLIZES THE BEST IN EACH OF US AND IN
EACH OF OUR COMMUNITIES. IT BRINGS TOGETHER MEN AND WOMEN FROM EVERY
PART OF THE COMMUNITY -- ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO HELP THOSE WHO NEED
HELP.
- 4 -
THIS IS THE WAY TO HANDLE COMMUNITY PROBLEMS -- A UNIQUELY
AMERICAN WAY. WE CARE ABOUT OUR LESS FORTUNATE NEIGHBORS. WE ARE
WILLING TO WORK TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES BETTER. AND YOU IN YOUR
COMMUNITY KNOW FAR BETTER THAN ANYONE IN WASHINGTON WHICH OF YOUR
NEIGHBORS NEED HELP AND WHAT IS NEEDED TO MAKE YOUR COMMUNITY BETTER.
THAT'S WHY THE UNITED WAY SERVES SO WELL -- BECAUSE IT IS AN EFFORT
WITH A SPECIAL GOAL AND SPECIAL CAMPAIGN, DESIGNED FOR THE COMMUNITY
INVOLVED.
- 5 -
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO DISCUSS EACH OF THOSE COMMUNITY
CAMPAIGNS AND PROBLEMS INDIVIDUALLY. BUT TONIGHT -- I WANT TO TALK
WITH YOU ABOUT THE URGENT NEED FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR YOUR COMMUNITY'S
CAMPAIGN.
- 6 -
THE NATIONAL GOAL FOR THE UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN THIS YEAR IS
MORE THAN ONE BILLION DOLLARS: THE LARGEST GOAL OF ANY CAMPAIGN
IN OUR HISTORY. BUT IT IS A CRITICAL GOAL THIS YEAR. LAST YEAR,
YOUR UNITED WAY PLEDGE WITH THOSE OF OTHER AMERICANS HELPED 34 MILLION
FAMILIES. THAT'S A TREMENDOUSLY IMPRESSIVE TOTAL. BUT WE CAN'T
HELP THAT MANY FAMILIES THIS YEAR WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE PLEDGED
LAST YEAR. I THINK YOU KNOW THE REASON WHY.
- 7 -
THE SAME PROBLEM THAT PUT THE SQUEEZE ON YOUR FAMILY
BUDGET, AND WHICH IS THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN OF THIS ADMINISTRATION,
HAS HIT THE UNITED WAY, TOO. INFLATION HAS TAKEN ITS TOLL IN THE
VOLUNTARY SECTOR AS WELL.
- 8 -
LAST YEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, IN A TYPICAL COMMUNITY, THE UNITED WAY
COULD PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL CARE FOR A RETARDED CHILD FOR A LITTLE
MORE THAN SIX DOLLARS A DAY. THIS YEAR, IT COSTS TEN DOLLARS A DAY TO
PROVIDE THE SAME PROFESSIONAL CARE TO THE SAME CHILD. LAST YEAR, A
TYPICAL DAY CARE CENTER COULD CARE FOR A CHILD FOR TWENTY DOLLARS A
WEEK. THIS YEAR, IT COSTS THIRTY DOLLARS.
LAST YEAR, A HOT MEAL PROGRAM FOR SENIOR CITIZENS COST ONE
DOLLAR. NOW THAT SAME MEAL COSTS ONE DOLLAR AND A QUARTER.
- 9 -
THE PROBLEM IS -- WHERE INFLATION CAUSES YOU TO CUT BACK,
FOR THE SICK AND THE AGED AND THE DEPENDENT YOUNG, THERE IS NOTHING
LEFT TO CUT. THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE THE HELP THEY ARE NOW
RECEIVING. YOUR PLEDGE TO UNITED WAY IN YOUR COMMUNITY PROVIDES THE
MOST EFFECTIVE, ECONOMICAL AND EFFICIENT WAY TO PROVIDE THAT HELP.
- 10 -
THE VOLUNTEER EFFORT OF THE UNITED WAY WORKERS INSURES
THAT MORE OF YOUR DOLLARS GO TO SERVE PEOPLE. YOUR PLEDGE TO THE
UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN IN YOUR COMMUNITY IS AN INVESTMENT IN A BETTER
COMMUNITY. IT IS AN INVESTMENT IN A BETTER NATION AND A BETTER
WORLD. I ASK YOU TO JOIN IN -- TO GIVE YOUR FAIR SHARE -- TO MAKE
THE UNITED WAY WORK FOR OUR FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS THIS YEAR, JUST AS IT
HAS WORKED SO WELL IN THE PAST.
THANK YOU FOR THINKING OF OTHERS.
###