The Chicago United Way Crusade of Mercy has decided to limit, but not end, its funding to the area's Boy Scouts of America, a move that a gay direct-action group says makes the agency a target of protest.
Under the plan, the United Way would direct its funding to the Scouts' Learning for Life program, an initiative for at-risk youth that the agency said has no restrictions on participation. The Scouts would be prohibited from using United Way funds for any of its other programs.
"One of the critical issues for us is at-risk youth," said United Way Communications Director James Kales. "We feel very strongly that that program is open to all youth."
Kales said Learning for Life serves over 30,000 youth citywide through its 400 volunteers. Those volunteers, he said, "can be any, I mean a-n-y, adult."
Participants, including students from 60 Chicago Public Schools, take part in either school-based or worksite-based projects. Worksites include hospitals, police departments, law firms and other businesses.
"Our board had a very good, vigorous discussion" before making its decision, Kales said. "We feel that our role is to bring the community together."
A Scouts spokesman echoed those sentiments in a release, saying, "United Way is an important organization for the community, and our hope is that the entire community will continue to support United Way as well as the Boy Scouts."
A U.S. Supreme Court decision last June gave the Scouts the right to ban gay members and troop leaders. Several municipalities and agencies subsequently limited or ended their financial backing of the Scouts. In September, the Evanston United Way became the first in the area to end its relationship with the Scouts.
The Chicago United Way gave $424,866 to the Scouts last year, and Kales said a similar amount will be given in the upcoming year.
It is money that the Chicago Anti-Bashing Network contends is funding bigotry, even if it is earmarked for non-discriminatory programs.
"All they've done is make the BSA engage in a simple accounting trick," said Bob Schwartz of CABN in a release. "The United Way shifts monies previously sent to a general Scouts fund to the Learning for Life program. The BSA in turn simply shifts resources it previously dedicated to Learning for Life to its general fund."
CABN's Andy Thayer called the situation "a rotten compromise" and a "cynical ploy by the United Way."
"We can't let up the fight," Thayer said. "We now go forward with a campaign targeting the Chicago United Way in much the same way we targeted Dr. Laura Schlessinger, and, unfortunately for the United Way, with the same results. We would urge everyone to stop funding the United Way."
CABN representatives met with United Way officials twice in the spring to encourage them to cut off support of the Scouts. CABN has announced plans to protest the United Way's fall fundraising campaign.
Kales acknowledged that the agency's decision is going to make people on both sides of the issue unhappy.