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- A Letter to United Way Supporters
- 2013 LIVE UNITED T-Shirt Day
- Welcome to Our New Website!
- Watch Roger Staubach's first United Way commercial and others from the last 40 years here
- USA WEEKEND Magazine sponsors Make A Difference Day
- See who sported their t's for 2013 LIVE UNITED Tshirt Day
- Black Friday. Cyber Monday. Giving Tuesday. LIVE UNITED Today!
- Announcing...Our 2014 United Way 35 Under 35 Women's Leadership Program Participants
- United Way's new approach is intended to give donors a better picture of their return on investment
- It's not about CHARITY. It's about CHANGE.
- United Way teams up with Target to Share-A-Tree with families in need
- Blog Rss Feed
- 1 more step toward quality child care: North Dakota launches Bright & Early North Dakota statewide
- Now Accepting Nominations for the 2013 Fredrick W. Donath Campaign Award
- We have achieved and exceeded our 2013 Campaign Goal of $5.2 million!
- It's tax time! What you need to know about preparing your tax return with your gift to United Way
- Congratulations to our 2013 BE THE ONE Award Winners!
- The Power of Community Involvement
- United Way Celebrates National Volunteer Week
- Individualism or the Common Good? We need both.
- May 10 is the National Letter Carriers' Food Drive and YOU can help!
- Education That Works: Educational Leaders, the Economic Development Corporation, and United Way
- United Way Celebrates May Day by Celebrating Education
- Launching "Education that Works" for students, teachers and our future workforce
- United Way announces 2015-2016 investments in Community Partners providing Basic Needs
- $ 5 lunch on Thursday at all Hornbacher's locations! Gobble It Up for United Way
- A letter from our 2014 Board Chair, Mark Jensen-Thanks from the United Way
- 16th Annual School Supply Drive kicks off today-donation and volunteer info!
- REGISTER TO VOLUNTEER FOR SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE HERE
- You are invited to the 2014 United Way Kick Off Event on September 9 featuring Hugh Weber
- YOUNG PEOPLE, UNITE! The NEW Emerging Leaders in Giving Program has launched
- Applications for the 2015 35 Under 35 Women's Leadership Program are now available
- UNITED for Jefferson Neighborhood
- 35 Under 35 Alumni come together for Women’s Build for Habitat for Humanity
- Want to Stay Active and Improve Your Health as You Grow Older? Volunteer!
- Want to Stay Active and Improve Your Health as You Grow Older? Volunteer!
- Want to see what lasting change looks like?
- Monte’s Downtown launches DINE UNITED in partnership with United Way
- West Acres - BOOtiful Night: Trick or Treating
- Watch videos of the 2014 Kick Off Event
- United Way of Cass-Clay collaborates to lead first-ever regional workforce study
- 2014 LIVE UNITED T-Shirt Day
- Giving THANKS to our Volunteers!
- Essentia employee gets a VIP limo ride to work as part of United Way Campaign
- Proudly announcing the 2015 participants of the United Way 35 Under 35 Women's Leadership Program
- United Way of Cass-Clay has officially reached the $3.5 million mark on our way to the 2014 campaign
- United Way Partners with Target to spread holiday cheer
- 5 Reasons to Celebrate Volunteer Mentors
- Now Accepting Nominations for the 2014 Frederick W. Donath Campaign Award
- The 2014 Annual Report to the Community has been officially released!
- United Way welcomes new board members in 2015
- May 1st Brings 4th Annual May Day Baskets of Books!
- Local Organizations Receive National Recognition from United Way
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- Regional Workforce Study Results Announced-United Way to Take Action to Address Workforce Challenges
- Millennials Move Mountains
- 2015 School Supply Drive - How to Donate & Receive Supplies
- 2015 School Supply Drive Equips 5,260 Students for the School Year
- YOUR IRA CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION WILL HELP IMPROVE LIVES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
- Introducing the nominees of the NEW “LIVE UNITED Catalyst of the Year” Award
- United Way names Kristi Huber as President
- Now accepting nominations for the 2016 LIVE UNITED Leader of the Year Award
- United Way makes new investment to help West Fargo students access mental health services
- You won't want to miss our Kick Off Event on Sept 14
- Applications for 2018 United Way 35 Under 35 Women's Leadership Program available on September 1
- A Day in the Life: A Perspective on Poverty
- 8th Annual Roers/Keller Williams Chili Feed is Happening on Oct 3rd!
- Collaborative Investments Are Helping Rural Students Access Mental Health Services
- Generosity Is the Strength of Our Community
- LIVE UNITED T-Shirt Day & United Acts of Kindness on November 10th
- United Way Focuses on Investing to Help People Be Independent
- 800 Women UNITE to Help Give Kids the Very Best Start
- A Sign Is Worth A Thousand Words
- 2018 35 Under 35 Women's Leadership Class Announced!
- Get Informed and then Advocate...Learn More About Poverty in Our Community
- Emerging Leaders Turn Inspiration Into Action
- News & Events
- Here's What You Need to Know About Claiming Your United Way Donation This tax season
- And The Nominees Are.....
- How You Can be an Advocate for Student Mental Health in Your Community!
- Check out the 2017 United Way Annual Report to the Community!
- JUST ANNOUNCED: 2018 United Way Top 50 Most Generous Workplaces
- Congratulations to the LIVE UNITED Award Winners!
- How VITA is helping hard working tax payers receive more on their tax returns
- Register for the 2018 35 Under 35 Celebration Ceremony on June 7
- Employee Campaign Coordinators - Join us for ECC Engage on May 10 or 21
- A Lesson In Leadership
- United Way's 35 Under 35 Women's Leadership Program Celebrates 10 Years
- 7th Annual Women UNITED May Day Baskets of Books Event
- UNITED for Child Care Training Event Materials
- Gobble It Up Pre-Orders OPEN!
- Story Squad: Kid's Storytime with United Way
- Eggs & Issues: The State of Local Child Care & Its Impact on Workforce Development
- 20th Annual United Way School Supply Drive - ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW!
- Join us for the 2018 United Way Kick Off Event!
- 2019 35 Under 35 Women's Leadership Program Applications Now Available!
- 2018 Women UNITED Luncheon & Silent Auction
- 35 Women With One Thing In Common, A Desire to Make A Difference: United Way's 35 Under 35 Program
- Are You Up for the (Social Media) Challenge!?
- 2018 LIVE UNITED T-shirt & UNITED Acts of Kindness Day
- 2018 Campaign Video: I Wish My Teacher Knew
- A Song to Say Thank You
- Women UNITED Luncheon & Silent Auction Raffle WINNERS
- UNITED for Student Mental Health - Mental Health Services Expanded to 6 Rural Schools in ND
- Here’s What You Need to Know About Claiming Your United Way Donation This tax season
- Nominate YOUR Organization for LIVE UNITED Leader of the Year!
- Join us to Recognize Generosity in Our Community!
- And The Nominees Are...
- United Way of Cass-Clay: James' Story
- Congratulations to the LIVE UNITED Awards Winners!
- JUST ANNOUNCED: 2019 United Way Top 50 Most Generous Workplaces
- Community Collaborations: United Way Receives Presidents' Award for Community Partner
- Inviting all ECC's to attend ECC Engage The Power of Community on May 7 & 8
- Women UNITE to Share a Love of Learning
- Help Encourage Kids to Succeed on Their First Day of School
- The Route to Removing Barriers for Employment - United Way Helps Expand Transportation Services
- Pre Order Info for Hornbacher's Gobble It Up for United Way $5 Lunch
- A Backpacks Impact: The United Way School Supply Drive
- Will You Accept the Women UNITED Challenge?!
- Register now for the 2019 Kick Off Event on September 18
- Home For Good: Give Now to Help Welcome Families Home - For Good.
- Location Unveiled for the Future Home of United Way of Cass-Clay
- Hornbacher’s Gobble It Up for United Way
- Watch the Community Kickoff Event
- Roers Chili Feed – Get your Cup of Chili Sept 15-29
- Taking Action to Help Families in Need - How the Coronavirus Response Fund is Helping
- United Way moving Dec. 18
- Our New Location: What You Need to Know
- Reaching Out: A space to serve our region for generations.
- 2021 LIVE UNITED Awards & Annual Meeting
- LIVE UNITED Awards & Annual Meeting on March 25 – Join the Virtual Watch Party
- Helping people like Omar is at the heart of what we do
- United Way is on AmazonSmile - a percent of your purchase can help families locally
February 12, 2014
Individualism or the Common Good? We need both.
Individualism or the Common Good? We need both.
By Brian Gallagher, President & Chief Executive Officer of United Way Worldwide
The economic narrative is changing. Growth and recovery have been joined with talk of sustainability, inclusive success, and concerns about rising income and wealth disparities. Working towards the common good is becoming a norm.
I heard it while attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. These were the themes at the center of nearly every discussion there. I sat on a panel that was asked to answer the question, “Is it time for a new American Dream?” President Obama made inequality and his “Ladders of Opportunity” initiative priorities within the State of the Union address.
This is all encouraging. There’s more than just a healthy skepticism about the sustainability of the recovery. Leaders get it. Inequality gaps have become too large and long-term economic success will not be possible without investments in people—all people. What folks can’t reach agreement on is which principles and actions define the best investments.
There are differing views of the post-recovery road ahead. Some believe that incentives and investments should be focused on supporting individual success and entrepreneurship. Others believe that we’re collectively-bound to ensure the success of one another. I’d suggest that ensuring an inclusive and sustainable recovery requires both.
Individualism is clearly important. Achieving the American Dream has always been rooted in hard work and individual attainment. Upward mobility and long-term prosperity requires each of us to take ownership of our success.
But even the most innovative and highly-motivated entrepreneur won’t stand a chance without the resources provided by common good investments. Investments in higher education, space and engineering programs, public utilities and other important infrastructure, tax incentives, military spending and others afford all of us opportunities.
The President often refers to the impact that student loans had on his ability to succeed. Would there have been a Google had Sergey Brin not had the benefit of equal access to education and public investments like classroom technologies and the Internet? Oprah Winfrey overcame tremendous challenges as a child through success in public high school and an eventual college scholarship.
Of course, these are examples you know. However, the success that I’m talking about isn’t just defined by ascending to the “1%,” but rather having the ability to have a job that supports yourself or your family in today’s highly-competitive global economy.
Sergey, Oprah and others had tremendous individual drive. They worked hard and they succeeded. That’s important. But they also benefited from opportunities provided by investments in the common good.
At Davos, corporate and global leaders didn’t just come together to talk about means of increasing individual profits and boosting GDP. Most were talking about shared goals, shared strategies and investments in the common good tied to long-term economic success.
It’s why United Ways and their partners around the world focus on education, income and health, and creating opportunities for all people to have a better life. We certainly understand the importance of hard work and individual attainment, but believe that we’re all at our best when we’re supporting one another and encouraging both.
Individualism and the common good. That’s the road that leads to a sustained recovery and long-term prosperity. Let’s work together to create even more success stories. Denying opportunities for some, denies all of us the lasting benefits of their achievements.
See the original blog post on United Way Worldwide website.
