Rift between Salvation Army, United Way

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BOSTON, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- The Salvation Army of Massachusetts has decided to stop getting money from United Way, setting up its own workplace fund drives instead.

Major William Bode sent an e-mail message to United Way Friday, the Boston Globe reported. He discussed the relationship with Michael Durkin, president of United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley over lunch Thursday.

"Every year for the last three years I have communicated with the United Way saying our allocation is going down and I'm very much concerned about that,'' Bode said. "Our advisory board and board of directors had to look at that and say, 'What is happening with the relationship?'"

United Way functions as an umbrella group, collecting donations and passing the money on to other non-profit groups. Some contributions are earmarked for specific organizations.

Durkin said he hopes to revive the relationship between the two groups.

"Our partnership is too strong to end on an e-mail,'' he said.

The Salvation Army's best-known fundraising effort is its Christmastime appeal. As a United Way beneficiary, the group could not engage in its own workplace drives.