FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHEN WAS THE BLACK UNITED FUND STARTED?
The Black United Fund (BUF) is a culturally based non-profit organization with presence through out the United States and Africa: meeting local and national needs, promoting self-help and creating a variety of opportunities. Guided by the philosophy that the "best help" is "self-help", the Black United Funds have been promoting this concept since 1968 when the late Walter Bremond of Los Angeles, California developed the first organization under the name Brotherhood Crusade after the Watts Riots. In 1972 Mr. Bremond established it as a non-profit organization and relocated the office to New York as the National Black United Fund (NBUF), eventually re-locating to Newark, New Jersey.

WHY IS BLACK UNITED FUND NEEDED?
National Black United Fund and its affiliates represent an essential component to the community that is indispensable. We are an independent central endeavor, which is structured to support and ensure the survival, the fortification and growth of the Black community: its resources and institutions. Based on the 700 billion dollar estimated earnings of Blacks, nationally, we know there is the potential to raise millions of dollars in order to sustain an assortment of projects, programs, develop job training and foster entrepreneurial opportunities. By contributing a small portion of the disposable dollars we have access to, we are able to help offset our dependency on public funds and others.

WHO ARE THE BLACK UNITED FUNDS?
The National office chapters are located in, New York, Los Angles, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Central Florida, Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois. The affiliates are in these cities: Sacramento Valley, Bay Area Oakland and Hampton Roads. The states: Arizona, Colorado, Ohio, Georgia, Michigan, Maryland, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Oregon, and Texas.

The Black United Fund of Texas, Inc. (BUFTX) is a mechanism that is defined as a system to organize human and financial resources to improve the quality of life in the Black community. The process of self-help funding affords the community to achieve and develop tools that will empower the community to understand how to help themselves and become self -sufficient. The organization's main thrust is to address the causes of problems facing the community consequently to attain results, in order to stop re-cycling poverty. The operating principles of the National Black United Fund and its affiliates are: Self-Help, Mutual Aid and Volunteerism.

WHEN WAS BLACK UNITED FUND OF TEXAS, INC. (BUF-TX) STARTED?
Local leaders first established the Black United Fund of Houston in May of 1980. Then on January 17, 1987, we reorganized after several years of being defunct. Headed by a small Board of Directors and shepherded by Cleo Glenn Johnson, in 1991, the organization was renamed Black United Fund of Texas, Inc. and in 1992 established the Black United Fund of Texas Charities.

WHAT IS ITS MAIN FOCUS?
The Black United Fund of Texas affords fledgling community-based organizations exciting possibilities; to focus on the unmet needs, to provide for the un-served and underserved in order to help forecast the potential of tomorrow. This will identify essential programs that address the real needs suitably for they're to be opulence and unity. The good news is, recurrently, the support that is given to agencies of a "self-help nature" changes despair and destruction that causes havoc in society?

HOW DOES BUF-TX RAISE ITS FUNDS?
We participates in payroll deduction workplace campaigns throughout the state; Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), AT & T, IBM, Harris County Hospital District, State Employees Charitable Campaign (SECC), City of Houston (CMC), North Forest School District, Metropolitan Transit Authority- Houston & Austin, Dallas County, City of Dallas, City of Austin, Travis County, Houston Independent School District (HISD), and Aldine Independent School District.

HOW IS BUF-TX GOING TO SPEND MY MONEY?
Grants are made in the following areas; education, economic development, health and social services, social injustice, legal services, arts, culture, and emergency needs affecting other non-profits.

HOW CAN I SUPPORT BUF-TX?
1. Contribute through the annual charity campaign drive in the workplace
2. Directly mail your tax deductible contribution to us
3. Join the BUF-TX CHEX PLAN by authorizing automatic deductions from your personal account
4. Organize a campaign in your workplace
5. Sponsor a special event
6. Volunteer your time, ideas, energy, skills
7. Join the Advisory Council
8. Serve on a committee
9. Attend and support the Black United Fund" Make" Texas Better capital campaign functions
10. Be a part of the annual Mentoring Gala
11. Do a BUF Sunday at your church
12. Don't let us be your best kept secret, tell your family and friends to give.

BUF-TX is a non-profit 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization since 1980; every dollar donated is tax deductible, except when the donation is for an event for consumption. A certified CPA prepares an annual audit and our records are available to the public.