Who We Are...

United Way of America

When a Denver priest, two ministers and a rabbi put their heads together in 1887 to plan the first united campaign for ten health and welfare agencies, they produced one of the most important social inventions in American history.  That year, Denver raised $21,700 the United Way. 

For more than a century, the United Way has been a leading example of America’s most distinctive tradition the impulse of citizens to work on the problems of their communities.  United Way has become the principal life support system for the nation’s growing, changing network of voluntary community agencies.

The United Way has become much more than a piece of money-raising machinery.  It is a unifying force in almost every American community  - a place where community problems can be seen as a whole, a place where people can decide what kind of community response will best address the need.

The United Way has become the main mechanism through which people can be most fully involved in improving community life.  It is the way human qualities essential to a strong society – caring, mutual concern and compassion – can find a ready outlet.

United Way’s history falls naturally into two phases.  From 1887 to 1970, the United Way system developed community by community.  Local organizations developed separately and independently – the national organization was simply a service center.

Then in 1970, local United Ways came together to form a more truly national movement.  They came to view their national association as more than a service station, but as a means to combine their strengths in programs of mutual support.    United Way is composed of more than 2,300 autonomous local organizations that act together through the United Way of America on an agenda of common concerns.

Historical Dates in The United Way Movement

1887	First united community campaign is organized in Denver.
1908	Fact-finding community planning is formed in Pittsburgh to compare welfare needs with existing services and to eliminate duplication.
1917	War Chest movement, for the first time agencies meeting national and overseas needs are added to local community services in one big campaign.
1918	Local Community Chests unite in forming their first national organization. It is named, AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION.
1927	The national organization changes its name to ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY CHESTS AND COUNCILS.
1929-1935	Many Chests fall into serious financial difficulty as voluntary funds become harder to raise.
1933	COMMUNITY CHESTS AND COUNCILS, INC. becomes the new name of the national association;  which is soon popularly known throughout the country as the 3C’s.
1956	Reflecting the change of local Community Chests to United Funds, the national association changes its name to UNITED COMMUNITY FUNDS AND COUNCILS OF AMERICA.
1970	The national association adopts its present name- UNITED WAY OF AMERICA.