History
A Century of Caring
When a Denver priest, two ministers and a rabbi put their heads together
in 1887 to plan the first united campaign for 10 health and welfare
agencies, they produced one of the most important social inventions in
American history. That year, Denver raised $21,700 for the United Way.
More than a century later, in 2005-06, about 1,300 community-based
United Way organizations raised approximately $3.98 billion dollars to support about
thousands of programs and agencies across America.
United Way has built a proud record. For over a century, it has been a
leading example of America’s most distinctive tradition -- the impulse of
Americans to act on their own to solve the problems of their communities.
United Way has become the principal life support system for the nation’s
growing and changing network of voluntary community agencies.
But 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 people can decide what kind of community response is most
appropriate to meet the needs of the local residents.
United Way has become the principal community organization through which
people can be more directly and personally involved in improving life. It
is the mechanism through which the human qualities essential to a good
society - caring, mutual concern, compassion -- can find a ready outlet.
United Way has become the nation’s principal training ground for informed
and concerned community leaders. For all its size and scope, it has stayed
flexible, able to accommodate change as new approaches to dealing with
community problems have displaced old ones.
Local Roots
In 1940, the citizens of Forrest County, feeling the need for uniting six
annual fund-raising campaigns, organized the United Welfare Organization.
The UWO met the needs of Forrest County for 15 years.
In 1956, concerned community leaders felt the area had outgrown the UWO,
so in May of that year the United Givers Fund of Forrest County was
chartered. The organizations benefiting from the UGF were Boy Scouts, Girl
Scouts, YMCA, YWCA, Traveler’s Aid, Salvation Army and Boys Brotherhood.
The goal they set out to raise that first year was less than $100,000.
Over the years, the organization has increased the number of agencies and
the amount of money raised.
In 1975, the volunteer Board of Directors expanded the territory served by
the UGF, and the name was changed to Forrest-Lamar United Way. Six years
later, in 1981, the organization began a restructuring process that
continues to this date. The first long-range planning committee was
appointed in 1983 to help provide a plan to better serve our community.
That same year, venture grant funding (special onetime grants for new
programs) became an important part of how United Way distributes funds
each year.
In 1986, the local United Way Board of Directors launched the “Second
Century Initiatives” to address the needs of the second century of United
Way. Through this process, the United Way resolved to the community to
“become more open and caring” than in the first century. New committees
have been formed and new areas of concern addressed. In 1987, the first
comprehensive community-wide needs assessment was completed. The survey
was updated in 1991, 1995, 2000 and most recently in 2005. This documentation of the
concerns of South Mississippians is being used by many groups, including
United Way, to meet the needs in the community.
Also, a significant event occurred in 1986 when the Grand Givers Club was
formed to recognize all gifts of $1,000 or more. This structure has been
modified to recognize five levels of giving: Crystal ($1,000-$1,499);
Sterling ($1,500-$2,499); Diamond ($2,500-$4,999); Platinum
($5,000-$9,999); and the nationally recognized Alexis de Tocqueville
Society ($10,000 or more). Now known as the Grand Givers Society, this
leadership-giving program includes 282 donors contributing more than
$480,848 in the 2007 campaign.
The local United Way Board of Directors negotiated with Perry County
officials in 1989, and voted to include this county in the service area.
With an expanded service area, and an expanded area of volunteer and donor
resources, the name was changed to reflect this. United Way of Southeast Mississippi is the name the organization has used since then.
In the spring of 2000, after having a number of temporary locations,
United Way found a permanent home with the purchase of the Professional
Building located at 210 West Front Street in downtown Hattiesburg.
In 2005, United Way
of Southeast Mississippi celebrated its 65th year of
providing community solutions in our area.
The future of United Way of Southeast Mississippi will have its
strength in funding programs and services that meet current community
needs. With that in mind, United Way will continue to work to identify
those needs and address them.
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