United Way History
The concept of United Way began in Denver in 1887 where a woman, a priest, two ministers, and a rabbi convened with a shared vision. While it may sound like a setup for a bad joke, their mission was anything but humorous. Recognizing the need for collaborative action to improve their community, they embarked on a groundbreaking initiative – the creation of a "United Fund." This idea became the nation's first united movement, benefiting 10 local health and welfare agencies in need.
By 1911, Cleveland established the first official ‘United Way’ with an allocations process and campaign. Over time, several names were used to describe the United Fund, but it wasn’t until the mid-seventies that local organizations adopted the United Way brand we all know today.
United Way of Martin County was born in June 1972, but originated as the United Fund of Martin County. The first meeting was held on June 22 in the Martin Memorial Hospital conference room, where it was announced that an anonymous donation of $250 was received. This gift marked the first substantial donation the organization had received and was applied to the estimated $1,000 needed for operating costs.
In January 1973, a dedicated board of community leaders – comprised of Larry Buchanan, Richard Cranz, Steven Fraiser, Ken Ferguson, Ray Navitsky, Gilbert Miller, Jack Noble, John Norris, Guy Cromwell, Ed Strickland and Ed Glasscock – launched the first UWMC fundraising campaign. By the time of campaign kickoff, 11 non-profit organizations agreed to participate.
The first annual campaign in support of this community raised $47,000. Since then, United Way has grown to become an integral part of our community thanks to the support of amazing and generous donors, volunteers, workplaces, and community partners.