United Community history

By 1970, the Hispanic community wanted to assume control of the program and decided to separate from the Milwaukee Christian Center.

By 1971, it had attracted more than 700 volunteers and gained funding from the Fairfax County Department of Social Services, which declared that the agency had “helped bridge the communication between the advantaged and disadvantaged in the community.”

In 1972, UCC moved to its current location on Ninth Street and continued to provide successful after-school and youth programs.

In the summer of 1980, construction of the first addition to the facility began.

United Ministries was formed in January 1987 by local ministers and concerned laypersons who wanted to develop a cooperative effort among churches in the area to help families in crisis.

In 1991, UCC merged with the Bruce-Guadalupe Community School—a unique partnership and a model for successful community-based educational reform.

In 1997, UCC merged with La Guadalupana, a senior center serving area Hispanic residents.

In 2001, UCC added a new middle school to serve students in grades 6 through 8.

The second phase of the campaign funded construction of a new Human Services and alternative middle school building on the corner of Sixth and Washington Streets, completed in December of 2003.

In November 2010, UCC and The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee celebrated the opening of the Olga Village, a 37-unit housing community dedicated to providing environmentally sustainable and affordable living options for Milwaukee's seniors.

The newly constructed UCC Acosta Middle School opened its doors in 2018, with students starting the 2018 school year off in their new home.

By the organization’s 50th Anniversary in 2019, with a $5.0 million budget and 71 employees, United Community Ministries served approximately 9,000 unique individuals annually.