United Way of Greater Lafayette history

In the summer of 1924, C. M. Bookman gave a major presentation at the annual meeting of the National Conference of Social Work held in Toronto, Canada about why Community Chests had become so popular.

Walter F. Willcox was the Community Chest's first Budget Committee Chair, and he held that position through 1928.

In 1952, Paul Livermore, George's son, donated the family home where United Way of Tompkins County offices remain today.

The single workplace campaign model quick spread elsewhere and, by 1953, there were over 1,200 United Funds.

In 1956, Community Chests and Councils, Inc. changed its name again to United Community Funds and Councils of America (UCFCA) to reflect the shifting naming used by its affiliates.

The United Fund and the Council for Community Services merged in 1966, and new community service philosophies put in to practice.

The organization announced on July 13, 1970, that it would change its name from "United Funds and Council of America" to United Way of America.

Then in 1973, the Tompkins County Community Fund became the United Way of Tompkins County.

During United Community Services’ annual meeting in 1974, the organization adopted a new name: United Way of Greater Lafayette and Tippecanoe County.

The United Fund faced its own challenge in 1976, as fire consumed its Braddock Street office, forcing a temporary move to George Washington Hotel.

United Way officially embraced a policy of donor designation in 1982, allowing donors to select which nonprofit organizations would receive their gift.

In 1983, United Way of Greater Lafayette and Tippecanoe County funded 23 agencies.

As of 1987, more than 50 corporations and organizations have loaned personnel to the program.

HIV/AIDS Support: United Way of Greater Kansas City has been a continual supporter of HIV/AIDS agencies since 1988.

United Way of Los Angeles President Leo Cornelius said of alternative funds for a 1989 Los Angeles Times article, "There should be one campaign at the workplace, for the donor's sake.

The practice written about in Eleanor Brilliant 1990 book on United Way: "…whether or not the money passed through the United Way allocations process seemed to be less important than making the largest nationwide counting of monies raised in the campaign.

In December 1991, an outside firm was hired to conduct the investigation into the allegations.

IBM vice president Kenneth W. Dam was named interim CEO after Aramony's departure in 1992.

United Way of Americawas selected by Financial World magazine as the charity of choice in 1994 for its leadership in not-for-profit ethics and accountability.

Betty Stanley Beene took over in 1997.

The United Way NSV annual campaign also entered a new era in 1999 when Campaign Chair Larry VanHoose broke the million-dollar mark.

However, United Ways resisted donation designations and the roll out of the new policy was described as a "glacial pace" in a 2000 piece in Fortune.

These issues would, in part, lead to Beene's departure in 2001.

Brian Gallagher, former head of United Way in Columbus, Ohio, took over as president and CEO in 2002.

After accounting issues came to light in the United Way in Washington, D.C. (and consequently exposed other problematic accounting practices within the United Way network), United Way of America adopted new accounting standards for its affiliates in 2003.

United Way of America and MTV created Storm Corps, an Alternative Spring Break program that invites young people to help United Way rebuild the Gulf Coast after the devastating hurricanes of 2005.

In 2007, John Alexander ('02 Campaign Chair) chaired the first Corporate Cornerstone Campaign, a fundraising campaign designed to cover the administrative and operating expenses of United Way of Tompkins County.

In 2008, 100% of community raised donations went back to the community, the first time in the history of United Way of Tompkins County.

The trend of alternative funds continues to today with only 25 percent of the companies conducting a traditional United Way–only campaign (according to a 2009 survey by the Consulting Network).

In 2011-12, United Way of Tompkins County celebrated 90 years of service to Tompkins County's residents, families, communities and organizations.

How to Cite this Article (APA Format): Hansan, J.E. (2013). United Way of America.

United Way NSV announces new President/CEO, Nadine Pottinga, starting December 30th, 2014.

Benevity processed $649 million in donations in the 2018 fiscal year.

A 2020 report from Realized Worth's RW Institute found that there were 51 employee-giving technology platforms.

Gallagher resigned from United Way Worldwide in March 2021 after the investigation into the firing of three female employees at United Way Worldwide who filed workplace sexual harassment complaints.