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Mission
"To build the community's financial and human ability to effectively and efficiently meet its human care needs."
Overview
United Way of Bay County has been serving our community for 79
years. We are proud to report the outstanding results of your
volunteer time and financial resources in our
Annual Report.
The history of the United Way shows how United Way
has evolved to be the leading non-profit organization in the country.
While each United Way is run locally by volunteers in their own
community, United Ways all have something in common. We are
challenging people to Live United, to give, advocate and volunteer.
Today, we engage the community to help others through our priority areas
of youth, health & wellness and basic needs & independence.
History:
The United Way concept of planning and funding community health
and welfare services got its start in Denver in 1887.
The tidal wave of immigration early in the century,
the World Wars, the Roaring 20's, the Great Depression, the post-War
years of prosperity followed by the War on Poverty all had a significant
influence on how United Ways responded and cared for those in need. United Way organizations grew in popularity because they offered a unified approach to problems, reduced the number of appeals from local charities and allowed people to support a wide range of services with one gift.
Today there are more than 1,300 United Way organizations, each run by local
volunteers. |
Norman Rockwell contributed his talent in this painting for Rochester, N.Y., Community and War Chest Campaign in 1946. Copyright Brown & Bigelow, St. Paul, Minn. |
Bay County
The latter part of the nineteenth century was an exciting time for
Bay County, especially Bay City. It was a prosperous lumber mill
community, and it also served as "rest and relaxation" center for the
many lumbermen who worked throughout the Lower and Upper Peninsula.
At this time in Bay City there emerged a core of community leaders who established an organization that would provide a coordinated effort to raising resources to support the local agencies providing services
to residents.
In 1907 in Bay County, the women's department of the local board of trade, which in 1914 evolved into the Civic League, was the inception of our present day United Way.
As agencies developed programs to meet needs, community organizations, which eventually became our United Way of Bay County, also evolved in Bay County.
From the early names of War Chest to
Community Chest to your present United Way, we are a dynamic
organization constantly evolving to meet the needs in Bay
County. |
1946 Artwork by Batton, Barton,
Durstine and Osborn. |
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