HISTORY OF THE UNITED WAY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY

The United Way was organized in Columbia County in 1955 to address the needs of 11 agencies. Back then, it was the Columbia County United Fund, and the first campaign set a goal of $68,800. Reverend Varre A. Cummins and his cabinet raised $78,000 that year, and set the trend for successful campaigns for years to come. Our United Way has raised over 12 million dollars to date.

Over the past 50 years, we have seen 15 new agencies come on board and a variety of changes happen to the existing ones. We saw the YMCA dedicate a new building. We watched as Camp Victory, a special camp for special kids, was conceived and implemented. We looked on as Family Planning became Family Health to incorporate a wider variety of services. In addition, we have supported the Boy and Girl Scouts as they went on their yearly camping trips to Camp Lavigne and Camp Louise.

Nationally, the United Way movement began in 1887 in Denver, Colorado when a group of clergymen gathered to form a social service agency based on the concept of communities banding together to help the less fortunate. In November of that year, they raised $21,700 for distribution among 22 agencies in the Denver area. They took their philanthropic ideology from a French immigrant named Alexis DeToqueville who wrote that only in America had he ever seen the true spirit of giving and taking care of one's countrymen.

The United Way is many different things to many different people. To families who have lost their homes to flood or fire, the United Way is the Red Cross disaster team who helps them dig out and start over. To the youngest child of four with only a mother to care for her, the United Way is the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program that gives her a mentor who will help her grades improve and keep her off of drugs. For that same mother who is working to support her family, the United Way is the Columbia Child Development Program that provides safe, low-cost, reliable childcare for her children.

That is just the beginning. Through a variety of means, including national, state and regional associations, the United Way of Columbia County serves its community by gathering the most important resources of the community - volunteer time and monetary contributions - to help address the most pressing human service issues in our county. Last year our agencies reported that over 55,000 people sought United Way services. These services are separated into five categories - youth, families, education and recreation, physical and mental health, and communities. It is the mission of the volunteers and staff of the United Way of Columbia County to take a critical look at our communities and develop the resources that will help alleviate or improve upon, the needs they see in our community.