History

Globally we…

were founded 125 years ago in 1887 in Denver, Colorado in the USA.

In 1887, a Denver woman, a priest, two ministers and a rabbi recognised the need for cooperative action to address their city’s welfare problems. They put their heads together to plan the first united campaign for ten health and welfare agencies and created an organisation to serve as an agent to collect funds for local charities, as well as to coordinate relief services, counsel and refer clients to cooperating agencies and make emergency assistance grants in cases which could not be referred.

That year, Denver raised $21,700 and created a movement that would spread throughout the country to become the United Way. Over 118 years later, United Way is still focused on mobilising the caring power of communities and making a difference in people’s lives.

Today there are nearly 1,800 community-based United Ways in 41 countries and territories and we raise $5 billion annually for local communities.

Click here to read more about our global history

“Over 125 years later, United Way is still focused on mobilizing the caring power of communities”

And Nationally we…

are a network across Australia with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Queensland, Ballarat, Glenelg, Central Coast, Perth and South Australia. Annually we invest $6million and engage over 3400 volunteers into community projects around the country, that improve the lives of 18,000 Australians.

We are united globally and locally by our Community Impact mission in mobilising communities to create lasting changes in community conditions that improve lives.