United for 250

When she was 111 years old, America made a friend.  

In 1887, in Denver, a woman named Frances Wisebart Jacobs, a priest, two ministers, and a rabbi looked at a country where people wanted to help but did not know how. 

Business was booming, cities were growing, and America's promise was stretching at the seams. At the same time, challenges were overwhelming communities. 

Housing could not keep pace, and smallpox and influenza spread unchecked among workers who already endured low wages and dangerous conditions. When social programs buckled, struggling families had nowhere to turn. Americans cared for each other, but that care wasn’t organized. 

So, we built a way to bring neighbors together to steward their compassion, and to nurture a spirit of service that wouldn’t rest. 

United Way has always believed in America's dreams. During the First World War, we organized as Community Chests. By the summer of 1918, volunteers in over 300 cities were raising funds through unified campaigns that demonstrated what Americans could accomplish together. 

Since then, through every challenge – from World Wars to natural disasters to economic downturns – we’ve mobilized neighbors, businesses, and service providers to meet the moment and help create a brighter future for the communities we’re so deeply embedded in. 

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America has always dreamed big, and United is the Way we have helped to make her dreams come true. 

Over the years, we have helped place more than 200 million books into the hands of young children because we believe in America’s hopes for her youngest. Stacked together, they would reach the sky, yet each one is placed gently into tiny hands because with a little imagination, those small hands will build the future.

And across the country, neighbors have learned that hope is never far away. Since 2000, when 211 was established, these three numbers have connected people to the support they need, receiving as many as 19 million calls in a single year. We are no longer Community Chests, but we still hold the hearts of the communities we serve.

We’ve been through a lot together, and now it’s time to celebrate. 

As America turns 250, we stand united for the next 250, spreading the spirit of service and creating opportunities for everyone to thrive.

Join the Celebration

United Ways in the U.S. mobilize more than 700,000 volunteers each year. From stocking food banks to tutoring kids to serving on local United Way boards, they are the lifeblood of our movement to help every community thrive.  

 As Americans celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, United Ways across the country offer powerful opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to help strengthen their local communities through volunteer service.