For some time United Ways across the country have fought the perception that they are an organization that, “Surfaces to ask for money in the fall then goes underground for the rest of the year.” We took an introspective look in the mirror, and realized that statement hit uncomfortably close to home. Until recently, we did not have a single special event or program that people in the region recognized as a United Way initiative. That fact, coupled with the reality that we face an enormous informational learning curve with many county residents, gave us pause for concern.

Soon after merging with the Glencoe Area United Fund in the summer of 2008, our board of directors began to look into what other United Ways were doing in regards to changing the way their communities viewed them. In talking to other UW boards and staffs, we realized that we needed to tweak our business model to retain our corporate partners and attract a new generation of donors. When most people think of the United Way, their sole vision is that of the workplace campaign. That is still the core of what we do and the foundation of any success we might have. However, we feel the need to try to create long-lasting community change by addressing underlying causes of the most significant local issues. (more…)