The concept of the United Way began in Denver, Colorado, in 1887. Four caring men - a priest, two ministers and a rabbi - began to dream of greater service to others. They envisioned one organization that could include and unify many other organizations and, in the process, strengthen each of them. It was a concept that proved its worth – and one powerful enough to reach Tampa 37 years later. Hillsborough County (1924-2002) In 1924, the Tampa Welfare League was established. The original organization included 16 agencies: Boy Scouts, Children’s Home, Girl Scouts, Humane Society, Milk Fund, Old People’s Home, Red Cross, Salvation Army, Seaman’s Institute, Tampa Urban League, Traveler’s Aid Society, United Charities, WCTU Day Nursery, YMCA, YMHA, and YWCA. The first President of the Welfare League was C.C. Nott.

The goal for the first year’s fundraising campaign, known as the Community Chest, was $179,011.37. Mayor Perry G. Wall was the first General Campaign Chairman, and the slogan for the first drive was "Suppose Nobody Cared."

All campaign proceeds were divided among the above agencies, with the exception of $30,000, which was allocated to the Building Fund for the Old People’s Home. Over the years, the name Tampa Welfare League was dropped and the organization was simply known as the Community Chest. In 1956, the Community Chest became the United Fund, and in 1976 the United Fund became The United Way of Greater Tampa.
Finally, in 1993, the organization changed its name to United Way of Hillsborough County, Inc. Pinellas County (1932-2002) In 1932, the Community Chest was created with the goal of organizing and funding a coordinated plan to meet the social needs of the community. The original participating agencies were: Salvation Army, YMCA, YWCA, Boy Scouts of America and the Florence Crittenton Home. The first year’s campaign goal was $30,000. Despite the prevailing chaotic economic conditions, (President Roosevelt declared a federal banking holiday the day the first fundraising campaign kicked off), the campaign raised $20,277.42. Local attorney Allen C. Grazier acted as General Chairman of the campaign. Through the war years, the annual campaign was combined with the United Defense Fund and slogans referred to supporting the community and the home front. In 1956, the St. Petersburg Community Chest joined the South Pinellas County Chapter of the American Red Cross to form the South Pinellas United Givers. This organization joined the Clearwater and Dunedin funds in 1971 and formed the Pinellas United Fund, later known as the United Way of Pinellas County. Tampa Bay (2002-present)

In July 2002, the United Ways of Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties combined operations to better serve the Tampa Bay community. The new United Way of Tampa Bay currently funds 69  Community Partner agencies located throughout the two-county area. In its first year of operation, United Way-funded programs helped one of every three people in Tampa Bay...more than 600,000 people. The concept behind the first joint fund drive in Denver, Colorado remains valid today. Yet the United Way has evolved and changed dramatically over the years, largely because the organization is a flexible system that responds and adapts to changing social conditions and social needs. Today, United Way of Tampa Bay addresses health and human service needs through its network of community partners to fulfill its vision to build a strong, caring community.

United Way is a local not-for-profit organization working to mobilize the resources of individuals, companies, government, and labor to achieve positive and lasting changes in the lives of people in the community.

Our mission is to inspire leaders and partners and mobilize resources to make a measurable difference in the lives of people in our community.
United Way’s vision is to build a strong, caring community.

United Way leads and partners with many community organizations to understand the needs of people in Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties. We research and work with key partners to identify the best approaches to solve problems and address needs to build a stronger community. United Way provides year-round communications to create awareness in communities about issues, conditions, and opportunities. We work closely with our partners to raise funds and recruit people needed to implement the right programs to produce measurable results.

The value of United Way is the ability to engage the community to act together to change the conditions and systems that affect people. While other organizations help a single population of people or address a particular symptom of need, United Way is able to have impact on a variety of issues, while staying focused on the ones the community has agreed need the most attention. We have the unique privilege of connecting available resources to critical needs in ways that other organizations cannot.

United Way of Tampa Bay submits a community-driven self-assessment of its community impact, financial management, decision-making and organizational governance every three years to United Way Worldwide. These assessments are reviewed by a group of United Way volunteers, professional leaders and outside experts in areas of financial management, governance and ethics.

United Way of Tampa Bay reports full revenue, expense data, annual reports, IRS 990 forms,financial audits and codes of ethics to United Way Worldwide for third party review. You can view such information in our resource center.

United Way’s Community Impact Agenda expands United Way’s work and role in the community. The organization continues to help individuals and families, and also provide leadership to change community conditions, such as unemployment, poverty, the lack of affordable child care, and adult illiteracy.

United Way of Tampa Bay's focus is on helping children and youth succeed, helping families achieve and sustain financial stability, working with low income neighborhoods, and maintaining a safety net of human service programs that help people and families when facing crises such as hunger, homelessness, family violence, and so forth.

No. While fundraising and funding are core activities of United Way, we do much more than that. We partner across all sectors to identify community needs and priorities and undertake numerous collaborative initiatives to address those needs, such as:

The Prosperity Campaign (free income tax preparation sites)

United Way's Children's Book Drive (last year more than 100,000 books were collected for 25,000 low income children).

The Imagination Library (in partnership with Dolly Parton's foundation and local organizations)

My Family's Future (web-based financial resource guide for families)

United Way also operates the Hands on Tampa Bay program (website) and organizes many volunteer projects throughout the year, in addition to the Day of Caring.

United Way's investments in community agencies are programs are made by community volunteers who work together on teams to review proposals and then make decisions based on United Way priorities, the quality of the agency making the proposal, and the results being delivered by the agency/program. The recommendations of our volunteer teams are vetted through the Community and Partnership Development Committee of the Board and then finally reviewed and approved by the United Way's Board of Directors.

United Way is busy year round, working with community partners to help ensure that the human services sector is ready for a bad hurricane or other types of major disasters. We work closely with both the Hillsborough and Pinellas County Governments, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army and many others to increase disaster preparedness efforts as well as ensure recovery programs are in place. We have a full time Director of Disaster Services who helps to organize and support community collaboratives, training intitiatives and disaster planning.

United Way is written into Hillsborough County's Disaster Plan and is responsible for mobilizing volunteers during a disaster. In Pinellas County, key staff sit on the Disaster Recovery Leadership Network, a consortium of human service agencies focused on disaster preparedness.

United Way returns 86 cents on every dollar collected to community programs. United Way consistently delivers such a rate of return, which is substantially better than most other charities.

A gift to United Way is an investment in the health and safety of our community. Chances are, you or someone you know has already been helped by United Way, and your gift ensures those services will continue to respond if you need help in the future. Giving to others in need makes you feel good, and combined with other contributions, will get results that no one could achieve on their own.

Yes.

Call Amy Buckley at 813.274.0920. You can email her at abuckley@uwtb.org

United Way partner agencies.

United Way operates the Hands On Tampa program and you can sign up at our HOT website at http://www.volunteertampabay.com
If you would like to start a volunteer program at your place of work, we can help you do that too.

The United Way Worldwide is the national organization for all United Ways in the United States. It sets operating standards, brand guidelines, leads in setting national priorities and relationship building with national corporations and institutions, among many other things.

Each local United Way, like here in Tampa Bay, is an autonomous organization with their own 501(c) 3 designation and their own board of directors. However each United Way is subject to the national standards and policies in order to maintain its public status as a United Way organization.

The United Way Worldwide website is HERE.

The Prosperity Campaign provides free tax preparation at dozens of locations in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties. Volunteers will assist you with your income tax preparation and help you apply for Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC) and Child Tax Credits (CTC). Each year millions of dollars are put back into the hands of people who qualified for such benefits. You can find more information here.

In addition to phoning 2-1-1, you can find a listing of state and local services that may be able to help you by clicking HERE. You will be taken to our other website called My Family's Future.

In the Tampa Bay area, dial 2-1-1 to talk to an information specialist. He or she will assess your needs over the phone and instruct you about available resources. For more information about 211, click here.

Click here for our staff list and contact information. Our general phone number is 813 274 0900.

Diana Baker
President & CEO
813-274-0907
dbaker@uwtb.org

Click here for our current board list.

You can check to see if there are any postings by clicking here. You can apply on line and send along your resume as well if you find a position you are interested in.

If you are interested in jobs with United Ways in other parts of the country, you can find nationwide listings of jobs at the United Way Worldwide website.

Before applying for a job with us, we encourage you to visit around our web site and get to know us a little.