Explore The History of the United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties
What began as the “Daytona Beach Community Fund” in 1941 has grown into today’s United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties. The evolution of our organization demonstrates our commitment to our community and to creating lasting change.
There is no other charity like United Way. We combine over 50 fund-raisers into one, saving the community and our agencies time and money that is better spent helping people. We constantly bring local volunteers and community leaders together to identify and solve local problems.
The United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties, Inc. (UWVF) is a corporation defined in Chapter 496 of the Florida Statutes. Formed for charitable purposes and tax-exempt under Internal Revenue Service Code 501-c-3, we are one of more than 1,800 locally independent United Ways in the United States and throughout the world.
A Denver woman, a priest, two ministers and a rabbi recognize the need to work together in new ways to make Denver a better place. Their first effort as the Charity Organization Society raised $21,700 for ten agencies.
The nation’s first modern Community Chest was born in Cleveland, where a program for allocating campaign funds was developed.
Executives of 12 fund-raising federations met in Chicago and formed the American Association for Community Organizations (AACO), the predecessor to United Way of America.
Rochester, New York used the name Community Chest, a name widely adopted by United Way organizations and used until the early 1950s.
On July 22, the Daytona Beach Community Fund was founded to bring together resources in Daytona Beach to help those in need.
Name changed to Daytona Beach Community Chest, per handwritten notes in the 1948 Articles of Incorporation.
United Fund of West Volusia, Inc. is established and is most likely the result of a name change from Daytona Beach Community Chest. Some records indicate the year was 1963 and the name was changed to United Way of Volusia County but Articles of Incorporation are dated 1964 and the name “United Way of Volusia County” isn’t referenced until 1977 when the East and West chapters merge.
Some believe the name United Way was used immediately after Community Chest and, since the West Volusia chapter was called a United Fund and not a United Way, it’s possible this chapter was the successor to the Daytona Beach Community Chest, though the year doesn’t align as well.
United Way of East Volusia County and United Fund of West Volusia County merge and become the United Way of Volusia County, responding to a recommendation from the Volusia Council of Governments that a single community service entry point needed to be created to increase public awareness and enhance access to services when in need. (Based on 1977 Articles of Incorporation.)
United Way’s Volunteer Center is created and becomes the largest resource devoted solely to the promotion and nurturing of volunteerism and community service, playing an integral role in the mission to increase the organized capacity of our community to care for its people.
United Way of Flagler County is formed.
Community Foundation established as a resolution by the United Way of Volusia County, Inc. Board of Directors as an Endowment Fund.
United Way of Flagler County merges with United Way of Volusia County to become United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties.
Name changed to United Way Community Foundation of Volusia- Flagler Counties and continued as a division of the United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties, Inc.
United Way joined with the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems to successfully petition the Federal Communications Commission to designate 2-1-1 as a health and human services information hotline.
The Foundation completed a branding campaign and the name was changed to Community Foundation of Volusia & Flagler.
United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties transitions to the Community Impact model to better serve the local community and invest in long-term, measurable change.
United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties awards 23 grants to 18 organizations totaling $1,237,100.