United Way of the Capital Region

1920s

1921 - Harrisburg Welfare Federation (HWF) is created. The first campaign raises $246,899 for 21 member agencies.

Membership in the Federation includes 29 local welfare agencies, 6 civic bodies and 3 public boards or commissions.

800 individuals are actively involved in the first campaign.

11,000 subscribers are secured, with contributions ranging from 10 cents to $4,500.

Needs/requests from agencies include: Child Welfare Association for unexpected milk bills; Girl Scouts for camping equipment; and a nursing home for coal.

A Social Service Planning Committee is established to:

Arrange a centralized handling of transients
Develop occupation work with the blind
Create programs for the prevention of cruelty to children
'In many ways the works of the agencies have been altered as the direct result of pressure of public opinion and public need; the HWF and agencies are dependent for support as never before on a great group of people who do not hesitate to voice their sentiments, and (there is no doubt that) constant self-examination is sure to become the rule.'

A Housing Committee is formed to address the serious housing condition in the city of Harrisburg and to bring together public authorities and private agencies that deal with housing issues.

1924 - HWF received its one millionth dollar.

1926 - Possibly the first use of a campaign video in the nation. HWF�s Publicity Committee shows a traveling movie with live speakers to 51 audiences in an attempt to increase publicity.

1930s

The Federation works closely with government agencies, supplying personal services to supplement financial aid to the indigent.

1931 -A formal report is sent to 46,000 contributors requesting funds. The agencies of the Federation now have 1,900 families under care, as compared to 900 families at the same time the prior year.

By the end of 1933, 7,000 families are on relief.

A campaign goal of $229,929 is set, but only $196,896 is raised. The Federation asks agencies to accept a 10 percent reduction in their 6-month allotment. Agencies give up salaries, pensions, heat and supplies.

By 1934, due to an upturn in employment, only 4,800 families are on relief.

In 1936, the Council of Social Agencies, a separate organization from the Federation, is established to study social needs of the community and develop a better working relationship among public and private welfare groups.

1940s

War relief is a primary focus for various HWF agencies, including the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

1941-42 -The confusion generated by the large scale public welfare programs prompts HWF to change its name to the Community Chest. This is the identity adopted by federated appeals on a national level. For the first time, the financial needs of war relief agencies are included in the campaign. Allocations are made to the British War Relief Society, Russian War Relief, Navy Relief Society, War Prisoners Aid Committee, Queen Wilhelmina Fund and Greek War Relief.

1943 - The State War Chest is established.

1949 - The Family & Children�s Services Division completes a study designed to strengthen and improve the care of children throughout the state.

The year also sees the creation of the Group Work Division, which coordinates youth activities among private and public agencies. This division completes a study of the recreational needs of children.

The annual campaign has 2,500 volunteers and raised $466,604 of the $510,268 goal.

1950s

Community leaders are concerned with the multiplicity of campaigns. A Citizens Committee, appointed in 1955 to study the consolidation of Charity Drives, recommends that the name of the federated appeal be changed to the Tri-County United Fund.

1957 - The Council of Social Agencies renames the organization, the Tri-County Welfare Council.

1970s

1972 - The Tri-County Welfare Council renames its organization to the Council for Human Services.

June 1972 - Hurricane Agnes ravages the Capital Region.

Tri-County United Fund volunteers provide emergency housing and food, counseling for flood victims and clean up assistance.

The Tri-County United Fund initiates a Flood Restoration Fund Drive and raises $250,000 for capital repairs for flood-damaged agencies. The organization also coordinates dealings with SBA, neighborhood assistance and other government agencies

Despite damage to its own headquarters, which delayed the initial efforts of the drive, the Tri-County United Fund exceeds the year�s goal for the first time in recent history.

1975 - The Tri-County United Fund and the Council for Human Services merge. A Citizen�s Study Committee enlists the support of the Management and Community Services Institute from Alexandria, VA, to thoroughly study the background of the community and its services. The committee concludes that a single organization should be created that combines planning, fundraising, resource development and allocations for human services.

Later that year, the Tri-County United Fund becomes the Tri-County United Way. The United Way concept is created to enrich the lives of all people, with the advantages of a unified, efficient and compassionate approach to community services. The creation of the United Way is viewed by some as the most dramatic change in the 55-year history of the human services federation of the region.

On November 22, 1975, the Patriot-News calls the Tri-County United Way�s campaign ':a brilliant community success,': congratulating the UW for its budgeting and planning program, praising the volunteer force and paying tribute to the Tri-County community for its support. The campaign raises $2,676,650, which was 101.8 percent of goal.

1976 - The Tri-County United Way formally launches a Comprehensive Human Services Study.

The UW also publishes the Directory of Human Services of Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry Counties, which includes approximately 300 organizations and descriptions of the services they provided

1979 - Based on the results of the Comprehensive Human Services Study, 32 recommendations are completed and 14 more are being implemented.

In the same year, special allocations are made to the Wheels program and the Urban League; two emerging services in the community.

1980s

1981-1982 - The Tri-County United Way completes and publishes the results of the Community Study. The study was implemented with a 90 percent success factor, fulfilling the intent of the original recommendations for change in agency administration, interagency relationships and redirection of agency programs.

1983-84 - A $1,000 grant from the Greater Harrisburg Foundation is used to develop a 3-5 year plan that reflects the operating philosophy of the United Way and allows the United Way to carry out its mission: to increase the capacity of people to care for one another.

With the cooperation and coordination of Organized Labor, a directory of services to the unemployed is published.

1986-87 - Through the Planning Department, the Tri-County United Way serves as a �public table,� a means by which people and groups in the Tri-County convene to address issues of common interest.

1987-88 - The Tri-County United Way adopts a policy on AIDS, the first policy developed nationally by a local United Way. The policy encourages agencies to provide information, education and advocacy programs, as well as continue to provide human services to individuals diagnosed with AIDS, their families and persons with HIV.

1989- The Tri-County United Way is renamed United Way of the Capital Region.

1990s

Housing is deemed the number one pressing issue in the Capital Region. The United Way involves itself in every phase of the homeless cycle: emergency shelters, domestic violence shelters, natural disaster shelters, bridge and transitional housing, and long-term affordable housing.

United Way presents Project Youth 2000, a way to hear about the problems (i.e. drugs/alcohol, sexuality, etc.) of the community�s youth.

United Way establishes a Desert Storm telephone hotline to help families of military personnel secure food, clothing, budget counseling, etc. This program was extended to displaced workers when plants closed and workers were laid-off as a result of the War.

HIV/AIDS continues to be a major problem in the Commonwealth, with 5,703 PA residents diagnosed in 10 years. Of these, 851 were diagnosed in 1991. United Way worked to provide information and education, the two existing defenses for preventing the spread of AIDS.

1993-94 - United Way holds its first Annual Day of Caring, the largest one-day mobilization of volunteers in the Capital Region.

1996 - United Way convenes service providers to ensure a coordinated response and recovery effort to the Flood. United Way member agencies develop programs above and beyond traditional services.

United Way starts its �Success by 6� program with the goal that all children should be ready to succeed by the time they enter school at age 6.

1999 - Success by Six is renamed the Early Childhood Initiative of United Way of the Capital Region.

United Way redesigns its fund distribution system. Funding is awarded to programs not agencies.

1999-2000 United Way completes a Problem Identification survey and shares the results with the community. As a result, United Way establishes a community response fund to address new and emergency needs as identified by the Problem ID Survey.

The Volunteer Center merges with United Way.

Early Childhood Initiative receives funding from Dept. of Public Welfare to work on increasing the number of National Associations for the Education of Young Children accredited childcare centers in the Capital Region.

2000s

March 2000 - United Way�s headquarters at One United Way is destroyed by fire.

United Way sells its building and moves to temporary housing at Pinnacle Health System on Second Street, Harrisburg.

2001 - Terrorists attack World Trade Center Twin Towers in New York City. UWCR helps mobilize community support by allowing residents to contribute to those affected by the attacks. UWCR collects and distributes 100 percent of the funds received (more than $400,000) to the September 11th Fund for victims and their families.

2002 - United Way moves to new building at Millennium Way in Enola. Building is paid for with money raised from a Capital Campaign and insurance settlement. Land is donated by R.D.J.A.M.

United Way is ranked as one of the top three fundraising organizations nationally; one of only three similar-sized United Ways to exceed it�s prior years performance by more than 10 percent.

The Early Childhood Initiative is renamed Capital Beginnings.

2003 - United Way begins a three-year transition from an annual fundraiser to an organization that has measurable impact in the community. While United Way will continue to raise money for the community, the organization will expand its role in identifying community needs, finding solutions to those needs and providing measurable results showing how lives are changes.

2004 � United Way continues transition to impact, creating Focused Care Councils that look at five areas of critical community need: children and youth, families and seniors, disease and disabilities, emergency food and shelter, and strong and safe communities. These councils/committees consist of committed organizations, community and business leaders, government officials, experts and other interested individuals. Their challenge is to help United Way expand efforts to identify and resolve health and human service problems in our community.

The year also presented UWCR with two challenges that significantly impacted local residents � a tornado that struck Dauphin County and the flooding caused by Hurricane Ivan. In both instances, UWCR stepped in and helped where needed most � creating a relief fund to support programs for victims and finding volunteers to assess damages, provide first aid and help clean-up.

2005 � UWCR faces one of the most challenging campaigns in years due to local funds being directed to Hurricane Katrina relief and high energy prices. Thanks to the generosity of the community, United Way exceeds their goal and raises more than $8.7 million.

UWCR�s Focused Care Councils continue to identify pressing and emerging needs in our community and find solutions to those needs. A UWCR needs survey shows more grandparents are raising their grandchildren. To help address this issue, UWCR, Family Support of Central PA and ParentWorks create support groups to help grandparents deal with the stress of raising grandchildren. UWCR�s survey also finds a lack of medical insurance and prescription coverage as a major issue in the Capital Region. United Way partners with local organizations to provide 3,000 free discount prescription cards to people who did not qualify for, or who could not afford medical insurance.

2006 � UWCR creates the Latino Community Services Task Force as a result of its decision to no longer fund three programs at the Mt. Pleasant Hispanic American Center. Consisting of representatives from the community and the public, private and non-profit sectors, the task force finds that many agencies have a limited capacity to serve the unique needs of the local Latino population. UWCR prepares to award nearly $130,000 in grants to help non-profit organizations improve services in the community. The charity also contracts Rodriguez and O�Neill to undertake the Capital Region�s first comprehensive needs and assets study of the Latino community.

UWCR also identifies the lack of printed information on mentoring programs in our community as a need. As a result, UWCR creates a mentoring directory, listing programs that provide youth of all ages with adult guidance and supervision, and educational and moral support. The directory is distributed to local police departments, schools, and health and human service agencies that focus on children.
Additionally, UWCR conducts the first-ever comprehensive survey of housing in Perry County, which shows there is a lack of affordable housing. To help address this issue, UWCR is working with the Housing Task Force of the Perry County Family Services Partnership Board to develop recommendations for a county-wide housing policy that will help address this problem.