Recently, we kicked off our 100th anniversary with a renewed focus on looking towards the future. As we celebrate this significant milestone and look ahead, it’s equally important that we look back. For the past 100 years, our United Way has invested in the collective power of our community to improve lives.
What began as a community chest in 1921 has transformed into a unique organization focused on fighting poverty and expanding opportunity throughout a nine-county footprint. From the Great Depression and World War II to Hurricane Sandy and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, our United Way has evolved to continuously meet our region’s most pressing needs.
Poverty looms as one of our region’s greatest challenges. As we work to address the underlying issues that contribute to the experience of living in poverty, we must continue to work across sectors – public and private – to find innovative ways to dismantle poverty at its core.
Together, we can create a world where every child has access to quality education. Where families have the resources they need to buy their first home. Where individuals can gain financial independence to invest in their future. Where systemic, institutional, and historic barriers no longer predict or influence one’s ability to thrive.
No individual person or entity can provide the solution. And that is precisely the power of a united way, our United Way, in the fight against poverty. Because of you – our network of donors and community partners – 1.75 million people in the Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey region were positively impacted by our collective poverty-fighting efforts last year.
While we reflect with great pride on our team’s hard work and progress, this centennial celebration goes beyond our employees. It is an eternal thank you to all United Way supporters – from our generous donors and dedicated volunteers to our passionate community leaders and partners. As such, we are excited to share the launch of our year-long storytelling series, “Stronger Together”. Follow along (#StrongerTogetherSeries) as we feature insights and personal stories of the very people and bodies of work that have made us 100-years strong.
We hope these stories will not only inspire you but encourage you to invest in our next 100 years of work. We are powered by the community, for the community, and our job is not done. Together, we can fight poverty and expand opportunity to ensure a better future for all.
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Join us.
Follow along with our year-long #StrongerTogetherSeries as we feature insights and personal stories of the very people and bodies of work that have made us 100-years strong.