About Us

United Way of South Hampton Roads is a local, autonomous nonprofit organization run by a volunteer board of directors representing all areas of the South Hampton Roads community. We solve community problems by supporting programs and services across the area that help people turn their lives around.

Mission

To build a stronger South Hampton Roads by mobilizing its communities to improve people's lives.

History

The "Norfolk Community Fund" (NCF) was organized in 1923 with Judge Thomas H. Wilcox as Chief Volunteer Officer. That first campaign raised $298,207, which was used to fund community services and programs by local agencies.

During the Great Depression, monies raised each year were consistently below $200,000. As a result, agencies were forced to conduct supplementary campaigns. During the 1939 Victory Dinner to celebrate the end of the campaign, a prominent community business leader, Mr. Royster, brought the campaign over its goal by providing a large contribution of more than $10,000. This brought the campaign $240 over its goal for a total of $204,997! For the two years following World War II, the annual appeal was called "The Norfolk United Fund" and in 1948 it adopted the name "Norfolk Community Chest."

In 1957, the "Norfolk Community Chest" merged with the "Community Chest of Virginia Beach" and Princess Anne County to become the "United Communities Fund." (UCF) The UCF joined the "Portsmouth Area United Fund" (PAUF) to conduct the first "Four Cities United Way Campaign" with the UCF and PAUF each retaining their separate identity. In 1979, the UCF Board of Directors voted to change its name to "Four Cities United Way." The United Way of South Hampton Roads was not established until January 1984 and included the cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach. Suffolk was added to the campaign in 1985 and Isle of Wight County in 1992.

Today, the United Way of South Hampton Roads Campaign encompasses the six south side cities, and includes three other distinct annual campaigns: the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) for all area federal personnel; the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign (CVC) for state employees; and the United Way and Combined Charities Campaign (CCC) for municipal and public school employees. Additionally, the United Way of South Hampton Roads conducts a Capital Campaign (CC) periodically and has initiated programs such as Project Inclusion, a minority leadership development program and Success by 6, a development program designed to support pre-school children and their families. Both programs strive for long-lasting community improvement through individual improvement. Additionally, United Way has established a community foundation that includes agencies as affiliates. The foundation is driven by donor wishes to endow agencies, programs or fields of interest in the community. For detailed information on the foundation, please go to www.unitedwayfoundation.org.

Location

http://unitedwayshr.org
http://unitedwayfoundation.org