UNITED WAY OF MEDINA COUNTY
1929-2009
TIMELINE AND COMMUNITY SLOGANS
THE BEGINNING
1929 November 18-20 First Medina Community Chest Campaign GOAL $8,000
Campaign Slogans
“One Gift For Everything” and “Let’s Open Our Hearts”
Beginning in the late 20’s, a concerned group of businessmen came together to “improve Medina” and “help their own”. In 3 days, volunteers collected $12,208 to support 7 organizations.
The 7 charter organizations included: King’s Daughters, American Red Cross, Medina Community Organization, Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, YMCA and YWCA.
1930’s
With the great depression came unemployment and hardship for many Medina families, placing a heavy responsibility on the Community Chest of Medina.
An Annual Kiwanis Club of Medina-Community Chest meeting was held to recruit the 80-150 volunteers needed to conduct the campaign.
1935 - First employee appeals held at A.I. Root Company and The Henry Furnace & Foundry Company which became known as the Industrial Division.
Campaign Slogan “Be a Good Neighbor”
1940’s
As many young men went off to war, unemployment and hardship were soon joined by parental desertion, and divorced couples. Medina met the challenge by raising the same amount as in 1929.
Supported the National War Fund until discontinued in 1945
1949 GOAL $14,750
1950’s
The “ baby boom” grew the service area from 5,097 to 8,235 individuals. During this period the participating agencies rose from 9 participating agencies in 1951 to 17 agencies in 1958.
December, 1951- Otis Cronk was appointed Executive Secretary of the United Community Chest and served in that position for the next 28 years as a volunteer.
The campaign goal doubled in size from $15,030 to $30,190.
Slogan “You Can’t Close Your Eyes to the ….Need!”
1960’s
The late 60’s brought significant industrial expansion and a marked increase in population.
GOAL $55,645 to support 20 Agencies
Slogan “One Gift Works Many Wonders”
1967 - This was the only year a professional fund raising company was contracted to conduct the annual campaign.
1970’s
The government strengthened its support of organizations that distributed funds to human care agencies through the “volunteer citizens review process”.
1971 GOAL of $66,950 to support 23 agencies
Slogan “Thanks to You Its Working – The United Way”
1977 Goal Landmark First time over $100,000
1980’s
Through the leadership of David Surgeon, David Brown and Stanley Scheetz, a contractual relationship was established with United Way Services in Cleveland.
In 1981 the name was changed from United Community Chest to United Way of Medina. The office was located at 109 W. Liberty Street and the first paid full-time executive director was hired.
Slogan “For So Many, We’re the Only Way”
1986 Added surrounding townships to campaign becoming United Way of Medina County
1989 Slogan “60 Years of Caring” and “ United Way… It Brings Out the Best in All of Us”
1989 Campaign GOAL $400,000
1990’s
1990 Medina County Office on Volunteering (MCOV) merged with the United Way of Medina County to become the United Way Volunteer Center
1994 Merger with United Way of Northern Medina County
1994 Campaign GOAL $728,000
1990’s Slogans “Shades of Caring” and “Celebrate Living”
1998 Signed operational agreement with Cleveland United Way Services for personnel contract, IT services and campaign backroom operations
1998 May - Julie A. King hired as new executive director
1999 Battered Women’s Shelter takes occupancy in Medina County
1999 Enter the age of technology
December 31, 1999 “We survived Y2k with campaign software conversion to Enterprise and United Way gave all partner agencies a Pentium computer and internet connection for one year
2000-2009
2000 LANDMARK GOAL One Million Dollars!
Raised $1,001,757 with Mary Allen and her brother, Jerry Allen as Co-Chairs
Cathy’s House, men’s sober house for recovering addicts, admitted as new partner agency
2001 Local Campaign suffers due to local and national tragedies
July 28 - Medina County Fair steam engine explosion
September 11 - World Trade Center and Pentagon attacked
Medina County raises over $350,000 for Medina County Fair Victims Fund and New York City Red Cross Disaster campaign
United Way Campaign raises $889,006
United Way of Medina County becomes fiscal agent for distribution of Medina County Fair Victims Funds; sends letters to 64 victims; pays out medical and emergency financial assistance bills for Fair Victims for more than 3 years
2001-2002 Community Needs Assessment and COMPASS project identified 6 community priorities with Housing listed as top priority
2001 Operation:HOMES, faith-based homeless shelter, admitted as new partner agency
2002 United Way Campaign raised $894,941
Slogan "Our Community is Counting on You!"
2003 United Way Campaign raised $991,011
2004 Move to Community Impact United Way
July 2004 – Awarded $50,000 in Community Impact Grants
United Way Campaign raises $961,857. Bob Joyce, CEO of Westfield Group serves as Honorary Campaign Chairman and Steve Vojvodich, Director of Westfield Creative Services is campaign chairman
2005 February 11, 2005 - Launched 2-1-1 First Call For Help, a 24 hour Information and Referral to health and human services, with financial support from Medina County Commissioners, government agencies, local foundations, businesses and individual support, and in-kind support from Medina County District Library
Awarded $50,000 in Community Impact Grants for Emergency rent and utilities, Family emergency assistance, Expanding Transportation Options
Admitted new partner agency, Medina Creative Housing, offering affordable homes for persons with mental retardation, physical and developmental disabilities living in Medina County.
United Way Campaign raises $1,003,316 under campaign chair leadership of Steve Vojvodich
2006 Year of Collaborations
Collaborated on community needs assessment with Family First Council, JFS and the Health Department
June 30, 2006 – Wadsworth zip code (44281) is added to the UWMC solicitation area after community leaders agree to join Medina County. Welcomed Wadsworth residents and new partner agencies on June 30, 2006. Now servicing entire county, population 169,000
Multi-year funding decisions are made for 2007 and 2008.
July – Awarded $50,000 in Collaborative Community Impact Grants for Emergency rent and utilities, Family emergency assistance, Expanding Transportation Options, and Senior Nutrition Program.
Campaign Chair is Debra Lynn-Schmitz, President of the Greater Medina Chamber of Commerce. Campaign amount raised is $1,070,385.
16th Annual Taste of Medina County raises highest amount ever ($30,000); Sell out crowd
2007 Board of Trustees approves the implementation of an Endowment Legacy Fund with the Medina County Community Fund and the Akron Community Foundation.
Added Partner Agency, Mobile Meals, Inc. of Akron.
Economic downturn in the housing market; food and gas prices rise. Calls to 2-1-1 increase by 48%!
Delmar Jones, 2007-08 campaign chair, sets goal for second year at $1,250,000. Campaign increased 8% to $1,153,320
2008 Launched Advancing the Common Goodplatform around three major investment areas:
A) Education B) Income C) Health
United Way of America brand changed to “LIVE UNITED”. How do we live united? We live united in three ways in our communities. Give. Advocate. Volunteer.
Day of Action, June 21, 2008 – Built first of six Born Learning Trails at Brunswick North Park as our community’s visible, enduring commitment to our young children
Wadsworth American Red Cross Service Unit merged with the Medina County Red Cross Chapter
Launched the Medina County Financial Stability Partnership in February 2008.
Annual Campaign raised $1,045,590 in tough recession economy. Campaign Chair was Carey Coleman, FirstMerit Bank Investment Services.
2009 80 Years of Improving Lives in Medina County
Response to Challenging Recessionary Economy:
Developed list of local food pantries and began Food Pantry Survey to determine next steps in setting up better emergency food distribution system; increased media efforts to state the need for food and increased push for food and cash donations
Conducted Medina County SAVES campaign, encouraging working families to save a minimum of $300 for personal emergencies
Community Investment volunteers reviewed budgets and outcome measurements and allocated $545,000 for community impact programs in 19 partner agencies
Utilized free Constant contact web-based newsletter template to send monthly United Way newsletter electronically to more than 2,000 people
June 21, 2009 Day of Action event, “Stuff the Bus” stuffed 1100 backpacks with new back-to-school supplies; coordinated with Salvation Armies and Family First Council Parent Advisory Council.