The United Way of the River Cities marks 100 years of service and compassion to the communities it serves.
By Amanda Larch
HQ 119 | AUTUMN 2022
When the Woman’s Club of Huntington created the Community Chest 100 years ago, they had no way of knowing the very same ideals and dedication to community that went into its inception would evolve into what is now United Way of the River Cities.
“A group of committed individuals can create tremendous change in a community,” said Carol H. Bailey, executive director of United Way of the River Cities Inc. “This small group of women had wide-ranging interests, compassion and a sense of social responsibility; and they wanted to see their community improved for all.”
The Community Chest began as a fundraiser to address the needs of the community, including social service and human service needs.
“The Woman’s Club of Huntington had many committees that addressed different areas of need, and they were working to try to ameliorate those,” Bailey said. “Fast forward 100 years later, and here we are, just as community driven.”
To celebrate its 100th anniversary, United Way of the River Cities has planned four events and projects, including a centennial dinner that took place in April, where those who had a connection to the nonprofit reconnected and shared memories about the work they had done together to better the community.
Additionally, as a way to show their thanks to the community for a century of support, United Way will develop a pocket park, with plans to have the first phase completed by the end of November and a dedication ceremony in the spring. A mixed-use space open to the community, the small park will be located beside the United Way offices on Madison Avenue and will consist of evergreen and flowering trees, a walking path and a Born Learning Trail.
“The trail is a product that comes out of United Way Worldwide,” Bailey explained. “It’s a series of signs we’ll install that give guidance on how to use your immediate surrounding environment to interact with young children in ways that support early education, brain development, identification of colors and shapes and more.”
In July, United Way of the River Cities announced more than $528,000 in grants to fund 28 area programs that support health, education, financial stability and basic needs. Included in that total is a separate $1,000 grant to each agency with a funded program, to underscore the importance of the collaboration between United Way and all of its partnering agencies. These grants are to be used in any way the programs see fit to support their capacity, including operating and capital expenses and staff and professional development.
“Those sorts of capacity-building dollars tend to be difficult for nonprofits to find,” Bailey said. “We wanted to celebrate the work that our nonprofit partners do by supporting them.”
The fourth project of the centennial celebration year is a large-scale volunteer event — perhaps the largest single volunteer event undertaken in 100 years by the nonprofit — titled Read Across the River Cities, which took place November 15. Around 200 volunteers were recruited to read to every third-grade class in the five-county area United Way serves: Cabell, Lincoln, Mason and Wayne counties in West Virginia and Lawrence County in Ohio. This event was meant not only to highlight the importance of literacy and grade-level reading, but also to encourage volunteer efforts in schools.
“Since the pandemic, the number of volunteers coming into the schools has declined; so we’re hoping an event like this can jumpstart getting volunteers back into the schools to read on a regular basis,” Bailey noted.
While United Way of the River Cities is focusing on these centennial celebrations, the organization continues all its regular efforts, such as maintaining a community pantry box with food, hygiene and clothing items; the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program that benefits low-income earners; and supporting early childhood education. Bailey said United Way is also creating new pilot programs, including a high school internship program at Huntington High School.
“Conversations with high school students revealed they have an interest in learning more about the job opportunities in their home community, and we thought this would be a great way to introduce them,” Bailey said. “We’re working to connect them with employers through internships; we want these to be paid intern positions, so we are seeking the funds to pay the stipends.”
Bailey said United Way is also looking to grow its financial stability work and has hired a financial programs coordinator, with additional plans to open a financial wellness center within the next 12 months.
“We want to take the terrific, strong, robust program we have with VITA and expand that so we can provide more in terms of financial stability services, whether it’s financial literacy or connecting individuals with financial institutions,” Bailey said.
United Way of the River Cities and Huntington have always supported one another, and Bailey said the two entities have grown together over the years.
“We’ve done our best to grow and evolve along with the town and the surrounding counties as we’ve taken them on as well,” Bailey explained. “This is an extremely generous community. People give so generously of their time, their treasure and their expertise.”
Bailey reflected on feeling a strong connection to the women of the Community Chest while serving as United Way of the River Cities’ executive director.
“I think about the opportunities that I have to be the leader of this organization, as a woman, and knowing it was that broad-hearted, broad-minded caring and concern about the wider world, not just themselves, their families or their friends, but looking to improve and build up the entire community that I feel a strong connection with. I’m grateful to them for the work they did, not only because the United Way exists here today, but because of the tone and the example that they set more than a century ago.”
