United Way of Lincoln County has been operating in this community for more than 65 years. Because of our longstanding history, we have the unique privilege to be a part of incredible organizations, understand community needs, and operate as a connector for Lincoln County.
United Way of Lincoln County completes a strategic vision based on local data to ensure that we are connected to and addressing our community's greatest needs.
Mission Statement: United Way of Lincoln County works to UNITE people and resources to improve the quality of life for all in Lincoln County.
Vision Statement: We envision a community that champions partnerships to enhance the well-being of all in Lincoln County.
United Way of Lincoln County recognizes six main values and is committed to representing them in everything we do.
- Collaboration: We are committed to a collective process to reach common goals that cannot be reached through the efforts of individuals or organizations acting alone.
- Stewardship: We ensure effective, responsible, equitable, and ethical management of the resources given to us by our community.
- Integrity: We guarantee that our actions support our mission with transparency.
- Inclusive: We value each person’s unique gifts that strengthen our community through individual experiences, skills, and resources.
- Compassion: We aim to build a culture of empathy where all feel valued, heard, understood and purposeful. These relationships, when tended to regularly, enable us to face challenges together knowing we genuinely want the best outcome.
- Solution-oriented: We are committed to finding an answer and solving problems. Our approach will focus on the heart of the matter, or the individual, where the roots help clarify the situation or issue. We will think critically and innovatively to reach sustainable solutions.
1887 — In Denver, religious leaders founded the Charity Organizations Society, the first "United Way" organization, which planned and coordinated local services and conducted a single fund-raising campaign for 22 agencies. They raised $21,700.
1956 — The Lincoln County Junior Chamber members would complete with fundraising for March of Dimes, Red Cross and Boy Scouts. Year after year they would fund-raise for one agency and start on the next. Citizens were tired of being asked again and again for money. After the campaign in 1956 Mayor Tait and a concerned group of Citizens sat down to figure out what to do. Mayor Tait and then new president for the Junior Chamber Jim Moore and other citizens decided to have one campaign a year. They called it the United Fund and the first fundraising event was June 17, 1957. They raised $20,000.
November 3, 1960 — the United Fund was incorporated. Original board members included Terrill Wilkenson Jr., D.H. Mauney Jr, J.A. Burris, J.E. Henley, Jack Brown, John Friday, P.J. Bockley, Sallie Sumner, A.L. Goldsmith, G.W. Connor, S. Ray Lowder, Smack Proctor, Evelyn James, Dr. Boyce Griggs, Dr. John Gamble, Norris Childers, W.D. Hoyle, Gordon Goodson, Dr. Leary Reid, Dr. John Fitzgerald, Georgette Heavner, and Mayor Tait.
1987 — The United Fund became the United Way of Lincoln County with a mission to increase the organized capacity to care for one another.
1992 — United Way of Lincoln County hired its first director.
2017 — United Way of Lincoln County started Lincoln County's first resource center, the Asbury Resource Center (ARC), which offered a clothing closet to children in need of Lincoln County.
2020 — United Way of Lincoln County helped begin a satellite branch of the ARC at the West Lincoln Middle School to offer a food pantry and clothing closet to Western Lincoln County.
2021 — Alisha Friday became the current executive director of United Way of Lincoln County.