Who We Are

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The world’s largest privately-funded nonprofit

United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley is one of 1,800 United Ways around the world. United Way partners include global, national and local businesses, nonprofits, civic and faith organizations, as well as educators, labor, health organizations, government and more.

Out of all the United Ways across the globe, United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley is in the top 40! In fact, our local United Way Alliance on Aging and our Community School model each won runner-up awards to the prestigious “Common Good Award” given by United Way Worldwide nationally to a United Way initiative that is making real change in the community. 

Nearly 2.6 million volunteers and 9.6 million donors around the world support United Way. Collectively, United Way raises more than $5 billion every year to create community solutions that improve life for everyone-impacting the lives of up to 50 million people every year.

Learn more about United Way World Wide
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Our Values 

Integrity

We act ethically and hold ourselves to the highest standards.
 

Inclusivity

We respect the inherent value and dignity of every person.
 

Impact

We take action to improve lives and advance equity for all.
 

Excellence

We set bold goals and achieve awesome results.
 

Agility

We embrace and adapt to the changing needs of our communities.

 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core to all we are and all we do. We deploy our resources to build communities of belonging, empathy and empowerment.  In doing so, we must apply a lens of equity to all internal and external systems and be the change agents needed to realize the vision of a beloved community where every person belongs and every person thrives: 
 
  • We stand against racism, discrimination and social injustice and are dedicated to dismantling these epidemics in all forms. 
 
  • We advocate for concrete policy and systems changes and invest in work that advances racial equity and social justice for all marginalized populations.
 
  • We commit to equitable fundraising and funding practices, ensuring that organizations that receive United Way funding are committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and can demonstrate that commitment in meaningful ways. 
 
  • We strive to ensure a diverse, inclusive workplace in which staff and volunteers reflect the community, can contribute fully, and share the responsibility of putting the values of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion into daily practice. 

United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley History

1887-1969

1887
Recognizing the need for cooperative action to address their city’s welfare problems, local leaders in Denver form the Charity Organizations Society, the first "United Way" organization. Their coordinated fundraising supports 22 cooperative agencies as well as emergency assistance.
1894
Charitable institutions become exempt from the first federal act that imposed a tax on all corporations organized for profit.
1918
Bethlehem War Chest Association is formed to support home-front and wartime social services agencies during WWI.
1919
Bethlehem War Chest becomes the Bethlehem Community Chest, a name widely adopted by United Way organizations and used until the early 1950s.
1922
Easton/Forks of the Delaware Community Welfare Chest forms.
1930
Allentown Community Chest forms. Its first federated campaign the following year raised $225,583.
1959
Allentown Community Chest renamed the United Fund. Annual campaign raises $687,000.

1970-1989

1970
Greater Bethlehem United Fund’s campaign raises in excess of $1 million.
1974
United Ways in U.S. and Canada collectively raise over $1 billion, the first time that a single organization has raised this amount in an annual campaign.
1976
United Fund becomes the United Way of the Lehigh Valley.
1977
Greater Bethlehem Area United Fund merges with the Forks of the Delaware United Fund to create the United Way of Northampton and Warren Counties. The merger came about based on a recommendation from the United Way of America and the efficiency of combined efforts.
1987
U.S. Postal Service celebrates the United Way centennial with the dedication of a postage stamp.
1989


Five visionary members found our local Tocqueville Society, the highest level of leadership giving for United Way. In today’s dollars, their $10,000 gifts would be equivalent to over $19,000. Across the nation, there are 3,500 members of local societies.

1990-2000

1992
United Ways in Lehigh, Northampton and Warren counties merge to form United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley (UWGLV). At UWGLV, our first $100,000 leadership challenge is made by a regional financial institution.
1994
Doug Perkins retires as president of UWGLV, 14 years after becoming director of United Way in Lehigh County. During his tenure, area nonprofits experienced increased competition for philanthropic support.



Peter Carpino named President of UWGLV. His efforts kicked our Tocqueville Society into high gear; membership grew exponentially during his tenure.

United Way of America was selected by Financial World magazine as the charity of choice for its leadership in not-for-profit ethics and accountability.
1995
Our UWGLV campaign raised $8,550,000, the largest dollar and percentage increase of all United Ways with campaigns of $4 to $8.9 million nationwide. Leadership gifts of $1,000 or more accounted for 14% of total revenues

United Way of America's Board of Governors unanimously approved the adoption of Strategic Direction for United Way: Charting the Path for Building Better Communities.
1996
United Way of America identified healthy children, healthy families and healthy communities as focus areas under the strategic plan.

UWGLV is nationally recognized by the United Way movement as having reached “Metro 1” status, a reporting group reserved for campaigns of $9 million or more.
1997
A $1.2 million grant enables UWGLV to convene community leaders and partners to form Lehigh Valley Council for Youth to focus on best-practice models and strategies to boost support for students and schools. The Council created Family Centers, wraparound services, positive behavior intervention and support programs, parent engagement, and other programs that promoted developmental assets in selected schools.

Bethlehem Steel closes its last plant in its hometown after a 140-year history in the Lehigh Valley. The region’s declining manufacturing base makes it a challenge to fund social services.
1998
 

Three Lehigh Valley Tocqueville Society donors are recognized as National Society members, giving $100,000 each.
1999
Bill and Melinda Gates donate $10.5 million to support United Way programs and services.
2000
United Way and the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems successfully petition the FCC to designate 2-1-1 as the help line for health and human services referrals.



UWGLV Tocqueville Society annual giving reaches $41 million under the leadership of Co-chairs Ross and Wendy Born, Bill and Peggy Hecht and Campaign Chair Bill Coles.

2001-2010

2001


With the 9/11 terrorist attacks capturing donors’ attention, UWGLV fell nearly $400,000 short of its goal. Tocqueville Society giving accounts for 27% of this year’s campaign.

UWGLV adopts new vision and mission increasing emphasis on community building with future investments to focus on both programs and strategic initiatives. Community Impact Council expands to include volunteers from our three strategic partnerships.
2002
UWGLV develops three-year funding cycles (beginning 2002-04), open funding and end of membership system (beginning 2008), and creation of five Community Impact areas.

Brian Gallagher, a 20-year veteran of United Way, named president and CEO of United Way of America.

20 women, led by Betsy Torrence, form the Women’s Leadership Council to focus energy on improving the lives of women and children, especially through education.

The demise of Bethlehem Steel, bank consolidations, downsizing of the workforce and fewer locally-owned companies force Carpino to rethink how UWGLV campaigns for money. With fewer employees to give, Carpino makes appeals to people with the capacity to give larger gifts, increasing the number of leadership gifts.
2003
New Membership Standards for member United Ways are adopted to increase the level of accountability and transparency in United Way operations.

United eWay's online pledging system allows employees to invest in our local community within a secure, internet-based giving environment.

Strategic “roadmaps” developed for community impact areas (including measurable indicators of each goal area, best practice strategies, and suggested program performance measures).

UWGLV develops eligibility standards for all organizations (current and new) seeking program funding beginning 2008.
2004
Warren County splits into its own United Way.



An anonymous donor becomes Lehigh Valley’s first Tocqueville Society National Million Dollar Roundtable member.
2005
United Way of America updates its Standards of Excellence. This comprehensive description of benchmark standards and best practices reflects a new mission-focused on identifying and addressing long-term needs of communities.

Thanks to the generous $100,000 commitment of the late Frank Banko, strategy for community schools begins. Calypso in Bethlehem becomes the first United Way community school. The United Way Community School model convenes companies, non-profits, mentors, tutors, and other community supports to ensure higher success rates for students.

Peter Carpino resigns after 20 years as president of UWGLV. Phil Hayne keeps the organization on track as interim president. Susan Gilmore named the third president of UWGLV.

United Way Alliance on Aging (UWAA) forms to address the needs of older adults in our community.
2006
UWGLV’s record campaign year raises a total of $11,209,541.
2007
Geoffrey Canada, founder of the Harlem Children’s Zone in New York, challenged the Lehigh Valley community to give every child the tools they need to succeed by beginning work in one small area and growing the successes. A working group forms to answer the charge. UWGLV transitions to a community impact focus.
2008
Allentown Youth Success Zone, a 9-square-block area of the Old Allentown Historic District, created. “The Zone” became a priority neighborhood for realizing the success of every child in the Lehigh Valley. UWGLV, the leading member of the regional working group, makes a multi-year $1.2 million commitment to seed the effort.

UWGLV launches a strategic planning process. Community schools become a focus of the United Way’s strategic plan.

United Way introduces LIVE UNITED, a new call to action for everyone to become a part of the change.
2009
In its first 20 years of the Tocqueville Society, over $18.5 million has been invested in the community by members.
2010
Lehigh Valley has 3,849 households with income of $250,000 or more per year; 3.3% are Tocqueville Society members. Volunteer Tocqueville Advisory Cabinet formed to help grow membership.

The Allentown Youth Success Zone officially changed its name to the Allentown Promise Neighborhood to better align its work with the growing national movement.

UWGLV awards philanthropist Bob Wood with the prestigious “Lifetime Achievement Award” in honor of his extraordinary involvement. Wood led the strategic movement to transition our United Way to a community impact model.

2011-Present

2011
A White House report highlights Allentown Promise Neighborhood as one of the nation’s model efforts for developing strategic and accountable partnerships. With national attention, the working group is energized to broaden the scope of its work and realize a truly regional vision for the success of children living in the Lehigh Valley. Now a wholly-owned subsidiary of UWGLV, APN is renamed Promise Neighborhoods of the Lehigh Valley.

United Way commits $500,000 to COMPASS and has agreed to raise an additional $2.5 million over the next three years. The funds are expected to leverage $10.3 million for use in transforming five current School Improvement Grant (SIG) schools in Allentown into COMPASS Community Schools.
2012
Forbes magazine names United Way one of five “All-Star Charities” for financial efficiency.

United Way celebrates its 125th anniversary.
2013
Susan Gillmore resigns. David Lewis named the fourth president of UWGLV.
2014


Women’s Leadership Council has grown to 90 members, including 28 Tocqueville Society leaders, and has raised over $1 million

Paxinosa becomes the first community school in Easton, joining 5 schools in Allentown, 5 schools in Bethlehem, and 2 in Bangor. UWGLV identifies 22 schools in the region as potential community schools.

UWGLV rolls out the 2014-2018 Collective Impact Strategy with community investments in 112 programs at 61 agencies. Education receives 80% of investments, healthy aging 12%, and food access 8%. Emergency services has set-level funding.



In honor of 25 years of transforming lives, National Penn sponsors an anniversary celebration. Our Tocqueville Society celebrates 25 years, 188 members, and $2.8 million in donations. Our goal: grow to 200 members strong!
2015
UWGLV's 2015 Campaign breaks all the records! We raised $11,811,120! That is the most money UWGLV ever raised in the Lehigh Valley and it's all because of YOU! 
2016
UWGLV meregs with United Way of Carbon County  as another step in a progression toward the regionalism in the Lehigh Valley. The merger provides a new level of service to the people of Carbon County, bringing together the resources to create positive change in the lives of individuals and the future of our communities. 

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LIVE UNITED Story
I Came to the Shelter With Nothing "As a single mother, I came to the shelter with nothing like most of us do. I started working while I continued going to school and living in this homeless shelter. I had a lot of hard times but I just thought about my child and what she deserved. I learned you can be successful if you stay focused." Allentown, PA
Agency: The Salvation Army of the Lehigh Valley
United Way Funded Program: Hospitality House

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