History
Make a difference in the community in which we live and work
In the past, many communities both here and abroad, were beset by a multitude of charitable appeals. The first recorded community in the USA to try and address the problem in a systematic “united” way was Denver, Colorado in 1887. The idea developed and in 1913 the City of Cleveland, Ohio, formed the Federation for Charity & Philanthropy, later to become the first of many Community Chests.This concept now operates in more than thirty countries around the world, with many nations having adopted the name and trademark of United Way.
United Way in Australia first started in Geelong as the Geelong Community Chest in 1954, following the initiative of four Geelong Apexians and the support of the Ford Motor Company, they decided that the American “Community Chest” method of fundraising would benefit Geelong.
There are now ten separate United Ways operating across Australia . Although a member of the international body, United Way Geelong, like United Ways everywhere, is a totally autonomous body and directs funds it raises solely back into the local community.
THE CAMPAIGN RESULTS 1954 - 2004
| Year
|
Total Amount |
Increase on Previous Year |
Year |
Total Amount |
| 1954 |
$57,364 |
- |
1979 |
$417,990 |
| 1955 |
$66,814 |
16.4% |
1980 |
$459,488 |
| 1956 |
$68,472 |
2.5% |
1981 |
$530,323 |
| 1957 |
$72,404 |
5.7% |
1982 |
$630,867 |
| 1958 |
$73,958 |
2.1% |
1983 |
$661,503 |
| 1959 |
$75,288 |
1.8% |
1984 |
$558,696 |
| 1960 |
$77,808 |
3.3% |
1985 |
$642,397 |
| 1961 |
$82,590 |
1.5% |
1986 |
$662,766 |
| 1962 |
$91,607 |
4.6% |
1987 |
$718,813 |
| 1963 |
$94,511 |
10.9% |
1988 |
$792,233 |
| 1964 |
$95,016 |
3.2% |
1989 |
$896,603 |
| 1965 |
$95,016 |
0.5% |
1990 |
$990,431 |
| 1966 |
$96,004 |
1% |
1991 |
$1,021,472 |
| 1967 |
$96,860 |
0.9% |
1992 |
$1,201,518 |
| 1968 |
$102,000 |
5.3% |
1993 |
$1,095,157 |
| 1969 |
$122,470 |
20% |
1994 |
$1,121,472 |
| 1970 |
$131,996 |
7.8% |
1995 |
$1,158,915 |
| 1971 |
$152,856 |
15.8% |
1996 |
$1,339,853 |
| 1972 |
$158,372 |
3.6% |
1997 |
$1,293,856 |
| 1973 |
$200,909 |
26.9% |
1998 |
$1,417,219 |
| 1974 |
$231,320 |
15.1% |
1999 |
$1,357,956 |
| 1975 |
$237,042 |
2.5% |
2000 |
$1,526,984 |
| 1976 |
$284,448 |
20% |
2001 |
$1,391,959 |
| 1977 |
$346,618 |
22.6% |
2002 |
$1,575,543 |
| 1978 |
$408,627 |
16% |
2003 |
$1,812,490 |
| 2004 |
$2,000,025 |
