Our History
1967-United Way of Monmouth County (UWMC) was incorporated by a group of business, labor and community leaders with two goals in mind: to raise funds for local agencies through a single campaign conducted in the workplace, and to distribute those funds in a thoughtful manner. That year, $128,000 was raised for 27 agencies.
1977-UWMC joined the United Way of Tri-State, a regional mechanism raising funds among the metropolitan regions 100 largest companies. Local staff and volunteers coordinate those campaigns, and the funds raised come back to the county through employee designations and through a regional distribution formula.
1978-Monmouth County Community Services Council asked UWMC to take on its role of coordinating agency programs and providing information and referral services to the people of Monmouth County through the "First Call for Help" information and referral service. This produced the Human Services Directory for Monmouth County, the Where to Turn series and roundtable discussions on food and utility issues.
1997- A strategic planning process was completed, which resulted in significant changes in the approach to campaign, fund distribution, internal management and marketing. A community-wide needs assessment was conducted in collaboration with the Monmouth County Department of Human Services, as well as several local foundations and funding sources.
2000-New system of distributing funds is fully implemented, allowing any 501(c)(3) agency providing health and human services to the people of Monmouth County to apply for funds.
2002-UWMC, in collaboration with the Monmouth County Department of Human Services and Monmouth County September 11th Task Force, established the Monmouth County September 11th Resource Center at Brookdale Community College to assist all those impacted by the terrorist attacks.
2005-UWMC, along with United Ways across New Jersey, announced the launch of 2-1-1, a comprehensive, 24 hour a day, 7 day a week information and referral service. The fund distribution system is restructured into the Resource Investment process, and a new agency Certification process is established.
2006- As part of the UWA membership requirements, the UWMC Board, staff and nonprofit partners completed a self assessment survey designed to evaluate how UWMC ranked according to the UWA Standards of Excellence. The Standards of Excellence describe the benchmarks for a United Way being considered a Community Impact United Way.
2007- The Community Impact Ad Hoc planning committee is formally appointed to recommend to the UWMC Board of Directors a plan detailing how UWMC should change in order to increase its achievement of the UWA’s Standards of Excellence.
2008- The Community Impact Ad Hoc Planning committee presented its report, which was accepted by the Board. The report recommendations included the adoption of the impact areas of Education, Income and Health, and to continue to support A) basic needs & crisis services, B) prevention & education services, and to add C) services that promote lasting changes in community conditions. To implement these changes, standing subcommittees were established in each of the three impact areas of Education, Income and Health. Volunteers were recruited for each impact subcommittee, including issue experts who are utilizing data from our 2008 Monmouth County Social and Demographic Report and a variety of other sources, to make recommendations to the Board on the community conditions that will be the focus of our funding processes starting in 2010.
2010- UWMC began a new era on October 1, 2010 with the start of the new Community Impact funding cycle. Over the next few years, United Way will invest $500,000 per year in fifteen initiatives that will create measurable and lasting change in the areas of Education, Income and Health. These initiatives were presented and approved for funding by the United Way Board of Directors, and represent over two years of work by twenty-five dedicated community volunteers on our Education, Income and Health Impact subcommittees.
