United Way Planning Council

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Our MissionThe United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley will create positive change by collaborating with partners to educate and empower children and families in the Mahoning Valley.Our VisionUnited Way will be recognized for measurable impact, systemic change, changing lives, and be the top nonprofit of choice among donors.Our HistoryThe United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley is a vital resource that has helped to improve the quality of life for thousands of individuals in the community. The mission of our United Way is to be the driving force behind sustained improvement in the lives of all our citizens through initiatives that promote education, income, health, and community support services.The United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley traces its roots to 1919. Many worthy charities in and around the Youngstown area were seeking support for their services. In seeking that support, duplication of effort and the need for social agencies to cooperate and share information became evident.Realizing the need for a unified fundraising and fund distribution effort, eleven local businessmen filed articles of incorporation for the Community Corporation, the parent corporation of the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, on February 11, 1919. The stated purpose of the non-profit organization was "to promote the general welfare of the community of Youngstown, Ohio, and vicinity, and for such purpose to receive, use and disburse money and other property either directly or through others."The first campaign was chaired by Asael E. Adam, Sr. in 1919 and raised $328,234. Twenty-seven social service agencies were affiliated with The Community Corporation. Since that date the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley has raised over $140,000,000 to help to meet critical health and human service community needs.In recent years, United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley has undergone dramatic shifts in how it works to serve our Valley. The historic "community chest" with a broad charitable mission has and will continue to transform into a change agent focused on community impact - mobilizing the caring power of the communities in our Valley.