The United Way movement started in Denver in 1887 as a fundraising campaign to help pioneers settling in the West. This initiative, known as Community Chests and Red Feather Campaigns, spread to many surrounding cities.
In 1971, these individual programs joined to form the United Way of America (UWA). UWA is a membership organization for local, autonomous United Way charities.
Locally, United Way of Marion County began in 1961 as the United Appeal of Marion County. Its first fundraising drive raised $82,822 for 10 agencies. The charity's name was officially changed the United Way of Marion County in 1972.
