Our Mission
To improve our community by providing leadership in identifying needs, securing & leveraging resources and driving action.
Vision Statement
Uniting People. Impacting Lives. Improving Anderson County.
In 1946, under the leadership of Frank Brownlee and Douglas McDougald, the Community Chest of Anderson was organized to raise funds for nonprofit agencies who worked to help people in need in Anderson County. The Community Chest exceeded its goal of $45,000 in its first year, and provided these funds to seven nonprofit agencies. The Community Chest was replaced by the United Fund in the late sixties and then joined the national United Way movement in the mid-seventies. In 2003, Foothills United Way changed its name to the United Way of Anderson County, to better reflect the area in which it serves.
In 2001, United Way of Anderson County celebrated 55 years of service to the Anderson community. During those 55 years, the annual fundraising campaign has grown to approximately $2 million and the United Way has become a strong partner in the community building activities in Anderson County.
In 2005, the United Way of Anderson County’s Board of Directors voted to move forward with the development of a Community Impact Agenda and new approach to United Way operations. United Ways across the nation were moving in a similar direction in setting specific goals to address the most important issues in their communities; goals that were designed to create long-term, positive changes in the lives of their residents. In short, the United Way of Anderson County began developing a focused road map for how to meet the most urgent needs and connect area strengths and assets with opportunities to improve the community in a measurable way.
The United Way engaged civic, business and non-profit leaders, community representatives and donors to drive the development of the Community Impact Agenda. In addition, volunteers worked closely with the United Way to drive a redesign of operations and funding practices to ensure on-going alignment with the goals and strategies that are the focus of Community Impact.
In 2007 the United Way of Anderson County began operating under the new Community Impact System with a volunteer Community Impact Cabinet and Impact Task Forces working diligently with community partners to address Anderson’s most pressing needs and creating positive, lasting and measurable change.
The Board of Directors is committed to the organization’s future and upholding its mission to improve the community and the lives of its residents by providing leadership in identifying needs, combining resources and facilitating action.