The United Way of Yuma County is dedicated to building our community through its partnership of volunteers and organizations.

Mission:
To improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of community.

Vision:
To build a caring community where all children and youth succeed, families are self-sufficient, neighborhoods are vital and safe, and all people enjoy maximum health and independence.

To do this we will:

• Energize and inspire people to make a difference
• Craft human care agendas with and across our communities
• Build coalitions around these agendas
• Increase investments in these agendas by expanding and diversifying our own development efforts and supporting those of others
• measure, communicate & learn from the impact of our efforts

Description:
United Way of Yuma County provides funding to member agency programs for health and human services. The funding is determined related to Impact Areas as identified through the Measuring What Matters Community Assessment. Healthy Impact Community programs include: Adaptive Equipment Sharing Center, Catholic Community Services-Senior Nutrition and Adult Day Health Care, Saddles of Joy, Saguaro Foundation Group Homes, SMILE-Independent Living Center, Yuma Center for the Visually Impaired, and the Yuma Community Food Bank. Safe Community Impact programs include; American Red Cross Disaster Specialist & Disaster Assistance, Catholic Community Services -Safe House, Child & Family Services, Chicanos por la Causa, and Saguaro Foundation -transportation. Educated Impact programs include; Girl Scouts-Sahauro Council, Habitat for Humanity, and the Yuma Reading Council. Strong Comunity Impact programs include; Grand Canyon Boy Scout Council, Transitional Living Center, The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs of Somerton and Yuma, and the Yuma WORC Center.

History:
In 1887 Denver, Colorado was undergoing rapid growth and facing critical social needs. Four men formed what was known as the Denver's Charity Organization Society to do fundraising in support of ten local charities. This was the root of what eventually would become a national/international organization known as United Way of America.

In 1913, the first Community Chest was organized in Cleveland. This was the first true financial federation of charities to be organized under the original concept of holding an annual fund drive and was the first real predecessor of the United Way movement.

The inspiration to hold an annual drive to benefit local organizations came to Yuma in 1943. On May 10,1943 local civic leaders would organize what would be known as the Yuma Community Chest and during the Fall 1944 Campaign raised $10,728 to fund three local service organizations in Yuma County. The first organizations to benefit financially from the Yuma Community Chest campaign were the Campfire Girls, Boy Scouts and The Salvation Army.

With the onset of World War I the concept of supporting fund raising campaigns took hold and were know as War Chests. To promote the development of these War Chests the United States Congress passed the first War Revenue Bill, which allowed for the first time the deduction of charitable contribution from taxable income. During the onset of World War II, these campaigns would see their next major change. The concept of using payroll deduction to support organizations was first introduced into the workplace. This would become the heart of what would become the United Way campaign and is still to this day the heart of the United Way movement.

In 1950, the first national campaign slogan "Give the United Way" was first used and in 1963, Los Angeles was the first community to formally adopt the name United Way. Starting in the 70's, another major change was in development. Over the years several communities had developed their own individual campaign name. There were an estimated 137 different drive across the country conducting annual local campaigns with names such as Community Chest, Torch Drive, Joint Appeal, United Crusade and United Fund Drive. With the support of the national organization these campaigns rapidly saw the need to develop a support network while maintaining their independence. It was during this time that many campaigns across the nation were becoming members of the United Way of America network and in 1967 our organization formally became know as the Greater Yuma Area United Way. As years passed organizations developed in accordance with their own communities and so did ours. With so many outlying communities in Yuma County their was a need to show unified support to the outlying communities and at this time the organization formally became know as the United Way of Yuma County, Inc and since it's creation to-date has raised and distributed over $9,880,441 to local social service agencies here in Yuma County.

We continue to be members of the United Way of America network, which has association with over 2,300 independently autonomous United Way's across the country. Although United Way of America provides central information and resources to each organization all United Ways remain totally independent and self-governed by their own communities volunteer governing Board of Directors. It is this concept of being accountable to your own community, which allows local United Way the flexibility to address their own community's needs. The concept of local money raised here stays here still rings true today and allows us the flexibility to address the issues that matter most in our community by improving lives and delivering meaningful results.

Board of Directors

Executive Committee President Renee Dinwiddie Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona 2nd Vice President Joel Schram The Foothills Bank Past President Vinod Mohindra Choice One Insurance Retired 1st Vice President Michael Abraham Yuma County Planning Department Secretary/Treasurer Eldon Dyer Yuma Regional Medical Center Board Members Raul Mendoza Housing Authority- City of Yuma City Councilman Julian Reyes Philips Healthcare Corp. Kirsten Brock Southwest Gas Corporation Dennis Light City of Yuma Fire Dept. Lynn Dalbey Retired Mark Hutsell Yuma Regional Medical Center Brandon Kinsey Byrne, Benesch & Villarreal Teri Norris Yuma Regional Medical Center

Not pictured: Joel Schram, Brandon Kinsey, and Lynn Dalbey Madeleine Coil, President CEO Nicole Ochoa, Director of Resource Development Yolanda Renteria, Director of Finance and Administration

Partner Agencies

American Red Cross Grand Canyon Chapter P.O. Box 6373 Yuma, AZ, 85366 Phone: 1.800.842.7349 Crisis Intervention Services Provides relief to victims of disaster, prevents/prepares for emergencies	Arizona's Children Association Jennifer Dixon, Program Supervisor 3780 S. 4th Avenue Yuma, Arizona 85364 Phone: 344-8800, ext. 153 Fax: 344-8837 Email: jdixon@arizonaschildren.org Increases the number of children who enter school ready to learn.	Community Legal Services Kay Macuil,, Managing Attorney 201 S. 1st Avenue Phone: (928) 782-7511, x2115 Fax: (928) 782-0037 Toll #: 1-800-464-7962 (Phx) Toll #: 1-800-852-9075 (Yuma) E-mail: kmacuil@clsaz.org E-mail: afranco@clsaz.org Community Services Legal services and direct representation to low-income Yuma County residents
Child & Family Services of Yuma Judy Smith, Director 257 S. 3rd Avenue Phone: 783-2427 Fax: 783-0633 E-mail: jsmith@cfsyuma.com Crisis Intervention Services Temporary residential services & family counseling for children	Habitat for Humanity of Yuma, Inc. Ronna Stubbs, Director Yuma Community Food Bank (site) P.O. Box 4089 (mailing) 85366 Phone: 783-3993 Fax: 726-1514 Email: hfhyuma@earthlink.net	Humane Society of Yuma Elkie Wills, Community Relations Manager 285 N. Figueroa Avenue Yuma, Arizona 85364 Phone: 550-1867 Fax: 783-1049 Email: ewills@hsoyuma.com Cruelty task force that works toward educating and investigating the relationship between animal violence and human violence.
Saddles of Joy Therapeutic Riding Barbara Tomlinson, Director 2749 W. County 14th 85365 Phone: 344-3562 Fax: 726-6104 Cell: 246-6175 Email: saddlesofjoy1@aol.com Health, Rehabilitation & Counseling Services Therapeutic riding program for physical, mental, emotional, and learning disabled children.	The Excel Group Carol Carr, Director Gina Whittington 3250 A East 40th Street Yuma, Arizona 85365 Office: 341-0335 Fax: 329-8950 Email: gwhittington@excelgroup.org A private non profit agency providing Behavioral Health care, vocational and housing assistance to both children and adults in Yuma and La Paz counties.	SMILE Program Services Maximizing Independent Living & Empowerment) Laura Duval, Director 1929 S. Arizona Ave., Suite 12 Phone: (928) 329-6681 Fax: (928) 329-6715 Email: Director@smile-az.org Disabled and Senior Services Provides services for people with disabilities, empowering them to achieve success.
Yuma Center for the Visually Impaired Cal Roberts, Director 2770 S. Avenue B Phone: (H)#783-7178 Cell#920-6169 Phone: (928) 726-1310 site Fax: 783-3261 Email: ycvical@roadrunner.com Disabled and Senior Services Services for visually impaired, multi-handicapped persons, socialization, recreation, and community activities	Yuma Community Food Bank Ronna Stubbs, Director 2402 E. 24th Street, Suite A Yuma, AZ 85365 Phone: 343-1243 Fax: 782-7924 Email: rstubbs@yumafoodbank.org Community Services Emergency food supplies for residents in crisis	Yuma Reading Council John E. Byrd Center for Community Literacy Barbara Sutton, Director 825 S. Orange Avenue Phone: 343-9363 Fax: 539-1918 Emails: bsutton@yumaalps.org Community Services GED preparation & ESL classes
Yuma WORC Center, Inc. Deena F., Director 3420 W. 8th Street (Site) 256 S. 2nd Avenue, #A (Office) Phone: 783-0295 Fax: 329-1019 Email: deenaf@worccenter.org Disabled and Senior Services Provides vocational training and employment opportunities to disabled persons.