History

United Way of Forsyth County originated in 1923 as the Community Chest of Forsyth County. The Community Chest federated the finances of twenty local health and welfare organizations, raising the money in one campaign and distributing it according to need among its memeber organizations. The Community Chest's campaigns were called Red Feather drives. The first Community Chest goal was $28,000 with $38,215 actually raised.
 
Since then, our name has changed to United Fund of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County (1951) and to United Way of Forsyth County (1974). Over those years and into the early 1990s, United Way funded partner agencies that serve our community in a variety of ways. Many of our programs aided people in need.

Today, we are still a successful fundraiser — United Way of Forsyth County ranks #2 nationally in per capita giving — and continue to work hand in hand with our partner agencies. We align agency programs and resources to create the most direct and effective solutions to key social issues facing our community. Specifically, we focus on improving education, increasing financial stability among lower-income individuals and families, and broadening access to health care. United Way of Forsyth County also continues to provide assistance to those facing immediate crisis.

In 2008, our United Way introduced breakthrough initiatives in education, financial stability and health designed to accelerate significant community impact.
 
EDUCATION
 
Through Graduating Our Future, we are collaborating with the YMCA, Family Services, Big Brother Big Sisters and the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools toward a goal of improving student success and increasing the high school graduation rate to 90 percent by 2018. Since 2008, the high school graduation rate in our community has increased from 70.1 percent to 80.9 percent, putting us on track to achieve our overall goal of 90 percent. At high schools with historically low graduation rates, the improvement in the graduation rate has been impressive:
  • Carver High School: 66.1% (2010) to 72.6% (2012)
  • North Forsyth High School: 74.1% (2011) to 82.3% (2012)
  • Parkland Magnet High School: 65.8% (2008) to 74.3% (2012)

FINANCIAL STABILITY

Collaborated with four partner agencies to establish Career Connections and The Prosperity Center, a one-stop financial center for lower-income individuals and families. Led by Goodwill Industries, it offers job training, job search opportunities, credit/budget counseling, financial literacy training and transportation assistance along with serving as a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site and a satellite location for GED and ESL classes. A new Center was opened on the opposite side of town in 2011, and a Mobile Prosperity Center was rolled out in early 2013.

Since 2008, more than 5,800 individuals have received personalized job-search assistance through the Centers with more than 1,500 receiving individualized debt and credit couseling.

HEALTH

Partnered with the Community Care Clinic, one of our 32 partner agencies, to form Med-Aid. Through Med-Aid, the un- and underinsured can get most of their medications for free through pharmaceutical companies. Currently, more than 1,153 medical providers are referring their un- and underinsured patients to Med-Aid. Since 2008, Med-Aid has made it possible for local people to receive prescription medication valued at more than $16.9 million for free from pharmaceutical companies.

TEN-YEAR PLAN TO END CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS
Our United Way collaborates with the City of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County to implement a comprehensive plan to eliminate chronic homelessness and decrease temporary homelessness. The Plan uses a “housing first” model that has been demonstrated to keep individuals in housing more effectively than traditional models.
  • The 2013 Point-in-Time Count (January 30) showed that the chronically homeless population in Forsyth County has decreased 58 percent since 2005, the year before the city of Winston-Salem and the Forsyth County adopted the Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness. This year’s count also showed a 49 percent decrease in homelessness among military veterans since 2007 and a 40 percent decrease in total homelessness since 2012, reversing four straight years of increases.
  • Sixty-seven percent of our community’s chronic homeless are remaining in permanent housing for one year or more, more than twice the 30 percent success rate of traditional programming.
  • Since 2006, 580 new units of housing (385 permanent supportive, 145 transitional) have been added in our community to house individuals who were previously homeless.
AFFINITY GROUPS
 
Our United Way has also been successful in establishing and growing affinity groups (totals for 2012 are not yet available):
  • Tocqueville Leadership Society: Includes those giving $10,000 or more annually. Current membership is 218 individuals and couples who gave a total of $3,366,104.
  • Leadership Circle: Includes those giving $1,000 or more annually. Current membership is 3,928 individuals and couples who gave a total of $8,368,709 in 2011, 48 percent of our $17,325,000 campaign and 67 percent of all employee and individual giving.
  •  Women’s Leadership Council:The mission of the Women’s Leadership Council is to engage, educate and empower women to make a positive impact in Forsyth County. The Women’s Leadership Council’s mission is generously supported by a $1 million grant from the Reynolds American Foundation which allows new members access to matching funds totaling $200,000 annually for five years.  In 2011, the Women’s Leadership Council grew to over 1,000 members and raised $450,000 in addition to the $200,000 Reynolds American Foundation match.
  • Young Leaders United: Include individuals up to 40 years of age who pledge at least $250 annually and commit to 24 hours of volunteerism each year. Last year, nearly 1,100 Young Leaders pledged $700,000.
ANNUAL CAMPAIGN
United Way of Forsyth County exceeded its 2012 goal of $17,325,000 under the leadership of Campaign Chair Leslie Hayes, executive vice president and regional president for Wells Fargo. 
 
Updated April 16, 2013
 
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