OUR MISSION:

To improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of the community by giving, advocating, and volunteering.

LIVING OUT OUR MISSION:

In the 2020/2021 Annual Campaign, over 2,500 donors from Clarke, Kemper, Lauderdale, and Neshoba Counties came together to help fund 20 agencies in our community! With your generosity, we were able to donate 4,500 books each month through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, saved local families $600,000 with Familywize prescription discount cards, and impacted over 10,000 students through the Stuff the Bus School Supply & Uniform Drive to date. 

OUR HISTORY:

The Community Chest of Meridian, MS was organized in November of 1940 to fund and assist the Council of Nine Social Agencies. This early organization had a budget of $24,669.12 (to be exact!).

On August 4, 1953, the Community Chest adopted a charter to change its name to the United Fund. Its fundraising goal then was $150,000, which was nearly met at $141,000.

Seven years passed before the next evolution of the United Fund. The State of Mississippi issued a non-profit Charter of Incorporation to the Greater Lauderdale Organized Welfare Fund (GLOW Fund). By this time, the fundraising goal was down to $129,009, and it was met and surpassed by $825.

It wasn't until August 22, 1974, that an amendment finally changed the name of GLOW Fund to United Way of Meridian, Inc, and the Helping Hand logo was adopted. That year the budget was up to $285,000, while only $223,800 was actually raised.

United Way of East Mississippi, serving Clarke, Kemper, Lauderdale, and Neshoba counties, supports 14 local partner agencies and 7 community impact programs. For more information on how you can LIVE UNITED, contact United Way at 601-693-2732.