In September of 1946, community volunteers and directors of charitable agencies decided to form a "Community Chest." The first organized fundraiser set out to raise $12,000.00 for the Salvation Army, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, China Relief Fund, USO, Cancer Fund and Recreation Fund.
During the '50's, the group restructured itself and became the Finney County United Fund. The United Fund supported these agencies: Logopedics, Safety Council, Cancer Society, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Salvation Army, American Red Cross and Kansas Children's Service League. All except the first three are United Way agencies today. United Cerebral Palsy became a funded agency in 1962.
In the 1970's, the YMCA and Community Day Care joined the United Fund as agencies. By the early '80's, the United Fund had become Finney County United Way. Agencies that had been added that remain United Way agencies today are the Retired Senior & Volunteer Program, Russell Child Development Center, Family Crisis Services, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Association.
The 1990's saw the addition of Spirit of the Plains, CASA, Western Kansas United Methodist Mexican American Ministries, and Catholic Social Service. In 2006, Meals on Wheels and Smart Start were added bringing the total funded agencies to seventeen plus one initiative.
Finney County United Way looks at outcome-focused results that make the greatest difference in making the community a better place for families to live and work--this is "Community Impact".