Our Story

The first United Way was established in 1887 in Denver by a woman, a priest, two ministers, and a rabbi. They recognized the need to work together to make Denver a better place, and so put together the nation’s first campaign benefiting 10 area health and welfare agencies. Together, they created an organization to collect funds for local charities, to coordinate relief services, to make referrals, and to make emergency grants.

Fast forward to today, and there are 1,800 United Ways in 41 countries. Collectively, we work with 45,000 companies across the world to improve the communities where their employees live and work. We operate life-saving programs like 2-1-1, a health and human services information hotline. We have now mobilized more than 2.9 million volunteers and raised $5.2 billion for the programs and organizations that are making life better for millions of people.

In our tiny corner of the world, Green Mountain United Way has been working since 1975 to improve the lives of people in Caledonia, Essex, Orange, Orleans, and Washington counties. While our story doesn’t start with ministers or rabbis, there was again a woman at the lead: Originally named United Way of Washington County, the organization was formed by a formidable woman, Lilly R. Keve, who worked with Elmer Kelley of National Life to convene a series of public meetings including key leadership from business, community, and human services. Together they assessed the need for a United Way in Washington County. The organization went on to be almost entirely women-led for its entire history.

We formed with the purpose of providing volunteer leadership to support nonprofits in central Vermont, and grew to be a funding agency, providing technical assessments and start-up funds for other nonprofits.

As we’ve grown up, we have become more than a funding organization; rather than measuring our success in dollars raised, we’re measuring lives impacted. Today, we operate our own programs to help Vermont’s working families thrive and build more resilient communities, including Working Bridges and Tatum’s Totes.

Our History

The timeline below shows 50 years of partnerships and shared accomplishments:

1975                Community meetings convened by Lilly R. Keve

1976                Mary Redmond hired as Executive Secretary

The board approves purchase of a typewriter for $585

A telephone line and post office box were obtained

1977                The first annual campaign raised $78,430

1978                United Way of Vermont is established

1980                GMUW placed the first TTYS telecommunications device at Central Vermont Medical Center and State Police Barracks in Middlesex, thereby creating the first emergency communication system in Vermont for the hearing impaired

1981                United Way technical assistance helped Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice move more suitable space

1982                Six students from Spaulding, Montpelier, and U-32 high volunteered

1983                Molly Abare became the first Executive Director (through 1995)

1984                Held a student poster and quote contest; featured winning poster in annual report

                        Granted start-up money to the Special Friends mentor program at Central Vermont Community Action

1986                Administered a statewide foodbank needs assessment

                        Helped establish The Good Samaritan Haven emergency shelter with a grant

                        Joined Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce

1987                Co-founded the Vermont Foodbank with a startup grant Received first computer and printer from an anonymous donor

                        Received a second computer with a hard drive from National Life

1988                Expanded into Caledonia and Orange counties

1989                Washington county experienced a prenatal care crisis caused by physicians discontinuing their practices in obstetrics

                        Central Vermont Medical Center opened a prenatal clinic with a startup grant From United Way of Washington County

1990                Held first annual Granite Bank/United Way Golf Tournament

1991                Renamed Green Mountain United Way

                        Conducted a statewide needs assessment

                        Held first Hayseed Day Benefit, co-sponsored by the Berlin Mall Merchants and Knights of Columbus

1992                Montpelier flooded on March 11

                        Granted $5,000 in emergency funds to the Red Cross

                        Arranged a large donation of cleaning products for flood cleanup

                        Arranged a donation of rehabilitation products for flood recovery

                        Purchased a freezer for the Montpelier Food Pantry to replace 1 of 4 lost

                        Granted startup funds to the Shelter for Battered Women

1993                Received a new computer from IBM

1994                Established a formal application process and documentation requirement for State Employees Combined Charitable Appeal (now VtSHARES)

                        Assisted Montpelier and Barre post offices with first annual food drive

                        Received a second computer and printer from IBM

                        Donated a retired computer to a member agency

1998                Undertook a vigorous marketing campaign with partnering member agencies

1995                Received a third donated computer and printer from IBM

                        Granted startup funds to the Peoples Health and Wellness Clinic

                        Hired first campaign director, Grace Miller

                        Received fourth donated computer and printer system from IBM

1996                Initiated regular quarterly meetings with member agencies

                        Shifted fiscal year to better align with campaign payment schedules

                        Wrote the first personnel manual

                        Appointed Barbara E. Waite as Executive Director

1998                Appointed Grace Miller as Executive Director; during her tenure United Way grows to 5 counties and increases the annual campaign by 30%

1999                Opened a Northeast Kingdom office in St. Johnsbury

                        Now the second largest United Way in the state

                        Raised a record-breaking $596,150 in the annual campaign

2000                Appointed Nancy Zorn as Executive Director

2014                Appointed Tawnya Kristen as Executive Director

2018                Established the Working Bridges program (who were our first sites)

                        Hired Carrie Baker Stahler as Director of Development

2019                Hired Julia Davis as Impact Director

                        Hired Michelle Clark as a Resource Coordinator in the Working Bridges program

2022                Hired Blaire Haggett as a Resource Coordinator in the Working Bridges program

                        Hired Esperanza Ash as Data & Administrative Assistant

2023                Darn Tough is a new Working Bridges partner

                        Hired Sarah Galbraith as Director of Development & Community Engagement

2024                Merged Working Bridges programs with United Way of Northwest Vermont

Cabot Cheese is a new Working Bridges partner

                        Columbia Forest Products is a new Working Bridges partner

                        Hired Maia Hanron at Senior Program Manager for Working Bridges

                        Hired Rebecca Baruzzi as Impact Director

2025                Celebrated 50 Years

                        Casella Waste Management becomes a Working Bridges partner