Highlighting 100 years of driving positive community change
By: Lucas Stall, Marketing & Communications Specialist, United Way of Greater Toledo
This year, United Way of Greater Toledo is pleased to celebrate its Centennial Anniversary. The nonprofit has proudly served the region for 100 years, and envisions a community where all individuals and families achieve their human potential through education, financial stability and healthy lives.
Early in 2018, Wendy Pestrue was selected as president by the United Way Board of Directors and officially assumed the role on February 12. She is the organization’s seventh President and CEO.
 | United Way By the Numbers 173,813 nights of shelter provided 129,866 books provided to local children 20,000 donors engaged yearly 19,683 individuals given access to health care 10,000 volunteers engaged yearly 300 companies engaged yearly 100% Employee Participation These numbers help United Way to create positive change in Lucas, Wood & Ottawa counties. |
Pestrue begins her journey with United Way as the organization embarks on their 100th year of making a difference in Toledo. United Way was founded as a post WWI effort to serve the community. In 1918, after the conclusion of the first World War, a volunteer group of local business owners, religious clerics and community advocates came together to establish “The Toledo War Chest.” Their goal was to address local needs by providing monetary support to various health and social service programs.
United Way’s mission is to unite the caring power of people to improve lives. They fight for the education, health and financial stability of every person, in every community. Today, the organization provides funding for 68 community programs at 53 local nonprofit agencies. Their dedicated and hardworking team of nearly 40 individuals assist in assessing community needs, fundraising to create a stronger impact in support of those needs, building donor relationships and organizing community volunteer opportunities (to name a few.) Last year, with the help of community and corporate partners, United Way of Greater Toledo raised over $11 million to reinvest into Lucas, Wood and Ottawa counties.
United Way’s mission is to unite the caring power of people to improve lives. They fight for the education, health and financial stability of every person, in every community. Today, the organization provides funding for 68 community programs at 53 local nonprofit agencies. Their dedicated and hardworking team of nearly 40 individuals assist in assessing community needs, fundraising to create a stronger impact in support of those needs, building donor relationships and organizing community volunteer opportunities (to name a few.) Last year, with the help of community and corporate partners, United Way of Greater Toledo raised over $11 million to reinvest into Lucas, Wood and Ottawa counties.
“United Way of Greater Toledo is proud to have a collective group of employees who truly care about the success of our community. Each year, we run an annual fundraising campaign, and here, in our office, we have 100 percent employee participation, with every individual making a gift to help progress our mission. To us, this speaks volumes. Not only do these individuals come to work and do their absolute best – they also believe strongly in the power of our work.” |  |
Fun fact: The original United Way office was located in the “Fifty Associates Building,” across from the corner of St. Clair and Madison Ave, now known as the Toledo Edison Building in Levis Square.
“We are really excited to enter our 100th year, especially as we welcome a new CEO, who is going to bring a plethora of innovative and fresh ideas to our organization. To commemorate such an occasion, we will be sharing some special programming opportunities, with a focus on celebrating and thanking our corporate partners, donors, volunteers, community partners and funded partners for their role in over 100 years of driving community change.” - Kate Fineske, United Way of Greater Toledo
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