United Way of Central Virginia
By Cathy Dalton, Museum Experience Leader
In Lynchburg, Virginia, the United Way began in 1921 when the Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce and American Home Economics Association worked to create the Lynchburg Community Chest. These important organizations still exist today as the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance, American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, and United Way of Central Virginia. The centennial observation of the formation of the United Way of Central Virginia in Lynchburg began in 2021; October 2022 marks the organization’s one hundredth campaign.
Origins
The former Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce was organized in 1883 on Main Street in Lynchburg, Virginia. Its contemporary counterpart, the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance now serves the counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, and Campbell, the towns of Altavista, Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford and Brookneal, as well as the city of Lynchburg. By 1912, when President Warren Harding established the United States Chamber of Commerce, the then-named Greater Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce became a founding member.
“The Community Chest fund is a sum of money raised among the citizens of Lynchburg to meet the current operating expense deficits of Lynchburg civic, educational, and philanthropic institutions which provide relief to the needy and sick and upbuild the young life of the city in morale and character.”
The American Home Economics Association was founded in 1909 by Ellen H. Richards, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor and graduate. She was an advocate for consumer education, nutrition, child protection, industrial safety, public health, career education, women's rights, purity of air, food, and water. Richards also championed the application of scientific and management principles to the family. She coined the term home economics and promoted the subject to be taught in schools. The aim for the Lynchburg Chapter of the American Home Economics Association was “to see that every under-nourished child in the Public Schools is supplied with sufficient milk to make it strong and wholesome in body, with a clearer and more active mind.”
The Lynchburg Community Chest was formed through the efforts of D.B. Ryland of the Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce, Elizabeth Lewis Otey of the American Home Economics Association, Floyd Knight, Richard Hancock, R.A. Owen, R.T. Watts, Jr., Giles Miller, and M.O. Carruthers. Its first community campaign took place in 1922 from October 9 to October 16, raising a sum of $85,825 (nearly $1.5 million in 2022 dollars).
The names listed in the first campaign sound familiar to the ear as many of the families still have connections to Lynchburg today. Directly from the 1922 campaign literature:
Officers:
Richard Hancock, Chairman
R. T. Watts, Jr., Vice-Chairman
Giles H. Miller, Treasurer
M. O. Carruthers, Executive Secretary
Executive Committee: Richard Hancock, R. T. Watts, Jr., Mrs. C. W. Gooch, Miss Mary E. Sayre, Mrs. Max Guggenheimer, J. B. Winfree, Jr., O. B. Barker, Giles Miller, M. O. Carruthers
Budget Committee: H. H. Harris, Walker Pettyjohn, Mrs. T. A. Woodson, Mrs. Lucy B. Childs, Mrs. R. M. Woodson, G. E. Caskie, Jr., J. T. Noel, Jr., E. F. Sheffey, H. A. Allen, Jr.
Publicity Committee: H. C. Snead, Rev. G. Floyd Rogers, M. O. Carruthers
BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COUNCIL OF SOCIAL AGENCIES
AND COMMUNITY CHEST OF LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA
Representing the Public at Large:
John W. Craddock
H. H. Harris
W. C. Ivey
O. B. Barker
R. T. Watts, Jr.
Richard Hancock
Mrs. W. J. D. Bell
Mrs. Max Guggenheimer
M. O. Carruthers
Many of the cooperating and participating agencies are still in existence today.
Representing the Co-Operating Agencies:
Ministerial Association—Dr. S. T. Senter
Home Economic Association—Elizabeth Lewis Otey
Chamber of Commerce—W. J. D. Bell
Retail Merchants Association—C. M. Guggenheimer, Jr.
Rotary Club—Walker Pettyjohn
Kiwanis Club—Giles H. Miller
Lions Club—L. H. McWane
Jewish Relief—Leon Goodman
United Daughters of the Confederacy—Anne Norvell Otey Scott
Representing the Participating Agencies:
Red Cross, Day Nursery, and Anti-Tuberculosis League—Mrs. H. C. McDowell and Miss Mary E. Sayre
Y.W.C.A., Y.W.C.A. Colored, Travelers Aid, and Federation of Girls Clubs—Mrs. C. W. Gooch and Miss Lena Sheldon
Boy Scouts—E. H. Hancock and A. J. Himmelsbach
Boys School at Covington, Va.—H. Minor Davis and Mayo C. Brown
Florence Crittenton Home—Mrs. Lucy B. Childs and Miss Elizabeth A. Hopkins
Knights of Columbus—C. M. Roberts and E. P. Cromwell
Salvation Army—James T. Noell, Jr., and Commandant Geo. A. Garland
Woman’s Club Clinic—Mrs. Randolph Harrison and Miss Margaret Christian
Y.M.C.A. and Y.M.C.A. Colored—J. B. Winfree, Jr. and H. C. Snead
In 1923 the participating agencies changed: The Federation of Girls Clubs, Knights of Columbus, and the Woman’s Club Clinic were dropped. Conversely, the Associated Charities, Children’s Home Society, and Old Confederate Veterans were added.
In 1924, no agencies were dropped. The Federated Girls Clubs and Traveler’s Aid agencies were added to the YWCA budget, and the Home Economics Association Milk Fund was added.
21st Century
As of 2022, United Way of Central Virginia’s partner agencies were: Adult Care Center, Altavista Area/Campbell County Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross Blue Ridge Chapter, The Arc of Central Virginia, Bedford Area Family YMCA, Bedford Christian Ministries, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Virginia, Boy Scouts - Blue Ridge Mountain Council, CASA of Central Virginia, Central Virginia Alliance for Community Living, DAWN (Donation-A-Week-Neighbor), Free Clinic of Central Virginia, Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline Council, HumanKind, Jubilee Family Development Center, Lake Christian Ministries, Lynchburg Community Action Group, Achieve Central Virginia/Lynchburg Sheltered Industries, Mary Bethune Academy, Meals on Wheels of Greater Lynchburg, EMPOWER Day Support of Central Virginia, Piedmont Community Impact, The Salvation Army, Virginia Legal Aid Society, YMCA of Central Virginia, and YWCA of Central Virginia.
Poster for the 1924 Campaign
Five of the original agencies have retained their names and kept their relationship with United Way of Central Virginia. (Boy Scouts, Red Cross, Salvation Army, YMCA, and YWCA) after 100 years. United Way continues to fulfill a vital role in helping the communities of Lynchburg and Central Virginia.
Today this sheet would be found as the FAQ webpage on the United Way of Central Virginia website: https://www.uchangelives.com/faqs
The form for completing a pledge for the United Way has a designation section similar to this Designation Card:
The information sheet given to potential donors emphasized coordination and efficiency of efforts:
“Community Chest means fellowship, chest means co-ordinated resources. Community Chest means the fellowship of all our citizens and philanthropic institutions in co-ordinated and effective service. It means efficiency, not only in administration, but far more in helping those who need help.”
The Community Chest Campaign’s slogan sums up the United Way’s efforts over the past century:
“HELP US HELP OTHERS HELP THEMSELVES”
Slogan of the First United Way Campaign in Lynchburg, 1922
SOURCES
American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. “About Us.” About Us - American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, https://www.aafcs.org/about/about-us
United Way of Central Virginia. “About US – United Way of Central Virginia.” United Way of Central Virginia - Live United, https://unitedwaycv.org/about-us/
Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance. “Our History.” Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance, https://www.lynchburgregion.org/our-history/
Webster, Ian. “Inflation Rate between 1922-2022: Inflation Calculator.” $85,825 In 1922 → 2022 | Inflation Calculator, Official Data Foundation / Alioth LLC, https://www.officialdata.org/us/inflation/1922?amount=85825
YMCA of the USA. Virginia. Lynchburg YMCA Community Chest, 1922-1924. (Box 152, Folder 1). 1922 - 1924. University of Minnesota Libraries, Kautz Family YMCA Archives., https://umedia.lib.umn.edu/item/p16022coll380:832 Accessed 18 Dec 2021.