History

Hunger, dust, and depression plagued 1929 … Sioux Empire United Way, under the name Community Chest, was created to fund nine member agencies to make a difference in this difficult time.  Our community joined together and raised $42,000 for those less fortunate.

The House of Mercy provided a home for unmarried mothers and children without parents.  County and City Welfare League provided basic assistance for the unemployed.  Childcare and clothing needs were addressed by the Volunteers of America.  The Booker T. Washington Service Center worked to provide lodging and employment for African Americans.  Orphaned, abused, or neglected children found a safe haven at the Children’s Home.  The Woman’s Alliance provided shelter and employment assistance for young woman.  Beds, clothes, food and employment services were provided to those most in need by the Salvation Army.  The Boys Scouts of America worked with youth development and character.  These agencies united to create a better community.

Difficulties continued in the 30s and the Community Chest worked against all odds to raise $39,000 to assist our community by 1939.  The Columbus Orphanage and Girl Scouts were added to further the mission and assistance provided by the organization.

Needs continued to rise and during WWII, the Sioux Falls Community Chest changed its name to the Sioux Falls United Community and War Chest (1943).  The organization expanded its assistance to soldiers and relief for people in war occupied countries in addition to locally funded agencies.

As the war ended the United Fund (Way) recognized the financial situation within our community and in 1949 reduced our campaign goal to $69,000 and returned to keeping all dollars raised local.

In the 1950s the United Fund (Way) recognized the quiet but growing need for mental health care after soldiers returned from the war front.  Families were growing and on the mend; the United Fund added nearly 15 agencies to address these needs.  Presentation Children’s Home, Sister Elizabeth Kenny Foundation, YMCA, YWCA, Mental Health Association, United Defense Fund, the Red Cross, Sioux Council for Retarded Children, USA, Minnehaha County Chapter for Crippled Children and Adults, International Social Services, Family Services, and Sioux Falls Boys’ Club all joined the united campaign to keep our community strong.

In the 1960s we merged with the Community Planning Council to create a united front to better serve our community.

Four additional agencies joined our effort to better the community in the 1970s.  Sioux Vocational Services and the Children’s Inn are still pillars in our community today … serving those who cannot serve themselves. The current name of Sioux Empire United Way, Inc., was adopted at the corporate annual meeting held in February of 1971 and was based on a recommendation made in a national study conducted by Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. We, as a community, stepped up to the plate and raised an astounding $1 million in 1979. 

But in 1980 our economy suffered as the unemployment rate rose to 5% in the Sioux Empire.  The United Way fought back and reached our goal and we continued to supply the services our community so desperately needed during a recession.

As women continued to enter the workforce, the need for childcare came to the forefront.  During the 80s the United Way addressed those needs by adding after school programs, Youth Enrichment Services, childcare for mildly ill children, and a childcare initiative to keep our community moving in the right direction.

Twelve other agencies were also added during the eighties to address consumer credit issues, the increase in cancer rates, and the increasing number of senior citizens.

During the 1990s the Sioux Empire recognized the growing rate of crime as well as drug and alcohol abuse among teens, a result of a lack of activities.  We launched “Youth At Risk” providing school based mentoring as well as At-Risk Scouting, Character COUNTS!, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Special Needs After School Achievement Program, and the Temperament Project.   By uniting these agencies and programming we were able to directly address the needs of our community and improve the environment for youth now and in the future.

During the late 90s and turn of the century the importance of a child’s first years were brought to our attention.  Sioux Empire United Way launched Success By 6, a program that utilizes a variety of resources to stress the importance of a child’s first six years of life and the areas that parents, our school system, and the community can address.  We launched Ready to Read in 2001 and have since placed over 100,000 books in the hands of 10,000 children.  Our Connecting Kids Initiative began in 2003 and has given hundreds of children the opportunities to take part in activities their families can’t afford, such as swimming lessons or day camps.  And in 2004 we started Workers On Wheels a program to help older adults in our community stay in their homes by matching them with volunteers to assist with household chores and transportation.

United Way is dedicated to identifying and responding to needs in the Sioux Empire.  We strive to create opportunities for a better tomorrow, while ensuring the needs of today are also met.  Recent programs, like Family Foundations and Starting Strong in the Sioux Empire strive to ensure our community's youngest members have opportunities to thrive and develop.  And Genesis, our latest program, is connecting families who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless with volunteer mentor teams that support and provide resources to achieve long-term stability.