The United Way movement began in Denver. The city was paying the price of a gold and silver mining boom. Unsuccessful wealth-seekers became victims of poverty, children were orphaned by families unable to take care of them, and chronically ill people were attracted to Denver's climate.
Some residents responded by developing charities to deal with these problems, but fund raising was inefficient and costly--both in manpower and in dollars. Four ministers and a woman who headed a local human service agency came together to address a better way of meeting the needs of the poor. Out of this came an organized and effective fund raising effort and a better network of human care facilities. Thus, in 1887, the United Way movement in America was born.
The Central Council of Philanthropies, the forerunner to United Way, was formed on December 14 and played a major role in helping to avoid duplication of services and attempting to standardize human service delivery. The Council included 48 representatives from 36 agencies and organizations. In addition to commercial enterprises, Council representatives came from orphanages, churches, hospitals, charity organizations and other human service groups. Also included were 28 members-at-large and a list of ex-officio members from the mayor to the building inspector. Six original charter agencies remain today as funded agencies of United Way: Associated Charities (now Family Service of Milwaukee); Boys' Busy Life Club (now Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee); The Salvation Army; Visiting Nurse Association, YMCA and YWCA. The Council was active in early formation of child and women's labor laws.
A fund-raising organization called the Centralized Budget of Philanthropies formed and conducted the first community-wide campaign. Early goals were based on the agencies' annual budget needs, as the campaign attempted to raise all the money needed for the agencies' operating budgets. Representatives of the Central Budget determined which agencies were in good standing in the community, which provided a vital service and which were well managed. That first campaign was conducted largely by mail and raised $117,868 for 22 health and welfare agencies such as orphanages, tuberculosis sanitariums, shelters and family service agencies.
America was at war and many agencies were dealing with the influx of immigrants. Ethnic relief organizations began to appear at this time. Pre-prohibition caused a moral dilemma because many Milwaukee breweries that supported the agencies financially often were targets for criticism. Tuberculosis reached epidemic proportions and agencies mobilized to fight it. o top
 The first "Loaned Executives" came from agencies as campaign workers.
The Centralized Budget of Philanthropies became the Milwaukee Community Fund with its first paid executive director, Chalmer B. Traver.
The Community Fund exceeded its goal in 1930, but continued to lose in annual drives after that as the Great Depression took its toll. The Community Fund asked agencies to declare a moratorium on hiring to curb costs. The Central Council was forced to borrow money to meet its obligations to agencies.
The financial body (Community Fund) and planning body (Central Council of Philanthropies) joined to become the Milwaukee County Community Fund and Council of Social Agencies.op
 As the United States entered World War II, the Community Fund campaign became part of community War Chest drives.
Leaders of the AFL, CIO and the United Way movement signed documents confirming partnerships of organized labor and United Ways in community service. The local partnership was spearheaded by labor leaders Jacob Friedrick and later by Werner Schaefer.
The Milwaukee County Community Chest became the Community Welfare Council, which brought all interested organizations into the planning process to improve the community's welfare.
 The Council pressed for construction of a detention home for juveniles, proposed legislation for children and social welfare reform, and actively pushed for a School of Social Welfare at Wisconsin State Teachers College (now University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee). The Council was instrumental in revising Wisconsin Children's codes and working to establish a comprehensive treatment and diagnostic center for multi-handicapped children.
 Mequon, Thiensville and Menomonee Falls joined the Milwaukee area campaign.
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 The Community Welfare Council became United Community Services. More significantly, the Greater Milwaukee Chapter of the American Red Cross became a partner in the annual campaign with United Community Services. That first combined appeal was called the United Fund and raised 1.6 million new dollars. Brookfield, Elm Grove and Pewaukee joined the Milwaukee area campaign.
The first formal Loaned Executive program began with six companies lending one person each to the campaign. UCS was designated chief planning organization for state and federal anti-poverty efforts. New Berlin, Cedarburg, Butler, Muskego, Lisbon, Sussex, Lannon, Grafton and Germantown joined the Milwaukee area campaign (1961-1971).
UCS reorganized to fund services, not agencies.
United Community Services and United Fund campaign unified under the name United Way of Greater Milwaukee. Planning and Allocations formation created six service systems and introduced multi-year funding concept. to top
 United Way of Greater Milwaukee moved from its Wisconsin Avenue location to its present site at 225 West Vine Street in the old Schlitz Brewery stables.
The Community Donor Choice Program began, allowing donors more varied and specific ways to target their contributions.
A redesign of the allocations process included introduction of the Outcomes Project, which began to link program funding to the measurement of specific positive effects services have on peoples' lives.
For its first annual Day of Caring, United Way of Greater Milwaukee recruited more than 500 volunteers from 50 organizations to complete volunteer projects at 60 local nonprofit agencies.
After 15 years with UPAF, Sue Dragisic became the new president of United Way of Greater Milwaukee in November 1999. Sue brought with her a new focus on fund raising and great enthusiasm for building the community.
The Community Campaign raised a record-breaking $32.03 million, a 6.3% increase. United Way of Greater Milwaukee raised an additional $2 million for the September 11th Fund to support relief efforts necessitated by terrorist attacks. It was the second-highest total raised for the September 11th Fund by any community in the nation.
United Way begins re-branding the organization as a community impact leader and our community impact focus expands to include investing in programs that address the root causes of poverty. The brand repositioning resonates with donors and helps vault the campaign to over $37 million, exceeding the $36 million goal by more than a million and an increase of 5.4% over 2003.
 Northwestern Mutual becomes the first company in the history of United Way of Greater Milwaukee to donate $3 million in one campaign year.
United way of Greater Milwaukee passes the $1 billion mark in donations received since its inception.
The What Matters branding is replaced with LIVE UNITED. The new branding effort is designed by the McCann Erickson firm of New York. The intent is to be more engaging to all audiences while continuing to position United Way as the leading organization within the community to bring about lasting change with the focus of creating a good life for all.
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