A Rich History of Caring and Service
For 84 years, United Way of Rockingham County has spread the mission of caring and service. The story begins with Betsy Schoellkopf Penn, wife of tobacco magnate Jeff Penn.
Betsy recognized the need for a system of supporting charities that served people in need throughout the area. She asked other community-minded individuals to join her in this effort and organize as a group. They met at her home at the Chinqua-Penn Plantation on October 21, 1927. On that day, the group charteredt as the Community Chest of Reidsville, funding several agencies in the Reidsville area. The Community Chest of Reidsville grew in size just as other such organizations around the country, eventually evolving into the single organization known today as the United Way. Not to let a good thing pass them by, caring leaders in other regions of Rockingham County created their own United Ways to support their local communities. In total, there were four United Ways operating in Rockingham County for Reidsville, Madison, Eden and Stoneville. In 1998, we saw the final merger of what is now today’s United Way of Rockingham County. At that time, United Way of Rockingham County supported 27 Partner Agencies, 40 board members and 4 employees representing, Eden, Madison/Mayodan, Reidsville, Stoneville and all of Rockingham County.
By 2000, it was clear to community members all across the county that we needed to identify the best methods for meeting challenges in our community concerning education, income and health. United Way joined with the Rockingham County Partnership for Children, the Rockingham County Government, Rockingham County Head Start and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro to conduct a study, Preparing for Tomorrow, to determine how we could address community concerns with the help of our Partner Agencies. We found through that study that our future depends on us coming together as a community to help our students be successful in school, to make sure basic needs are met, to keep our community safe and healthy, and to ensure independence and dignity for our elderly.
Since that time, United Way has been successful in launching service assistance programs that give citizens access to information and referral for all of the county’s human services agencies. We have also instituted an Outcome Based Meaurement system for funding which identifies programs that are effectively changing lives and helps programs improve their services. Through this system, our Partner Agencies demonstrate their progress toward reaching the goals of our community in quality education, financial security and good health.
In 2003, the board of directors established an endowment fund that has been instrumental in providing resources to respond to emergencies and support special initiatives not possible through the annual campaign.
Today, United Way continues to raise funds in our traditional workplace campaigns, while learning new fundraising strategies and enlisting assistance from a new generation of donors. We have implemented avenues for people to volunteer in the community and advocate for systematic change that will help keep our community strong, a great place to live and work.
There have been numerous changes in our community and our world over these 84 years. More people commute to work than ever before and technology has entered all aspects of our lives. And today, the people involved with United Way have changed. We have 3 full-time staff and 25 board members. We fund 31 programs provided by 19 Partner Agencies directly impacting over 30,000 of our community members annually. But our purpose is the same…caring for others like no other organization can. And this is how we carry on Betsy Penn’s legacy...mobilizing our community to GIVE, ADVOCATE, VOLUNTEER, and LIVE UNITED.
