United Torch Services

Organized in 1957, as the United Appeal, to coordinate fund-raising for Cleveland social service agencies and charities. It was the successor to the Cleveland Community Fund (est. 1919). In 1971 it changed its name to United Torch Services. It became United Way Services in 1978.

Founded in 1900 as Committee on Benevolent Associations of Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, Cleveland, Ohio; in 1913 it joined similar organizations and became Federation for Charity and Philanthropy; in 1919 name changed to Community Fund; ca. 1941 it became War Chest; in 1947 name changed to Community Chest; in 1958 it became United Appeal; in 1971 name changed to United Torch Services; and in 1978 it became United Way Services.

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for United Way Services

United Torch Services of Greater Cleveland was formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1971. The organization is the descendant of a number of philanthropic and charitable organizations, all of which were involved in the solicitation and distribution of monies for charitable work in Cleveland.

The evolution of United Torch Services can be traced back to the Committee of Benevolent Associations of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce. Created in 1900, the Committee provided endorsements for those charities it felt to be conducting legitimate and worthwhile work in the city, thereby providing the city's philanthropists with a guide to credible welfare agencies.

The Chamber of Commerce further formalized the city's philanthropic life in 1913 when it created the Federation for Charity and Philanthropy, which replaced the Committee on Benevolent Associations. The Federation was composed of a number of the city's charitable organizations that agreed to work as a unit in soliciting funds for their work. The Federation represented a complete break from the past, not only in its unified fund drive, but also in its solicitation of funds from the entire citizenry of Cleveland, rather than from a small n umber of wealthy Clevelanders.

The Federation's fundraising function was complemented in 1914 by the formation of the Welfare Council, a body which sought to promote cooperation between public and private welfare agencies. In 1917, the Federation and the Council merged to form the Welfare Federation of Cleveland.

Further refinements in fundraising methodology were brought about by World War I. In 1917, the Red Cross and the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) National War Council agreed to conduct a joint solicitation campaign in Cleveland in an effort to save time and money. Called the "Victory Drive" or "War Chest," the campaign succeeded in raising over $6,000,000 in 1918, a figure well above the goal that had been set for the drive. Encouraged by this success, business leaders and philanthropists organized the Cleveland Community Chest, or Community Fund, as the central fundraising body for the city's charities in 1919.

The Community Chest represented the total centralization of the solicitation and funding of charitable work. Whereas the Federation for Charity and Philanthropy allowed its member organizations to continue to raise some monies on their own, the Chest was totally responsible for each agency's budget.

The Cleveland Chest, which was the first such local organization in the United States, also raised and allocated funds for some state and national welfare agencies. After the institution of the Chest, the Welfare Federation, along with the Federation of Jewish Charities (formed in 1903 to raise and distribute funds for Jewish welfare work in Cleveland) assumed all responsibility for the local allocation of the funds raised by the Chest drives.

The Community Chest greatly expanded its services during the four decades following its inception. In addition to funding a continually increasing number of affiliated welfare agencies, the Chest sought to inform the public as to the needs and functions of these agencies. The Chest, and the Welfare Federation also became more interested in the evaluation of the services of member agencies in an effort to eliminate duplication of work and waste of welfare monies.

During World War II, the Community Chest again ran an all-encompassing War Chest campaign. The experience in running this campaign, and the proliferation of post-War charitable agencies caused the Chest to again investigate the possibility of a more complete federation of charitable work in Cleveland. A study to this effect was undertaken in 1949 by a special Appeals Study Committee.

It was not until 1957, however, that any formal action was taken toward more comprehensive funding. In this year, the trustees of the Cleveland Community Fund, and the local chapter of the American Red Cross decided to conduct a joint solicitation drive under the aegis of a new organization, the United Appeal of Greater Cleveland. This organization represented solely a merger of the solicitation drives of the two agencies - in all other respects the agencies worked separately. The first United Appeal campaign (which replaced the Community Chest campaign) was conducted in 1958.

In 1971, the annual solicitation of charitable funds in Cleveland was again given a new name: the United Torch Services. The solicitation of funds in Cleveland was carried out by this agency in much the same manner, and for the same organizations, as it was under the United Appeal Campaign. In 1978, the organization changed its name to United Way Services.

United Torch Services of Greater Cleveland was formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1971. The organization is the descendant of a number of philanthropic and charitable organizations, all of which were involved in the solicitation and distribution of monies for charitable work in Cleveland.

The evolution of United Torch Services can be traced back to the Committee of Benevolent Associations of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce. Created in 1900, the Committee provided endorsements for those charities it felt to be conducting legitimate and worthwhile work in the city, thereby providing the city's philanthropists with a guide to credible welfare agencies.

The Chamber of Commerce further formalized the city's philanthropic life in 1913 when it created the Federation for Charity and Philanthropy, which replaced the Committee on Benevolent Associations. The Federation was composed of a number of the city's charitable organizations that agreed to work as a unit in soliciting funds for their work. The Federation represented a complete break from the past, not only in its unified fund drive, but also in its solicitation of funds from the entire citizenry of Cleveland, rather than from a small n umber of wealthy Clevelanders.

The Federation's fundraising function was complemented in 1914 by the formation of the Welfare Council, a body which sought to promote cooperation between public and private welfare agencies. In 1917, the Federation and the Council merged to form the Welfare Federation of Cleveland.

Further refinements in fundraising methodology were brought about by World War I. In 1917, the Red Cross and the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) National War Council agreed to conduct a joint solicitation campaign in Cleveland in an effort to save time and money. Called the "Victory Drive" or "War Chest," the campaign succeeded in raising over $6,000,000 in 1918, a figure well above the goal that had been set for the drive. Encouraged by this success, business leaders and philanthropists organized the Cleveland Community Chest, or Community Fund, as the central fundraising body for the city's charities in 1919.

The Community Chest represented the total centralization of the solicitation and funding of charitable work. Whereas the Federation for Charity and Philanthropy allowed its member organizations to continue to raise some monies on their own, the Chest was totally responsible for each agency's budget.

The Cleveland Chest, which was the first such local organization in the United States, also raised and allocated funds for some state and national welfare agencies. After the institution of the Chest, the Welfare Federation, along with the Federation of Jewish Charities (formed in 1903 to raise and distribute funds for Jewish welfare work in Cleveland) assumed all responsibility for the local allocation of the funds raised by the Chest drives.

The Community Chest greatly expanded its services during the four decades following its inception. In addition to funding a continually increasing number of affiliated welfare agencies, the Chest sought to inform the public as to the needs and functions of these agencies. The Chest, and the Welfare Federation also became more interested in the evaluation of the services of member agencies in an effort to eliminate duplication of work and waste of welfare monies.

During World War II, the Community Chest again ran an all-encompassing War Chest campaign. The experience in running this campaign, and the proliferation of post-War charitable agencies caused the Chest to again investigate the possibility of a more complete federation of charitable work in Cleveland. A study to this effect was undertaken in 1949 by a special Appeals Study Committee.

It was not until 1957, however, that any formal action was taken toward more comprehensive funding. In this year, the trustees of the Cleveland Community Fund, and the local chapter of the American Red Cross decided to conduct a joint solicitation drive under the aegis of a new organization, the United Appeal of Greater Cleveland. This organization represented solely a merger of the solicitation drives of the two agencies - in all other respects the agencies worked separately. The first United Appeal campaign (which replaced the Community Chest campaign) was conducted in 1958.

In 1971, the annual solicitation of charitable funds in Cleveland was again given a new name: the United Torch Services. The solicitation of funds in Cleveland was carried out by this agency in much the same manner, and for the same organizations, as it was under the United Appeal Campaign. In 1978, the organization changed its name to United Way Services.

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for United Way Services of Greater Cleveland