connecting people to possibility

dear greater Houston,

We love you.

We’ve loved you since 1922.

We’ve loved you through good times and hard times, booms and busts, disasters, triumphs, and everything in between.

We’ve loved you as you’ve become uniquely you. As you’ve nurtured a thriving arts scene, top-tier academic institutions, the largest medical center in the world, some of the most innovative and influential companies around, become a global food destination, and grown into a beautifully diverse community full of people who care deeply about each other and the place we all call home.

United Way of Greater Houston is privileged to have been part of it for the last 100 years.

In 1922, when five Houstonians got together to form Houston Community Chest, Inc., the predecessor to United Way of Greater Houston, Houston was home to just 150,000 people. The city itself was less than 100 years old. Many of our region’s landmark institutions were not yet on the horizon.

A lot has changed since then, but our commitment to the community we have served for 100 years never has.

In fact, as we enter our second century of service, that commitment is stronger than ever.

Greater Houston, we are here for you.

We are here to be a beacon of hope for all those who seek a better future. We are here to partner with families and individuals who are working hard to create the kind of lives they want. We are here to support their efforts to achieve financial stability, sustainable success, and their dreams.

And we know that when we help build up one, we help build up all.

With your support, our financial stability collaborative, United Way THRIVE, helped more than 211,000 families get on a pathway to financial stability in its first decade, including supporting 49,000 individuals with workforce development services and empowering them to earn $370 million in new wages.

We’ve raised more than $160 million to help our neighbors recover from disasters, including Tropical Storm Allison, Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Ike, and Harvey, and most recently, COVID-19 and the 2021 winter storm.

Over the last 20 years, our 211 Texas/United Way HELPLINE connected more than 15.5 million people with help, hope, and critical resources, United Way Bright Beginnings has nurtured the development of more than 15,000 children through quality early childhood education, and so much more.

None of the work we do is possible without you—the caring individuals, philanthropic organizations, and dedicated partners who work shoulder-to-shoulder with us every day to connect people to possibility.

We are so grateful to those who have been part of our first 100 years of impact, and we invite each and every member of our community to join us for the next 100, to be part of this movement and life-changing work to help our neighbors and our community prosper.

We are proud to be your United Way, the United Way of Greater Houston, and to partner with you to make sure our neighbors land on their feet—and stay there.