A Little About Us
In 1954 a group of community leaders came together and created an organization they called "Valdosta Community Chest". This was an effort to raise funds to address serious issues in the city of Valdosta and all of Lowndes County. Their first campaign netted $94,712.37 that went to 8 different agencies addressing the issues the group had identified. From 1954 until today, the agency became known as the United Way and has grown to serve 23 local nonprofits.
From 1954 until today, this organization has raised over $35 Million that has been used to make the Greater Valdosta United Way a premier human services support organization. Through the hard work and dedication of numerous businesses, clubs, and individuals, we have made a difference in the lives of thousands of individuals and families.
Over the past 65 years, the Greater Valdosta United Way has strived to support, implement, organize and lead programs that improve people's lives. We serve the citizens of Atkinson, Bacon, Berrien, Brooks, Clinch, Coffee, Echols, Jeff Davis, Lanier, Lowndes and Ware Counties and currently fund over 44 social service programs through 23 nonprofits as well as coordinate hundreds of volunteers annually.
Mission
Improve People's Lives By Mobilizing the Caring Power of Our Community.
Vision
To Better the Lives of All Our Community Members.
Focus
Advocating the Common Good by Investing in Education, Income, and Health - the Building Blocks for a Good Quality of Life and Strong Community.
Everyone deserves opportunities to have a good life: a quality education that leads to a stable job, enough income to support a family through retirement, and good health. We stand for helping, hopefulness, and optimism. We create, invest in, and facilitate partnerships to effect maximum community impact. We address critical community needs. That’s why the Greater Valdosta United Ways’ work is focused on the building blocks for a good life: Education, Income, and Health.
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The United Way has adopted three Community Goals that keep education, income, and health in mind, while providing the sharpened focus necessary for creating the kind of strategic investments and actions that can make a bigger difference in the lives of our community members. We can improve lives by activating the caring power of the community to achieve those goals that will create lasting changes in community conditions.