United Way expands efforts in North Idaho

On Sept. 17, 1957, a group of Coeur d’Alene-area businessmen, led by Carl Gridley, adopted the national model for communitywide fundraising. At that time, a photo of these men was published by The Press announcing a community meeting that started the United Crusade of Coeur d’Alene.

Over the years, the group grew and the community realized more people were being served, and helping, than just within Coeur d’Alene. So in 1979, the name United Crusade of Kootenai County was adopted. A decade later, local efforts followed national branding and became United Way of Kootenai County.

Now, nearly 60 years after United Way’s founding in Coeur d’Alene, service to a growing region is once again being recognized.

United Way Worldwide assigns every ZIP code in the United States to a United Way to ensure all communities are served. United Way of Kootenai County has been allocated all five northern counties of Idaho for several years and will now reflect such with the name United Way of North Idaho.

There are 1,600 United Ways in the United States. Each chapter is its own nonprofit organization, governed by its own board of directors, serving each community as needed. Funding decisions are all local, and funds raised locally stay local. Therefore, as United Way grows in each North Idaho community, the agency’s intent is to develop county by county funds for investing in their communities.

The goal of United Way is to connect people to resources, to connect nonprofits to funding, and connect companies and individuals in the community to volunteer opportunities and financial investments that will make the biggest impact. United Way relies on local volunteers, companies, and nonprofits to help to make a difference in each of the five counties it serves.

With that in mind, United Way of North Idaho is already developing working relationships with collaborations such as Sandpoint Community Resource Center serving Bonner and Boundary counties and the Silver Valley Day of Hope, which will bring together resources in Shoshone County.

“It is not our intention to have Kootenai County fundraising be spread into the five northern counties, but to grow each county to raise funds where they are, and provide much-needed resources locally,” said Mark Tucker, executive director. “One of the greatest things about the structure of United Way is that all governance, management, fundraising, and funding decisions are made locally. So we want to ensure that happens at the county level as well.”

With this expansion, United Way is eager to find individuals, companies, and nonprofits who are currently working in any of the five northern counties. In order for United Way of North Idaho to improve lives, the organization must first build partnerships and make connections to replicate the work being done in other communities. Those interested in any type of partnership, are asked to contact United Way of North Idaho at (208) 667-8112 or email info@unitedwayofnorthidaho.org.