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Main Content

UNITED WAY OF GREATER KNOXVILLE

2018 ANNUAL REPORT

Meet Our People

A LETTER FROM OUR BOARD CHAIR, MR. DAVID BRACE

David Brace
I’d like to begin by thanking each and every donor and volunteer for donating your valuable time, hard earned dollars, and countless efforts in working with the United Way of Greater Knoxville this year. There are many ways to give back to a community, but you all chose the United Way, and your trust couldn’t be more appreciated. Your commitment to this incredible organization and the Knoxville community over the last year has been overwhelming. It has been not only a great pleasure, but a great honor to serve as your board chair over this last year.
In 2018, the United Way of Greater Knoxville supported 119 programs through 56 partner agencies. Through those programs and the efforts of over 1,000 volunteers, I’m proud to say that we positively impacted the lives of over 173,000 people in our great community – almost double the capacity of Neyland Stadium!
2018 was certainly a year of great success for United Way.
But that doesn’t mean our work is finished. As the community will continue to grow, so should our efforts to help it. While we may have helped thousands of people, still so many require our efforts and support. This means that our community needs still exceed the resources and funds we’ve raised. With that information, I issue a challenge to all members to try and make an even greater impact in the community next year. I challenge us all to do more for this great community so that it can grow, and thrive.
Thank you all again for your hard work in 2018. I’m confident that you will all join me again next year to help make 2019 an even better year for the Knoxville community.
Mr. David Brace
Board Chair
2017-2019

OUR IMPACT IN 2018

We supported 119 local programs through 56 partner agencies and impacted more than 173,000 lives in our community.

That's more than can fit in Neyland Stadium.

 

Click below to learn more:

Health

Working to improve peoples health outcomes

Education

Helping children and young adults achieve their full potential

Financial Stability

Providing financial stability and independence

Knoxville Skyline

We raised $12,001,969 in 2018!

A LETTER FROM OUR CAMPAIGN CHAIR, DR. JIMMY CHEEK

Campaign Chair, Dr. Jimmy Cheek
When I began the 2018 United Way of Greater Knoxville Campaign as Campaign Chair, I made it my goal to ask our partners and friends for 10% more this year. Coaches tell their athletes all the time that you have to give 110% in order to be successful, and I wanted to apply that method to our campaign.
In 2018, the United Way of Greater Knoxville helped over 173,000 people – that’s almost double the capacity of Neyland Stadium! That incredible impact is entirely due to companies, groups, and individuals following through on giving 10% more this year. The more our community gives, the more our community receives; and we are so grateful to everyone that has given in the past year.
Though my time as Campaign Chair is drawing to a close, I will continue to be a close friend and partner of the United Way, and I encourage everyone to follow my lead and keep this good work going. Though we have made great strides in the amount of people we helped this year, there is always more to be done – and I look forward to helping United Way of Greater Knoxville do it.
With our volunteer spirit, the Knoxville community can become the best it can be. We just need you!
Sincerely,
Jimmy G. Cheek
2018 Campaign Chair

OUR 2018 HIGHLIGHTS

2018 Campaign Kickoff at Neyland Stadium

Students in Power T in Neyland Stadium

We kicked off our 2018 Campaign at Neyland Stadium and had a blast! Our volunteers, friends, and community partners joined us to start off the fundraising season and got exclusive tours of the football locker rooms and more. We had the wonderful opportunity to commemorate the event with a picture on the field in Neyland – an experience we won’t be soon to forget!

2018’s Annual Dodgeball Y’all Tournament

Dodgeball Y'all Tournament

This year’s Dodgeball Y’all tournament was one for the books! The tournament this year was held in Thompson-Boling Arena, and the teams joined the ranks of many great athletes to have battled it out on the arena floor. Our volunteers and teams had an awesome time, and it was all for a great cause!

Alexis de Tocqueville Society Dinner

Alexis de Tocqueville Society Dinner

For this year’s annual Alexis de Tocqueville Society Dinner, Former Governor Bill Haslam and Mrs. Crissy Haslam joined us, regaled us with stories, and answered our questions! Having the Haslams take time out of their busy schedules for us was a wonderful treat, and there’s no better way for us to thank our incredible Society members for all that they do! If you are interested in the Alexis de Tocqueville Society, you can find more information here.

1922 Society Boots n’ BBQ

1922 Society Boots n' BBQ

We were delighted that Songwriters in the Round could come and entertain us for our first 1922 Society Boots n’ BBQ event! With good food, great music, and our fantastic volunteers, we had a great night. We’re so grateful to be able to thank our 1922 members for their hard work and dedication to our community! If you are interested in the 1922 Society, you can find more information here.

The 5th Annual Great Conversation

The 5th Annual Great Conversation

In 2018, we hosted our Fifth Annual Great Conversation, and it was a blast! Established movers and shakers in the Knoxville community took time to sit down with young professionals and answer all of their questions. It’s an incredibly opportunity for those in the rising workforce to learn from others’ experience, and make valuable connections in their fields! This is our favorite networking event, and we can’t wait for round six!

Salesforce Philanthropy Cloud

Salesforce Philanthropy Cloud

We are so excited to announce that in 2018, we officially signed on to join the United Way- Salesforce partnership platform that inspires, connects, and empowers social change. Salesforce Philanthropy Cloud is the future of philanthropic giving, and the platform is designed to streamline aid and facilitate Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives in business all over our community. Please click here to learn more!

A LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT, MR. BEN LANDERS

UWGK President, Ben LandersDo we ever really think about what we have here in the Greater Knoxville Area? Do we think about who and what helped build this community? We are standing on the shoulders of thousands of volunteers, donors, and partner agencies who have come before us. They made great contributions of their time, talents, and money in an effort to sustain and construct this community, and we are following in their footsteps. The United Way of Greater Knoxville has played a vital role in maintaining the foundation of health and human service support here; and while we’re very proud of our accomplishments in this community, there is still much to be done. We still have our share of social challenges. 2018 was our 96th year in Knox County, and every moment was spent focusing on how to improve conditions for all of our people – and we’re not done yet.
The United Way concept was dreamt and built 131 years ago by three clergy members and a passionately philanthropic woman in Denver, Colorado. They became a citizens’ activist group and together vowed to ease human suffering in their community. They raised awareness about the issues, raised money to grant out to agencies and partners, and raised hope for every person and life that they touched. While that concept lives on today, the manner in which we accomplish our goals will change. As some volunteer and donor groups move on, others will step up – and how we connect with them will, too. But above all, we will remain a vibrant, listening, and responsive organization fighting for improvements in health, education, and financial stability.
So we say thank-you so much to the people who donate their time, talent, and treasure to United Way. In 2018, thousands of people chose United Way as their way to give back and make a lasting impact on our community, and we could not be more grateful to be the trusted custodians and change-makers in Knox County. Your support and dedication have never been so vital as we tackle new problems all in an effort to make this community the best it can be.
Finally, if you want to see this work in action, let us show you how together we change lives. Please call on us to show you just how much of a difference we all make in our community. After all – to live better, we must Live United!
Ben Landers
President

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United Way of Greater Knoxville

1301 Hannah Ave. Knoxville, TN 37921

865.523.9131

info@unitedwayknox.org

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