By Paul Peyton
Specially written for the Westfield Leader
The Board of Trustees of the Westfield United Way have voted to end its affiliation with the national United Way and return to its original name, the Westfield United Fund, effective May 1. According to Linda Maggio, the Fund’s executive director since 1975, the United Fund will now operate independently, but will still fund 19 local human services agencies. The organization has distributed $25 million to local agencies over the past 70 years.
Organized in 1937 as the United Campaign of the Westfield Social Agencies, the organization remained independent until 1975, when they affiliated with the United Way. The organization was incorporated as the United Fund of Westfield in 1957 following a town-wide survey conducted by then Mayor Emerson Thomas.
“The Westfield United Fund’s decision to separate from the United Way of America came after a lengthy review process of the diverging missions of the two organizations, including the United Way’s plan to consolidate its local chapters into fewer agencies serving larger regions,” according to a press release issued by the United Fund. “In addition, the United Way is increasingly seeking a new focus on a limited number of national and international issues.”
According to information supplied by the United Fund, the organization first broke ties with the United Way in 1990 due to what it deemed “financial improprieties” by the national organization but rejoined the national organization a decade later.
Among the groups the United Fund supports are the Arc of Union County, CONTACT We Care, Mobile Meals and the Westfield Area Y. The United Fund has also provided hot meals, home care and transportation for seniors, as well as childcare and counseling services for families in crisis.
David Foltz, president of the United Fund Board of Trustees, said the United Fund’s mission would remain unchanged. “Our mission is helping people. That mission has, if anything, become more critical in the current economy. At a time when the national United Way is thinking globally, we are thinking locally. We want to assure our donors that dollars raised here will stay here,” Mr. Foltz said.
The United Fund’s annual allocations have gone from $172,654 in 1958 to $580,000 for charity this year. The Westfield United Fund has allocated $25.3 million since 1937. The United Way of Greater Union County (UWGUC) based out of Elizabeth, the United Way of Summit and New Providence also serves Union County, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Garwood, Mountainside, Cranford and Clark.
