Our Mission
To unite people and resources of Western Nebraska to build a stronger, healthier and more compassionate community.
Our History
In 1945 a small group of volunteer businessmen formed the Scottsbluff Community Chest, now known as United Way of Western Nebraska, an independent fundraising association, its purpose was to raise funds for ten prominent community charities. The first campaign raised $26,359, which which was distributed among those ten agencies. Throughout the years, other agencies have joined our association. Agency names changed, agencies merged and some simply no longer exist. Today there are 16 partner agencies through the main office, including one of the original agencies, Boy Scouts of America, 10 partner agencies in Box Butte County and 3 partner agencies in Dawes County.
As population has grown, so has the needs of our community. United Way of Scotts Bluff County was formed to help meet many of those growing needs. In 2004, the organization expanded to cover more of the Nebraska panhandle becoming United Way of Western Nebraska. Due to the specific needs in the Alliance area, United Way of Western Nebraska was opened soon after. In 2016, the service area of Box Butte County was expanded to include Dawes County. 2022 led to a comprehensive approach of serving the needs of all 11 counties in the United Way of Western Nebraska service area plus Goshen County, WY.
In 2020-2021, $467,352 was raised in the annual campaign. The United Way of Western Nebraska with a service area of Cheyenne, Morrill and Scotts Bluff Counties raised $373,747 of that total with Box Butte and Dawes Counties raising $93,605. Since our humble beginning the United Way of Western Nebraska has raised more than $12,330,000 to help those in need and in building a stronger, healthier and more compassionate community...the United Way!
Our Service Area
United Way of Western Nebraska has two offices to better assist the communities we serve. The main office is at 1517 Broadway, Suite 106 in Scottsbluff with a satellite office at 723 Flack in Alliance. United Way of Western Nebraska serves the following counties:
Banner County
Box Butte County
Dawes County
Cheyenne County
Deuel County
Garden County
Kimball County
Morrill County
Scotts Bluff County
Sheridan County
Sioux County
Goshen County, WY