United Way of Cass-Clay Records
Collection
Identifier: MSS 254
Scope and Contents
The records of the United Way of Cass-Clay consist of meeting minutes, annual reports, newspaper clippings, correspondence and scrapbooks. They document the development of United Way beginning with the Community Welfare Association in the 1920s. The records are the most complete beginning in the 1960s, although the scrapbook series is quite complete and dates back to 1912 and the Fargo Union Mission. This collection has been organized into thirteen series: Annual Reports, Community Welfare Association, Council of Welfare Agencies, Council of Social Agencies, Board of Trustees, Finance Committee, Budget Committee, Miscellaneous committees, Associated organization, Newspaper clippings, Correspondence, General files, and Scrapbooks.
The meeting minutes in this collection have been placed with the respective organization or committee, the Community Welfare Association, 1927-1958, Council of Welfare Agencies 1928-1955, and the Council of Social Agencies, 1955-1958. The Council of Welfare Agencies and the Council of Social Agencies were competing welfare funds that existed in Fargo before they dissolved in the 1950s. The meeting minutes of the United Fund committees from 1958 to 1996 have been organized by their various committees. Meeting minutes of the Board of Trustees, Budget and Finance Committees were placed in separate series. Other committees’ records were minimal and thus combined into one series. Meeting minutes of the United Fund of Moorhead and The United Community Council have been place together also.
Newspaper clippings, if loose, were placed together in chronological order. Newspaper clippings found in scrapbooks were maintained in their original order and placed together in the collection. The correspondence found in this collection was placed together in chronological order. Other miscellaneous documents include constitutions and by-laws along with various “facts and information sheets” produced by United Way.
The Annual Reports Series contains the meeting minutes of the annual meeting of United Way of Cass-Clay from 1958 to 1993 (with some gaps), and the meeting minutes of the Moorhead United Fund from 1959 to 1964. The series also contains the annual reports published by the United Way of Cass-Clay from 1965 to 1996.
The Community Welfare Association Series contains meeting minutes of the general meetings and meeting minutes of the Budget Committee, Board of Trustees, and the Executive Committee. This series covers the years 1927-1958.
The Council of Welfare Agencies Series contains the general meeting minutes for the years 1928-1955. Specific committees are included in the general meeting minutes and therefore could not be segregated. The Meeting Minutes for Feb. 9, 1928-Sept. 27, 1935, have an edited typed version of the original.
The Council of Social Agencies Series contains a small number of meeting minutes from the years 1955-1965. No individual committee reports were found for this council. The Board of Trustees Series contains meeting minutes of Board meetings from 1960-1995. This series also contains the United Fund of Moorhead Board of Directors meeting minutes from 1958-1964. The Finance Committee Series contains meeting minutes of the United Way Finance Committee from the years 1957-1992.
The Budget Committee Series contains meeting minutes of the United Way Budget Committee for the years 1960- 1982 and meeting minutes of the United Fund of Moorhead Budget Committee from the years 1959-1961. This series also contains the balance sheets and allocation sheets from the years 1960-1982.
The Miscellaneous Committees Series contains the meeting minutes of various committees. These files contain only scattered meeting minutes from the Executive Committee, Planning Committee, Fund Distribution Committee, MAP Committee, Office Space Review Committee, Personnel Committee, and Needs Assessment Committee. The Associated Organization Committee Series contains the meeting minutes of the regular meetings of the United Fund of Fargo, 1958-1962, and the United Community Council from 1971 to 1972.
The Newspaper Clippings Series contains newspaper clippings that were not placed into scrapbooks. These clippings span from 1962 to 1982.
The Correspondence Series contains the incoming and outgoing correspondence of the United Way from 1928 to 1992, and is very incomplete.
The General Files Series contains fliers, pamphlets, forms, and even a musical score written by United Fund worker Jim Baccus titled “Lets Give Far-Moor.” This file also contains various constitutions and by-laws of the organization.
The Scrapbooks Series contains thirty scrapbooks. These scrapbooks largely contain newspaper clippings that document both local and national United Way activities, meetings and news. They cover the Fargo Union Mission as far back as 1912 and up to 1996 for the United Way of Cass-Clay. They apparently were compiled and maintained by United Way staff over the years.
The meeting minutes in this collection have been placed with the respective organization or committee, the Community Welfare Association, 1927-1958, Council of Welfare Agencies 1928-1955, and the Council of Social Agencies, 1955-1958. The Council of Welfare Agencies and the Council of Social Agencies were competing welfare funds that existed in Fargo before they dissolved in the 1950s. The meeting minutes of the United Fund committees from 1958 to 1996 have been organized by their various committees. Meeting minutes of the Board of Trustees, Budget and Finance Committees were placed in separate series. Other committees’ records were minimal and thus combined into one series. Meeting minutes of the United Fund of Moorhead and The United Community Council have been place together also.
Newspaper clippings, if loose, were placed together in chronological order. Newspaper clippings found in scrapbooks were maintained in their original order and placed together in the collection. The correspondence found in this collection was placed together in chronological order. Other miscellaneous documents include constitutions and by-laws along with various “facts and information sheets” produced by United Way.
The Annual Reports Series contains the meeting minutes of the annual meeting of United Way of Cass-Clay from 1958 to 1993 (with some gaps), and the meeting minutes of the Moorhead United Fund from 1959 to 1964. The series also contains the annual reports published by the United Way of Cass-Clay from 1965 to 1996.
The Community Welfare Association Series contains meeting minutes of the general meetings and meeting minutes of the Budget Committee, Board of Trustees, and the Executive Committee. This series covers the years 1927-1958.
The Council of Welfare Agencies Series contains the general meeting minutes for the years 1928-1955. Specific committees are included in the general meeting minutes and therefore could not be segregated. The Meeting Minutes for Feb. 9, 1928-Sept. 27, 1935, have an edited typed version of the original.
The Council of Social Agencies Series contains a small number of meeting minutes from the years 1955-1965. No individual committee reports were found for this council. The Board of Trustees Series contains meeting minutes of Board meetings from 1960-1995. This series also contains the United Fund of Moorhead Board of Directors meeting minutes from 1958-1964. The Finance Committee Series contains meeting minutes of the United Way Finance Committee from the years 1957-1992.
The Budget Committee Series contains meeting minutes of the United Way Budget Committee for the years 1960- 1982 and meeting minutes of the United Fund of Moorhead Budget Committee from the years 1959-1961. This series also contains the balance sheets and allocation sheets from the years 1960-1982.
The Miscellaneous Committees Series contains the meeting minutes of various committees. These files contain only scattered meeting minutes from the Executive Committee, Planning Committee, Fund Distribution Committee, MAP Committee, Office Space Review Committee, Personnel Committee, and Needs Assessment Committee. The Associated Organization Committee Series contains the meeting minutes of the regular meetings of the United Fund of Fargo, 1958-1962, and the United Community Council from 1971 to 1972.
The Newspaper Clippings Series contains newspaper clippings that were not placed into scrapbooks. These clippings span from 1962 to 1982.
The Correspondence Series contains the incoming and outgoing correspondence of the United Way from 1928 to 1992, and is very incomplete.
The General Files Series contains fliers, pamphlets, forms, and even a musical score written by United Fund worker Jim Baccus titled “Lets Give Far-Moor.” This file also contains various constitutions and by-laws of the organization.
The Scrapbooks Series contains thirty scrapbooks. These scrapbooks largely contain newspaper clippings that document both local and national United Way activities, meetings and news. They cover the Fargo Union Mission as far back as 1912 and up to 1996 for the United Way of Cass-Clay. They apparently were compiled and maintained by United Way staff over the years.
Dates
- 1912-2001
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the NDSU Archives.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyrights to this collection is held by The North Dakota State University Archives.
Biographical / Historical
The first organization in Fargo, N.D. that sought to coordinate a community wide effort to help meet human service needs was the Community Welfare Association. Started in 1927 this organization solicited funds from the community and operated a Community Chest that distributed these funds to some twenty different organizations. The American Red Cross, Boy Scouts, Camp Fire Girls, YMCA, YWCA, and the Salvation Army were some of the organizations that received money from this Community Chest. The Community Welfare Association raised $68,397 during their first campaign in 1927 but the economic downturn after 1929 made building on this initial success difficult. The Community Welfare Association exceeded their 1927 campaign total only once during the next 13 years. World War II precipitated, among other things, an economic upturn in the country and this was reflected in the funds that the Community Welfare Association was able to raise. The Community Chest was called the War Chest from 1942 to 1945, and the association campaigns were able to raise over $100,000 during these years. After 1950 the association saw consistently larger amounts of funds raised. The 1950 campaign was able to raise just over $100,000 and by 1973 the campaign raised $500,000. By the year 2000 the campaign raised 2.7 million dollars.
The mission of working effectively with people and resources to meet the human service needs of the community has not changed since 1927 but the organization has changed over the years. In 1957 the Community Welfare Association became the United Fund of Fargo. In 1958 Moorhead organized a united fund in their community. In 1964 the Moorhead and Fargo United Funds merged to become the United Fund of Fargo-Moorhead. In 1967 the organization became the United Fund of Fargo-Moorhead-Dilworth when Dilworth, Minnesota joined. In 1973 the United Fund changed its name to the United Way and in 1974 West Fargo joined the organization. In 1976 the United Way of Fargo-Moorhead-Dilworth-West Fargo became United Way of Cass-Clay.
As of the year 2000 the funds raised by the United Way of Cass-Clay support fifty-two human service programs through thirty-six-member agencies. The continually increasing support of the organization by the Fargo and Moorhead communities reflects their ability to organize volunteers and staff and direct resources to serve the people of Cass and Clay counties.
The mission of working effectively with people and resources to meet the human service needs of the community has not changed since 1927 but the organization has changed over the years. In 1957 the Community Welfare Association became the United Fund of Fargo. In 1958 Moorhead organized a united fund in their community. In 1964 the Moorhead and Fargo United Funds merged to become the United Fund of Fargo-Moorhead. In 1967 the organization became the United Fund of Fargo-Moorhead-Dilworth when Dilworth, Minnesota joined. In 1973 the United Fund changed its name to the United Way and in 1974 West Fargo joined the organization. In 1976 the United Way of Fargo-Moorhead-Dilworth-West Fargo became United Way of Cass-Clay.
As of the year 2000 the funds raised by the United Way of Cass-Clay support fifty-two human service programs through thirty-six-member agencies. The continually increasing support of the organization by the Fargo and Moorhead communities reflects their ability to organize volunteers and staff and direct resources to serve the people of Cass and Clay counties.
Extent
8 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Overview
The records of the United Way of Cass-Clay consist of meeting minutes, annual reports, newspaper clippings, correspondence and scrapbooks. They document the development of United Way beginning with the Community Welfare Association in the 1920s. The records are the most complete beginning in the 1960s, although the scrapbook series is quite complete and dates back to 1912 and the Fargo Union Mission. This collection has been organized into thirteen series: Annual Reports, Community Welfare Association, Council of Welfare Agencies, Council of Social Agencies, Board of Trustees, Finance Committee, Budget Committee, Miscellaneous committees, Associated organization, Newspaper clippings, Correspondence, General files, and Scrapbooks.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by United Way of Cass-Clay, 2000, (Acc. 2595).
Separated Materials
Cassette tape (moved to Institute for Regional Studies cassette tape collection)
582 1967-1968 Testimonials
583 1976 Thanks To You United Way
584 United Way Gov. Link Remarks 9-29-1976
585 United Way Original, 1977
586 United Way Appt. Call L.E. Training, 1977
587 Reach Out, 1978
588 United Way Guy Slide Show, 1979
589 Your Gift of Today, 1980
590 United Way of Cass-Clay 1980 Slide Presentation 10/3/1980
591 Because the Need is There, 1981 Slide Show
592 Do You Ever Wonder? Slide Presentation 1982
593 United Fund 1985 Tribute to U.W. Volunteers
594 You Light Up My Life, 1985 Slide Show – Kyrie Sandum
595 United Way of Cass-Clay 1987 Campaign
596 United Way of Cass-Clay 1987 PSA Radio Cuts
597 The 1989 Radio Advertising Campaign Spots
598 United Way of Cass Clay 1994 PSA
599 1995 United Way Communications Contest Campaign Advertisement – Radio
600 United Way of Cass-Clay 1995 Radio Commercials, 9/11/95
601 Unite Way of Cass Clay “Because You Care”, n.d
602 United Way of Cass Clay “Last Year”, n.d.
603 United Way “I Can’t” Soundtrack, n.d.
604 United Way – Endorsements, n.d.
Video tapes (Added to the Institute Video Tape Collection)
“United Way: It Could Be Me”
“United We Are … 1997 Campaign Video”
“United We Are … 1998 Campaign Video”
Legal Status
The NDSU Archives owns the property rights to this collection.
- Title
- Finding Aid to the United Way of Cass-Clay Records
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Institute for Regional Studies Repository
Contact:
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu