Recognizing the 100th Anniversary of the United Way of Tarrant County

Floor Speech

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Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the United Way of Tarrant County as it celebrates its 100th anniversary. In 1922, the Fort Worth Community Chest was created when a group of local leaders came together to merge the fundraising efforts from a variety of different charity organizations. These community leaders recognized that working together, united-as-one, was a superior strategy as opposed to competing against each other for charitable resources. This early non-profit organization was the forerunner of today's United Way of Tarrant County.

From its inception, the new organization focused on key initiatives to not only identify problems faced by Tarrant County residents, but to also address the reasons the problems exist in the first place. They have forged crucial partnerships with key community stakeholders. Engaging local governments, fellow non-profits, corporations, and small businesses to collectively combat county-wide challenges pertaining to education, financial stability, and community health. Continuing its growth and assistance to communities, the organization hit a major milestone in 1973, when it became officially known as the ``United Way of Metropolitan Tarrant County''.

The United Way of Tarrant County continues to empower residents, donors, volunteers, businesses, and other groups who provide crucial support to enable the organization to fulfill its mission to improve the overall quality of life for those in need. Through building trust and relationships with the community, the United Way has always encouraged residents to unite together in order to further worthwhile change and build stronger communities.

I would like to express my admiration and well wishes as this worthwhile humanitarian organization celebrates its centennial. The United Way of Tarrant County is holding its celebratory ``Get United Day'' event on Thursday, November 17, 2022, at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas in honor of the 100th anniversary of its founding. The United Way has had a tremendously positive impact on the well-being of Tarrant County's citizens and will undoubtedly do so for decades to come.

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