United Way of the Franklin and Hampshire Region News Release – July 2021

Following 12+ months of thorough vetting and exploration, United Way of Hampshire County and United Way of Franklin County have come together to form a new organization, effective July 1, 2021.

United Way of the Franklin and Hampshire Region (UWFH) will continue to provide the support and services our communities have come to rely on from United Way. As a single entity, the unified United Way will be better positioned to meet the changing needs of our communities, having greater resources to utilize in our ongoing work to create a strong, equitable and inclusive community, especially for our neediest.

As evidenced by our experiences through the COVID pandemic, we need to be more responsive to evolving regional needs, we need to be more agile when faced with unexpected challenges, and we need to adapt to changes in donor interests and habits. A larger, more consistently staffed organization will allow for greater flexibility and resources in the areas of programming and fundraising. As a merged organization, we can build our capacity to have a larger collective impact on our greater community, and provide the stability needed to best support service agencies and remain relevant.

The United Way of the Franklin and Hampshire Region will be led by John Bidwell (current Executive Director of UWHC) and a Board of Directors (see below) that are represented equally by the original entities. Offices in Greenfield and Northampton will continue to operate as they were pre-merger. The United Way Diaper Bank will remain housed in the Greenfield location, and staff will share time between the two offices to maintain open access to the public.

Northampton Office:

71 King Street
Northampton, MA 01061
413-584-3962

Greenfield Office:

51 Davis Street, Suite 2
Greenfield, MA 01301
413-772-2168

Our Fundraising & Campaign

United Way of the Franklin and Hampshire Region will fundraise as a single organization and will implement a Community Campaign that spans Franklin and Hampshire Counties. As has always been the case, donors will have the option and flexibility to designate their giving as they see fit. However, our focus will be securing unrestricted funding to support the needs and programming of all of our partner agencies across Franklin and Hampshire counties, and the North Quabbin region.