United Way Kicks Off Annual Campaign to Raise Money to Help Those in Need

Every year, the United Way of Central Florida kicks off its annual campaign. It seeks to educate the public on the work it does and the agencies, organizations and people it serves while raising money to continue its mission to make Polk County a better place for all.

“The kick-off represents the official start of the workplace campaign. But, we also have an individual philanthropy team focused on engaging donors who are not part of a workplace campaign,” said Katherine Fitzwater, Director of Public Relations & Social Media. “Our mission is to inspire our community to give. To advocate and volunteer by identifying needs and mobilizing vetted resources to create positive, local change. We focus on four key areas: Youth Opportunity, Healthy Community, Financial Security and Community Resiliency.” 

This year’s theme is “United is the Way,” presented in the recent kickoff at the Bartow Civic Center. 

“It emphasizes that unity is the key to solving community challenges. Whether they’re related to disaster recovery, economic hardship, education or health,” Fitzwater said. “The theme is a call to action for individuals, businesses and organizations to come together and make a bigger impact.” 

United Way helps provide funding to numerous organizations that help those in need. This includes Volunteers in Service to the Elderly, the Speech and Hearing Center, and many more. It also operates the 211 phone line to connect people in need with resources. 

This Year’s Goal

United Way’s fundraising goal this year is $14,759,506, said Ileana Kniss, Chief Development and Marketing Officer. That’s an increase of almost $1 million over the $13,787,000 it raised last year – a number that rises every year.  

The money is raised in several ways, she said. “We review what we brought it, what amount of those dollars we believe are renewable from donors and grants, then take that number and ask, ‘What do we think we can increase? We work on a development plan that includes grants, government funding, workplace campaigns and individual giving.”

Donors who pledge $1,000 or more become part of the Leadership Giving Association and are acknowledged in several ways and invited to special events. 

There is also a Young Leaders Society for people who donate $250 and pledge to “step up” their donations by $250 a year for three additional years until they reach the $1,000 Leadership Giving level. The mission of that group, according to the United Way website, is “to inspire young adults to build community and find their purpose through philanthropy, volunteerism, leadership and mentorship.

The number of donors has decreased in the past few years, but those who are donating are giving at higher levels, Kniss said. “We’re still experiencing growth in workplace campaigns and new campaigns, such as new companies running a campaign or giving a company gift.” 

Kniss believes in United Way. “We identify the needs in our community and mobilize resources. Our community continues to grow. With that growth comes an increased need for resources.” 

In 2024, United Way helped 186,867 individuals through 78 partner agencies.

United Way Rebranding

United Way of Central Florida unveiled a new logo and messaging in May 2025. 

“This aims to better communicate our work,” Fitzwater said. “The new brand strategy seeks to clarify what United Way does, how it works and why it remains a trusted partner in community development. It emphasizes our four core impact areas. The brand refresh reflects its ability to listen and respond in real time to pressing local and global challenges — whether it’s disaster recovery or economic hardship.” 

New Leadership

Longtime community figures Weymon Snuggs and Greg Littleton of Citizens Bank & Trust have been tapped to head this year’s campaign. 

“Weymon and Greg have been incredible longtime advocates of United Way, both having served as chairman of the agency’s board,” Fitzwater said. “We are thankful they are in a position in their careers to give back a significant amount of their time to support our efforts, and we are proud to work with them.”

Join the Campaign

United Way of Central Florida’s campaign kick-off is more than the launch of a fundraiser—it’s a call to action for all of us to invest in the strength and stability of Polk County. It is not too late to join the effort by hosting a workplace campaign, companies have a unique opportunity to directly support the resources our neighbors rely on—from education and health services to financial stability programs. When businesses step up, our entire community moves forward. If your organization is ready to make a difference where it matters most, now is the time to join the movement. Contact Ileana Kniss at ileana.kniss@uwcf.org to learn more.