United Way of Blount County is advancing the common good by creating opportunities for a better life for all. We all win when a child succeeds in school, when families are financially stable and when people have good health. That’s why United Way is focused on the building blocks for a better life by supporting programs that help kids succeed, strengthen and support families, promote self-sufficiency, improve people’s health, and protect community well-being. Our goal is to create lasting changes in our community by addressing the root causes of Blount County’s problems. Together, we can accomplish more than any single group can on its own. That’s what it means to LIVE UNITED. Give. Advocate. Volunteer. LIVE UNITED
Our President
Jennifer Wackerhagen,
President & CEO
Jennifer is a 1993 graduate of Alcoa High School and went on to receive her bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Tennessee in 1997. She started working at United Way in 2001 as Communications & Marketing Director and was promoted to Vice President of Resource Development in 2006. She was named President & CEO of United Way of Blount County in August 2013. She is a 2004 graduate of Leadership Blount and a 2008 graduate of East Tennessee Regional Leadership. In 2010, she received the Leadership Blount Alumni Service Award. Jennifer was also nominated for the Athena Leadership Award in 2015 and 2018.
Jennifer is thankful for the opportunity to lead United Way of Blount County. She said there’s no place she’d rather be than serving our community with a talented staff, volunteers, and her family by her side.
Meet Our Staff
Our Location
The office of United Way of Blount County is located at:
1615 East Broadway Avenue
Maryville, TN 37804
From Knoxville, take Alcoa Highway to Pellissippi Parkway (I-140 East). At the end of the parkway, turn right onto East Broadway Avenue. The United Way of Blount County Office is 2.5 miles on the right.
Our 2021 Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Bob Booker
DENSO
Chair
Kathy Johnson
CBBC
Immediate Past Chair
Regina Jennings
Pinnacle Financial Partners
Chair Elect
Jeff Ingle
Maryville College
Secretary/Treasurer
Kelly Love
Kizer & Black Attorneys
Community Impact Chair
Kevin Painter
LeConte Wealth Management, LLC
Campaign Chair
Jane Groff
City of Maryville
Director at Large
Christi Sayles
Pinkstaff, Simpson, & Headrick, PC
Director at Large
Members of the Board
Jennifer Coffin
SmartBank
Amy Cowden
Blount County Mayor’s Office
Caitlin Darras
Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority
Keith Edmonds
Pinnacle Financial Partners
Cory Everett
Blount Memorial Hospital
Rosemary Garland
Arconic
Kim Golly
Shannondale
Mike Hearon
First Horizon
Katie Powers
Blackberry Farm
Deb Skyler
Maryville City Schools
Andy Sonner
WSP Global, Inc.
Chris Soro
C2RL, Inc.
Abhijit “AV” Verekar
Avero Advisors
Kurt Wilkerson
Clayton
Alex Willard
LeConte Wealth Management, LLC
Our History
Chartered in June 1954, Mr. H.L. Miller became the first President of United Community Fund of Blount County’s Board of Directors. The board began planning a fall campaign right away. Mr. Dick Goddard was asked to be the Campaign Chairman for this young and growing charity organization. In that year, $86,150 was raised to assist 14 agencies that provided help to hundreds of people in our community.
In 1973, the Board of Directors voted to change the organization’s name to United Way of Blount County (UWBC). That year $229,132 was raised under the leadership of Campaign Chair Dean Stone. That money helped 17 agencies make a difference in the lives of people of Blount County. In 1997, UWBC began program funding, and over 50 people participated in the allocations process. UWBC celebrated their 50th Anniversary in 2004. That year, UWBC moved into a new facility and the campaign raised $1,850,424 for our partner agencies with the help of our Campaign Chair Greg McClain and a host of volunteers.
In 2008, UWBC hired new President & CEO Michelle Hankes following Sandra Davis’ retirement after 17 years with United Way. In that same year, volunteers began to spearhead an incentive to create measurable goals to improve self-sufficiency, education and health in Blount County. Over 75 people attended focus groups and created 5 year goals and prioritized sub-categories for each benchmark and community need.
In 2013, UWBC hired new President & CEO Jennifer Wackerhagen, who most recently was Vice President of Resource Development at United Way of Blount County. That same year, United Way raised over $2 million in the annual campaign.
UWBC fights for the health, education and self-sufficiency of every person in Blount County.
To view our Daily Times insert highlighting our 60th anniversary, click here!
Accountability
Click here for the
2020 Financial Statement
Certification
Click here for the
IRS tax exempt
determination letter
Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
At United Way of Blount County, we believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are critical to achieving our mission to improve lives in our community.
We oppose all forms of discrimination. We recognize diversity as an asset that enables our organization to understand and value differences. We actively seek collaborations with differing identities, including race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, religion, and age. By bringing together individuals with unique backgrounds, experiences, and ideologies, we can collectively and more effectively address the issues facing our community.
Equity ensures everyone access to a healthy, well educated, and self-sufficient life. We recognize that structural advantages and barriers exist, and that, as a result, we all do not start from the same place. Equity is a process that continues to address the imbalance, and we are devoted to actively participating in this crucial process. We place a priority on the most vulnerable in Blount County with our investments and partnerships, including offering educational opportunities and cross sector trainings for all nonprofits serving our local community.
We strive to maintain a collaborative, supportive, and respectful environment that increases the participation and contribution of all. Our United Way values inclusion – the active, intentional, and ongoing engagement with diversity within a culture that enables all people to be welcomed, valued, respected, and heard. Through partnerships with nonprofits, local government, businesses, community advocates and volunteers, we are building a just and fair community in which all can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential. The United Way of Blount County Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, and community partners must reflect and genuinely demonstrate these core values because diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the heart of what it means to Live United.
