Inventory

Community Chest of Terre Haute
Dates:  1919-1983
Accession Number:  891215
Donor:  John G. Ragle
Description:  Eight document cases

History

The Welfare League of Terre Haute was organized on September 29, 1919 by representatives from a number of social welfare agencies in the community.  Its objectives were to improve the operations of individual agencies by promoting cooperation between them and eliminating duplicative efforts.  Fund raising for member agencies became centralized through the Welfare League and one unified appeal for financial support replaced the smaller, individual campaigns. 

The Community Chest of Terre Haute may be viewed as the outgrowth of the earlier Welfare League.  It was established as a non-profit organization in April 1942.  The Articles of Incorporation describe the organization's main purpose as promoting "cooperation between social agencies in Terre Haute, Indiana, and the citizens of the community in the interest of financial support of such agencies and the effective planning and execution of the social service program of this community." 

Over the years, the Chest has provided administrative and financial support to a variety of social welfare agencies within the community.  In September 1957, the United Appeal, Inc. was formed to raise funds for agencies in the Community Chest as well as for the local chapter of the American Red Cross.  With the establishment of this new organization (which was broader in scope), the Chest's new responsibilities gradually diminished.  In an effort to centralize all fund raising and administrative functions, the United Appeal assumed campaign responsibilities, reviewed budgets, and disbursed funds to individual agencies.  In 1959, the Community Chest's board was reduced to three members whose responsibilities were limited to the administration of trusts and bequests. 

The United Appeal has undergone two name changes. In April 1959, the name United Fund was adopted, but today the organization is known as the United Way.  It continues to coordinate fund raising and administrative activities for social service agencies in the Wabash Valley.

Content and Scope of Collection

This collection contains administrative and financial records of the Community Chest of Terre Haute from its inception to the 1980s.  Also included are the original minutes of the Welfare League of Terre Haute and the early minute books of the United Appeal/United Fund which reveal their relationship with the Community Chest. 

The collection is organized roughly in chronological order by type of record.  There has been an attempt to maintain the order and organization of the Community Chest files as they were received.  Consequently, correspondence files contain financial information and financial records contain correspondence regarding budgetary matters. 

Minutes chronicle Community Chest activities as well as list board members and membership agencies.  Tax records give a record of Chest employees over a period of time.  Of special note is material on the Phillis Wheatley Association.  This was a member organization of the Welfare League which was established in 1923 to meet the social needs of young black women in the community. 

For collections of related material, see: United Way: Audit Records of Agencies, Accession Number 840906.

Document Case 1
Loose	The Welfare League of Terre Haute: Minutes (bound volume)		Sept. 29,1919- Dec. 31, 1927
Folder 1	Phillis Wheatley Association: By-Laws; Articles of Incorporation		1923-1926
Folder 2	Community Chest of Terre Haute:
		Articles & Certificate of Incorporation (copies)	April 1942
		Articles & Certificate of Amendment (copies)	April 1959
		Typescript copies of news articles re: reorganization of Community Chest	1959
		Revised by-laws	1965
		List of Board of Directors (1958-1976)	1976
Folder 3	Community Chest: Constitution and By-Laws; Constitution Committee Records		1942-1965
Folder 4	Community Chest: Agreements with Indiana War Fund, Inc.		1943-1945
Loose	Community Chest: Minutes (bound volume)		March 2, 1942- Nov. 25, 1946
Loose	Community Chest: Minutes (bound volume)		Feb. 6, 1947 Feb. 23, 1949
Document Case 2
Loose	Community Chest: Minutes (bound volume)		Feb 28, 1949- Dec. 31, 1952
Folder 1	Community Chest: Minutes Book Jan. 1953-Dec. 1956		1953
Folder 2	Community Chest: Minutes Book Jan. 1953-Dec. 1956		1954
Folder 3	Community Chest: Minutes Book Jan. 1953-Dec. 1956		1955
Folder 4	Community Chest: Minutes Book Jan. 1953-Dec. 1956		1956
Folder 5	Community Chest: Minutes Book Jan. 31, 1957-March 31, 1959		1957
Folder 6	Community Chest: Minutes Book Jan. 31, 1957-March 31, 1959		1958
Folder 7	Community Chest: Minutes Book Jan. 31, 1957-March 31, 1959		1959
Folder 8	Community Chest: Minutes		1959-1963
Folder 9	Community Chest: Minutes		1965-1980
Folder 10	Correspondence		1942-1953
Folder 11	Correspondence		1958-1959
Folder 12	Correspondence		1960-1963
Folder 13	Correspondence		1964-1966
Document Case 3
Folder 1	Correspondence		1967-1969
Folder 2	Correspondence		1970
Folder 3	Correspondence		1971
Folder 4	Correspondence		1972-1973
Folder 5	Correspondence		1974-1975
Folder 6	Correspondence		1976
Folder 7	Correspondence		1977
Folder 8	Correspondence		1978
Folder 9	Correspondence		Feb. 1979- June 1979
Folder 10	Correspondence		July 1979- Dec. 1979
Folder 11	Correspondence		1980
Document Case 4
Folder 1	Katherine Hamilton file re: Community Chest loan		1969-1970
Folder 2	Legal Action file re: suit against Community Chest by Wabash Valley Central Labor Council		1978
	Legal Notices		1959
Folder 3	Budget Committee		1942-1949
Folder 4	Standards and Admissions Committee		1957
	Statements of Financial Condition		1957- 1959
Folder 5	Auditors Financial Statements/Annual Reports		1942-1947
Folder 6	Auditors Financial Statements/ Annual Reports		1948-1949
Folder 7	Auditors Financial Statements/ Annual Reports		1950-1953
Folder 8	Auditors Financial Statements/ Annual Reports		1954-1957
Folder 9	Auditors Financial Statements/ Annual Reports		1969-1974
Folder 10	Annual Reports		1976-1977
	Agency Allotment Summaries		1939-1952
Document Case 5
Folder 1	General Ledger Book; includes log of assets and liabilities		1956-1959
Folder 2	General Ledger Book; includes log of income and expenses		1956-1959
Loose	General Ledger Book; includes log of receipts and disbursements		1958-1960
Loose	Ledger Book; includes the following sections: Journal, Bank Account, Interest Income, Other Income, Contribution Expense, Other Expense, Loans Receivable, Loans Payable, Investments (other)		1970-1972
Envelope 1	Bank Pass Books		1954-1959
Folder 3	Financial Records		1949-1963
Folder 4	Financial Records		1964-1965
Document Case 6
Folder 1	Financial Records		1966-1970
Folder 2	Financial Records		1973
Folder 3	Financial Records		1974
Folder 4	Financial Records		1975
Folder 5	Financial Records		1976
Folder 6	Financial Records		1977
Folder 7	Financial Records		1978
Folder 8	Financial Records		1979
Folder 9	Financial Records		1980
Folder 10	Financial Records		1981
Document Case 7
Folder 1	Financial Records		1982
Folder 2	Financial Records		1983
Folder 3	Tax Records; includes social security information and tax schedules/forms		1942-1954
Folder 4	Tax Records; includes Employee's Withholding Exemption Certificates and tax returns		1943-1958
Folder 5	Tax Exemption Applications		1943-1958
Folder 6	Tax Records; includes Employee's Quarterly Withholding Receipts, tax returns, and exemption affadavits		1942-1965
Folder 7	Tax Records; includes tax returns		1977-1980
Folder 8	Treasury Bills		1959-1977
Folder 9	Newspaper clippings		1959
	Miscellaneous memorabilia		n.d.
Document Case 8
Folder 1	United Appeal: General information		1957-1959
	Minutes; financial report		1958-1959
Folder 2	United Appeal/United Fund: Minute Book, June 13, 1958-Dec. 31, 1959		1958-1959
Folder 3	United Fund Minutes		1960
Folder 4	Correspondence		1969-1970
Folder 5	United Way Office File re: Community Chest		1966-1978
Loose	United Way President Ed Howard's notebook on the Community Chest		1942-1977