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The United Way of America, originally called the Community Chest, was established in 1918. It is an organization made up mostly of volunteers who work to support a broad range of agencies and human services in their local communities. Under the Community Chest name, the United Way was established in Moscow, Idaho in the mid-1930s. After World War II, the Red Cross dropped out, as did other organizations, leading to the end of the Community Chest.

In 1956, it was re-organized and became the United Fund. From 1956 to 1977 the number of participating agencies in the fund grew from eight to sixteen. The Moscow United Fund was incorporated as a non-profit with the State of Idaho in 1970. Later in the 1970s, the local group became the United Way of Moscow after it joined the United Way of America, now United Way Worldwide.

Throughout the 1970s the United Way of Moscow had many partnering agencies in the community. These included local chapters of national organizations, such as the Boy Scouts of America, the Arthritis Foundation, the American Social Health Association, the Salvation Army, the National Federation for the Blind, the Girl Scouts of America, the Camp Fire Girls, the United Service Organizations (USO), and the American Red Cross. The United Way also had local organization partners, such as Volunteers in Moscow, Nightline, Home Improvement Alliance, Friends Unlimited, the Rape Crisis Clinic, and the Senior Citizens Club.

The United Way continues to operate in Moscow today. In 2019, there were 20 human service agencies under the umbrella of the United Way of Moscow/Latah County.