About Us

EDUCATION - Helping children and youth achieve their potential by supporting their learning, development and sense of belonging of children and youth to raise responsible and contributing adults.

INCOME - Promoting financial stability & independence to ensure that basic needs of food, housing, clothing & safety are met.

HEALTH - Improving people's health status through higher levels of positive health and lower levels of disease for overall improved quality of life.



Our organization was established in February 1945 as the Fergus Falls Community Fund. We joined the United Way World Wide and changed the name of the organization to United Way of Otter Tail County. United Way of Otter Tail County thus became able to receive contributions made at the workplace and designated to help programs through the United Way Campaign. United Way of Otter Tail County has been serving our community for 70 years. On March 1, 2017 United Way of Otter Tail County joined efforts with Wadena County and changed the name to United Way of Otter Tail & Wadena Counties.

We are primarily a volunteer-led organization with a mission to meet health and human care needs in our community through a network of local agencies. Our Organizational Mission Statement is to improve lives in Otter Tail & Wadena Counties by mobilizing the caring powers in our communities. United Way helps people care for one another by providing an efficient fundraising campaign, an effective community fund investment program, a broad range of volunteer opportunities and community-based problem solving initiatives.