To live better, we must
LIVE UNITED

There are more than 200,000 people who make their homes in Hall County and over 50% of those individuals are not financially stable. At United Way of Hall County we know that if families can’t make ends meet, they can’t prepare for the future. When children succeed in school, families earn a stable income and more people have access to quality health and human services - we all win.

  • Our Mission

    United Way of Hall County unites people, organizations and resource to improve lives in our community.

  • Our Vision

    A community where all reach their potential, are healthy and achieve self-sufficiency.

  • Who We Serve

    We serve Hall County, GA residents who are in or at risk of financial instability and non-profits aligned with our investment priorities.

Our History

In 1948, a group of community leaders stepped up to create an organization called the Community Chest, an organization that in 1972 became known as United Way of Hall County. That first campaign 60 years ago was a rousing success – raising $17,000. It didn't take long for the Community Chest to rise from its humble beginnings. In 1960, just 12 years after it started, the Community Chest campaign topped $100,000 for the first time. And it's been growing ever since. More importantly, though, United Way of Hall County has been able to make a difference in the lives of thousands of individuals and families. Starting with groups like Red Cross and The Salvation Army, United Way has helped dozens of organizations over its 75 year history – agencies that touch all areas of our community.

Today, United Way of Hall County is the largest private funding source of health and human services in Hall County, but the value of United Way does not stop there. Beyond simply providing resources for needs, United Way is making a tangible impact by uniting the people, organizations and resources within our community to build a stronger, safer and healthier Hall County.

Our Investment Priorities

Meet Our Team

2026 Board of directors

Tom Calkins 

Managing Partner/Attorney
Hulsey, Oliver & Mahar, LLP 

Kevin Cash 

Line Foreman
Jackson EMC, Gainesville Operations 

Nikki Chandler  

VP, Existing Industry
Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce 

Priscilla Collins  

Deputy Superintendent
Gainesville City School System 

sarah crowe

Communications and Strategic Engagement
Manager, Hall County Government 

ashley davis

Chief Operations Officer
Lawson Air Conditioning and Plumbing, Inc. 

noah evans

Operations Specialist
Rushton, LLC 

tommy howard

President/CEO
The Norton Agency 

charlie hawkins

SVP/Partner
Norton Commercial & Acreage Group, LLC 

tommy howard

President/CEO
The Norton Agency 

Brooke Kalinauskas 

Vice President of Public Relations and Community Development, Conditioned Air Systems 

John Kueven 

Chief Operating Officer
Northeast Georgia Health System 

bryan lackey

City Manager
City of Gainesville 

melissa nolan

Human Resources Director
The Harris Products Group/A Lincoln Electric Company 

lee rogers

President, realprotect,
a member of Legacy Risk  Solutions, LLC 

beau sheppard

SVP, Government Banking
Public Finance/Funds , Ameris Bank 

Jake Smith, Ph.D. 

VP of Food Safety and Quality Assurance
Gold Creek Foods, LLC

jason smith

Major
Hall County Sheriff’s Office 

Melissa Sutulovich  

McKinney-Vento Program Coordinator
Hall County Schools 

lane walberg

President & CEO
Georgia Mountains YMCA 

matthew waters

Commercial Lender
United Community Bank

erin williamson

Senior Account Manager
Forum Communications, Inc. 

doug whitley

Community Volunteer 

carter vaverek

District Manager
Publix Supermarkets, Inc. 

Jessica dudley, Ex Officio

President & Chief Professional Officer
United Way of Hall County