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In honor of 85 years of impact here at Heart of Florida United Way, we are revisiting the history and milestones that led our organization to where we are today. The 1980s brought big campaigns, new ideas, and technological innovation. Computers replaced notepads and typewriters. This phenomenal growth helped us continue to make a difference in the community in the next decade – the 90s!
Leading the Way in Campaigns
The decade began with a bang, with a record nearly $11 million raised for the 1990 campaign, representing an 11.2 percent increase over the 1989 campaign total. Heart of Florida United Way (HFUW) was a leader among United Ways in the nation! Led by Campaign Chair Al Norton of Martin Marietta Electronics, Information, and Missiles Group (now Lockheed Martin), the 1991 campaign totaled over $12 million, representing the largest percent increase of any major United Way in the nation at the time.
Campaign totals continued to rise in the next few years, with 1992 bringing major success as well. HFUW continued to innovate with how campaigns were marketed; the 1992 campaign theme “You Light the Way” was adopted by all United Ways in the nine-county media market to increase local media coverage. The 1993 campaign, led by Chair Dick Nunis, who was Chairman of Walt Disney Attractions, Inc. at the time, was ranked the number one fundraising event of 1993 by the Orlando Business Journal and was the best United Way campaign nationwide.
Fullbrite Lights the Way
1993 not only brought major campaign success – it also brought us our friend and mascot, Fullbrite. Fullbrite was designed by the Walt Disney Company in the early 1990s as a custom character meant to represent HFUW. Spearheading the effort to bring a custom mascot to HFUW was notable Cast Member, President of Walt Disney World, and our 1993 Campaign Chair, Dick Nunis, who worked directly with the organization to bring the character to life and help with additional merchandising. Upon completion of his basic design, signature, and costume, the mascot needed a name.
HFUW held a naming contest in 1993 — asking children aged 5-18 to submit name ideas for our new lightning bug friend. In true 90s fashion, contestants were asked to mail in a postcard with their basic information and name suggestion. The contest winner would receive four annual passes to Walt Disney World and bragging rights that their name was chosen. Over 800 entries were submitted! With much excitement, Fullbrite officially gained his name, submitted by 17-year-old Eric Mitchell.
Fullbrite remained an HFUW icon throughout the 1990s, attending campaign kick-offs and community events around Central Florida. HFUW even developed a plush of Fullbrite in partnership with Disney, which debuted at JCPenney at Fashion Square Mall in 1994.
To read more about Fullbrite, visit this page!
Community Care Day
Did you know HFUW has been organizing large-scale volunteer events for decades? Community Care Day of 1995 served as another major event that helped grow HFUW’s volunteer base and bolstered our community awareness in the 1990s. Presented by Sprint/United Telephone – Florida (later Sprint Corporations, acquired by T Mobile in 2020), this massive event matched vital volunteer resources with crucial agency needs in Central Florida. More than 1,600 employees from 41 organizations volunteered their time over two days to help United Way agencies. After the success of this event, more people than ever before attended and supported annual campaign events. Campaign Kickoff of 1995 was attended by over 900 volunteers!
The 1990s enabled volunteers, contributors, funded agencies, and our community to learn that through United Way, they can both make a difference in their community and see the difference in action.
Sources:
All HFUW organizational information found in Annual Reports dated from 1990-1995.
