The first Chest drive goal for that year was set at $25,000, and the newly formed budget and executive committees assured the public that every agency funded by the Community Chest would be thoroughly investigated to determine each agencies financial needs.

Although the first Chest drive was successful and much of the community supported the concept of the Community Chest, the Goldsboro community had a hard time raising enough funds every year to support the budgets for the various agencies. In 1954, Goldsboro's Mayor, Scott Berkeley, took an active role in creating committees to analyze a differently structured organization, which resulted in the United Fund. Under the United Fund, companies would be able to conduct internal fund drives through voluntary withholding plans, and employees who made donations were assured that no other solicitations would be made of them for the remainder of the year. This new structure was readily accepted.

On October 9, 1954, a parade through the town of Goldsboro initiated "United Fund Days" to heighten the level of awareness for the fund drive, and it worked. Despite Hurricane Hazel, the campaign exceeded its goal of $96,359 and raised $110,392.56.

The era of the United Fund was met with much success in Goldsboro. The first executive secretary, Frances Hine, served the organization for 10 years, the Fair Share giving plan was implemented, and well-known volunteers like Emil Rosenthal began impacting the success of the United Fund.

In 1974 the community felt it was time to involve the entire Wayne County community to improve the efficiency of raising and distributing contributions to the appropriate non profit human service agencies. Wayne United Way was formed.

In 1974, the first year for Wayne United Way, the goal was $319, 558, but $327,196 was raised. United Way volunteer leaders experienced continued support in Wayne County as the campaign goals were raised and surpassed.

By 1995, United Way of Wayne County (the last name change taking place in 1989) another major milestone had been reached. The campaign surpassed the million-dollar mark raising a grand total of $1,026,930.

Over the years, United Way changed with the needs of Wayne County, and there has been an increase of community awareness for its role of efficiently and effectively distribute funds to local non profit human service agencies. In 1997 an Outcome Based Measurement program was introduced to the United Way agencies as a better means of tracking the goals and accomplishments that each agency is achieving and the impact one agency was having on the people that were participating in their programs.