In 2010, a group of Delaware citizens recognized a lack of consistent access to resources for pockets of their community members. Together they formed the Second Ward Community Initiative (SWCI) to address these gaps. This aligned with the City of Delaware’s goal which is to promote a higher quality of life for its citizens.

In August 2011, SWCI began working on the development of a community center which would provide resources and serve the residents of Delaware City, particularly low income and high-risk individuals in the Second Ward. In 2012, SWCI took possession of a city building that transformed into Second Ward Community Center (SWCC). SWCC began in the second ward but provided services that would impact the entire Delaware community.

In 2019-2020, SWCI began to shift its focus from a gathering place in the second ward to a social service agency providing resources to city and county residents of Delaware. In September 2020, SWCI received DBA status as Unity Community Center (UCC). The purpose of this transition to UCC was to strengthen and promote inclusivity, increase partnerships and further programmatic expansion with race, equity, and inclusion in mind.