UUYO was founded as the First Unitarian Church of Youngstown in 1892, primarily by English Unitarian engineers who came over to work in the steel mills. Our building was built in 1925 and the education wing was added to the building in 1969. The church facilities are fully paid for with no mortgage or other loans. (The steeple was removed in 2014.)

People in the Mahoning Valley see UUYO as a beacon for liberal religion and social change. Among many projects the church has been involved with include founding Sojourner House (women’s shelter), Pride Center (LGBTQ rights), the Montessori School, Treez Please, and the Northside Farmer’s Market. Church-community activities include In Praise of the Arts, Universal Cafe, ACTION, and the Gray to Green Festival, and now, Enabling Racial Reconciliation in Greater Youngstown. We continue to be active in many of these programs through individual member involvement and initiatives at UUYO.