By Mike DeNardo

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Seven Philadelphia-area, county-based chapters of the United Way are merging, to form one regional organization.

The seven United Ways are forming the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, effective July 1st.

Jill Michal, president of the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, has been named CEO of the new regional group.

“This really was about us coming together to do something together collectively that none of us can do alone — which is really to think about our region as a region and be able to think differently about how we solve and tackle people’s problems together.”

The headquarters of the new organization will be in Philadelphia. The local offices will remain open and the county CEOs will become executive directors.