United In Love, has its roots to a group called H.A.N.D., Helping America's Needy Develop. It started when a group of students of Saint Mary's University of Minnesota got together and brought students to a local hospice to hand around with the residents. Over time, these same students decided to visit the San Miguel Middle School in Chicago over a weekend to further expand their vision. At this stage, H.A.N.D. only allowed members of their group to participate in this weekend plunge.
Members usually meet on a bi-weekly basis to talk about different issues.
In 1997, H.A.N.D. changed its name to S.O.U.L., Serving Others United in Love, because the vision now expanded to international sites and thus a new name was needed. Other changes was also brought into the group such as the introduction of a council to facilitate these trips, the need for an application system to select participants for each trips, the anonymous identity of the applicant to ensure the best person chosen on each trip and more. The group has also expanded their mission trip and urban plunges sites to include like Chicago, Twin Cities, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Mexico, North Dakota, Nebraska, Arkansas and Jamaica.