"Technology Gives Back" Holiday Social in Partnership with United Way KW!

On Wednesday December 14th, I attended a great event put on by Canadian Women in Technology, or CanWIT. The local chapter, launched by Angelique Mohring, is growing in leaps and bounds. They have some pretty exciting plans for the future, including launching a student bursary and holding a series of signature events in the Spring.

When I spoke to the CanWIT crowd this morning, I shared some of the challenges non profits face with IT and how their group might be able to assist. A huge thanks goes out to all who attended, as their entry "fee" was the donation of a used laptop! United Way KW will work with local partners to ensure these laptops are put to good use by local non profits.

Thanks again, CanWIT, for caring about this community. Change started this morning....

Jan

Dream Auction offers unique twist to online holiday shopping

This holiday season, United Way KW encourages you to give your loved ones an unforgettable gift that benefits our whole community.

If you're looking for the perfect Christmas gift - one that stands out from the rest and officially earns you the title of “Best Gift Giver of the Year” - you won’t want to miss the opportunity to bid in the 2011 edition of our Online Dream Auction.

As James Chmiel, our 2011 United Way KW Campaign Chair, explains, “We’ve taken your typical auction and transformed it into an opportunity to have the experience of a lifetime. Think back to your childhood dreams of what you wanted to be when you grew up. This auction provides a chance to make those dreams come true, either for yourself or for someone dear to your heart.”

Included among the many auction packages available are the chance to be police chief for a day, opportunities to be a talk show host or food critic on local radio, and the chance to play hockey with the Kitchener Rangers. These and many other dreams are only a bid away.

Whether it’s a well-deserved holiday gift for yourself, or something unique for that hard-to-shop-for person on your list, you'll find something for everyone.

In the spirit of the holiday season comes one more festive detail - all proceeds from the United Way KW Dream Auction will help support social service needs in our community. Afterall, the holiday season is the perfect time to help make a difference for someone in need.

Bidding starts Tuesday November 29th at 9 a.m. and closes at 4 p.m. on Wednesday November 30th. Bids can be placed at http://donateuway.com/auction or directly through the United Way KW web site at http://www.uwaykw.org/.

“And that’s the kind of day it’s been…”

In the world of television news, it’s safe to say that Lloyd Robertson is considered royalty. In fact, if it wasn’t for our own Lisa LaFlamme taking over Lloyd’s role when he stepped down from CTV National News earlier this year, the occasion would have been a very solemn one indeed, especially for those of us who’d come to rely on Lloyd over the years to keep them up to speed with current events.

Be it good news, bad news, or something in between, we could always count on Lloyd to tell it like it was with his deep, steady voice and calm presence. If anything - or anyone - ever ruffled his feathers, he certainly hid it well.

For many Canadians, Lloyd’s sign off - “and that’s the kind of day it’s been” - meant it was time to turn off the TV and go to bed.

Here I am sounding like Lloyd exited the airwaves permanently, when in actual fact you can still watch him regularly as host and chief correspondent for W5.

And… you can catch him in person right here in the KW area on Friday November 25th as he helps us honour Lisa LaFlamme at our Annual Celebrity Event at Federation Hall. For more details and tickets, visit http://www.uwaykw.org/.

Rising to the occasion during difficult times

We shared some difficult news with the media last week. At a time when the demand for social services continues to rise in our community, we’re currently forecasting that only $4.9 million will be raised during this year’s fall workplace campaign towards the $6 million overall revenue challenge issued back in September.
 
As I explained to the media, we’re seeing a trend in local companies kicking off their workplace campaigns much later, which means we may not learn their campaign results until well into the new year. The other side of the story is that while we're seeing significant increases among some workplaces that have completed their campaigns, overall there’s a downward trend in funds pledged.

In response to this announcement, House of Friendship - an agency with several programs and initiatives supported by United Way KW - posted a blog entry entitled “United, we are stronger”. I really encourage you to read this blog, which is written by House of Friendship employee Matt Cooper. It explores the value behind supporting United Way and provides some real answers from real people in our community about why they choose to give.

Here’s an excerpt:
“The United Way has shared its concerns and hopes for this year’s campaign. As a community and individuals we have a choice about how we respond. House of Friendship staff have chosen to step up. Join us. Think about YOUR reason for giving and support United Way and our community. We all benefit.”

Attention all sports fans! Have we got a treat for you!

James Duthie, Host, NHL on TSN

As one of her special guests at this year’s Annual Celebrity Event at Fed Hall on November 25th, honouree Lisa LaFlamme has invited none other than Gemini Award-winning James Duthie, host of NHL on TSN. He has been hailed as one of the most talented stars in sports broadcasting today.
 
In addition to his duties at TSN, James joined Lisa in co-hosting CTV’s Olympic Daytime during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. He also hosted coverage of Team Canada Men’s Hockey during the Games. Talk about a dream job!

This coverage garnered James the Gemini Award for Best Sportscaster or Anchor in 2010. He previously won this same award in 2009 for hosting ‘NHL on TSN TradeCentre ’09’.

James also has two previous Olympic Games and a whole roster of other sports shows under his belt, including stints as co-host of the evening edition of SportsCentre, host of TSN’s CFL studio show and time spent covering the NBA.

James’ talents lie not only in broadcast journalism, but print journalism as well. In 2010, he published two books - They Call Me Killer: Tales from Junior Hockey’s Legendary Hall-of-Fame Coach and The Day I (Almost) Killed Two Gretzkys.

We can’t wait to welcome James to Waterloo later this month and hear what he has to say about Lisa.
 
Tickets are on sale now at http://www.uwaykw.org./

Jan

Transformational Change Ignites Uncertainty and Passion

“Change isn’t on the horizon for United Way, it is the horizon.”

I wrote these words in a blog post last fall, and they merit repeating here as we at United Way KW find ourselves in the midst of transformational change. It’s something we've been working at for over 4 years since realizing that acting as a fundraising organization for approximately 42 agencies is no longer enough; we need to move to investing in long term, sustainable social change. Doing so requires not merely a few improvements here or there, but rather an all-encompassing shift to a new direction that impacts our strategies, our processes, our corporate culture, our mindset and, of course, our stakeholders.

Not only are staff roles and expectations changing, but those of our volunteers are too, as are our relationships with organizations, donors, and the programs and initiatives we support.

Not everyone reacts to change in the same way. Some stakeholders will embrace our new direction wholeheartedly, while others may feel discomfort and uncertainty. Resistance is a natural and expected reaction.

While it is inevitable that some folks will resist our changes, it is important to keep in mind the consequences of not changing. We must remember, too, that we did not enter into this decision lightly. In order to ensure that no one in our community gets left behind, we also need to make sure United Way doesn’t get left behind.

In the midst of uncertainty, one thing is for certain. We will not emerge from this transformation the same organization we were when we began. We must adapt and respond to constant shifts in areas such as technology, organizational structure, workforce, and the economy.

Transformational change is taking place at the national United Way level too. You’ve probably already noticed our revised logo and new tagline, which aptly states “Change starts here.” In the coming weeks, we’ll be introducing you to additional changes that reflect our new direction.

Throughout this process, we at United Way KW are committed to keeping the lines of communication open and to respecting the varied reactions and opinions of our stakeholders. What won’t change is our belief in the need to work together to keep our community and its social services healthy and strong over the long term.

You may recall that United Way KW celebrated its 70th anniversary earlier this year. I firmly believe that the fact that we’ve been around for so long is a testament to our willingness - and our ability - to transform in the face of significant change.

Jan

KW women take the media world by storm!

Julie Osborne, Publisher of Maclean's

While she is perhaps the most well-known woman from the KW area to make it big in the media world, Lisa LaFlamme isn’t the only one. Nor will she be the only one on stage at our Annual Celebrity Event at Fed Hall on Friday November 25, 2011. We’ll also be hearing from guest speaker Julie Osborne, who has some pretty impressive credentials of her own.
 
Not only is Julie currently the Publisher of Maclean’s, she recently added Acting Publisher for Canadian Business, Profit and MoneySense to her responsibilities.
 
A graduate of Cameron Heights Collegiate, Julie holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in French Literature and Education from the University of Western Ontario, where she also went on to earn an MBA. She speaks English, French and Spanish.
 
Julie works with the Canadian Olympic Committee and has attended the Games eight times. She is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of the Writers’ Trust of Canada and a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Canadian Women in Communications.
 
There’s more, but I’ll stop there. I think you get the picture when I say that like Lisa LaFlamme, Julie Osborne is very accomplished in the media world. We should feel proud that both of these women hail from our community. Talk about great role models!
  
Remember, tickets for our Annual Celebrity Event honouring Lisa LaFlamme are on sale online at http://www.uwaykw.org/. Check out my October 18th blog for more details.
 
Hope to see you there!
 
Jan

Celebrity Event Tickets on Sale Now!

Tickets for our annual celebrity event are now on sale. Given this year's guest of honour and her special guests, we don't expect them to be available very long, so be sure to get yours today!

Tickets are $125 each and available online at http://www.uwaykw.org/.
Sponsorship opportunities are also available by contacting our Communications Officer and Event Planner, Meg Lagrotta, at mlagrotta@uwaykw.org or 519-888-61100 ext. 232.

Here again is our fabulous line-up for the evening:

Guest of Honour:
LISA LAFLAMME, Chief Anchor and Senior Editor, CTV National News

Guest MC:
JEFF HUTCHESON, Sports and Weather Anchor, Canada AM

Guest Panel Members:
LLOYD ROBERTSON, Host and Chief Correspondent, W5, and former Chief Anchor, CTV National News
JULIE OSBORNE, Publisher, Maclean's, and Acting Publisher, Canadian Business, Profit and MoneySense
JAMES DUTHIE, Host, NHL on TSN

Hope to see you there!

Jan

Annual Celebrity Event: Special Guests Confirmed!

We were thrilled when LISA LAFLAMME - a KW native who has risen through the ranks of TV news to become Chief Anchor for CTV National News - agreed to be the guest of honour for our 2011 Celebrity Event. It’s being held Friday November 25, 7 p.m., at Federation Hall in Waterloo.

Just when we thought things couldn’t get any better for this event, we’ve received confirmation that some very talented guest speakers will be participating in the evening as well:

LLOYD ROBERTSON, former Chief Anchor, CTV National News
JEFF HUTCHESON, Sports and Weather Anchor, Canada AM
JULIE OSBORNE, Publisher, Maclean's
JAMES DUTHIE, Host, NHL on TSN
  
If you’re wondering what to expect for the evening, it’s probably best to go with that old standby “expect the unexpected”. With Jeff Hutcheson as MC, the only thing for certain will be the laughter. As for the rest, I think our publicity statement for the event says it all: “If you think the news is compelling, wait 'til you hear the stories behind the news!”
  
For ticket details and sponsorship opportunities, visit http://www.uwaykw.org/.

Hope to see you there!
Jan

The Economical Insurance Group and Strategic Philanthropy

Mention the phrase “corporate social responsibility”, and The Economical Insurance Group (TEIG) immediately comes to mind. This is one organization that truly understands the business value behind engaging employees and other stakeholders in supporting community needs. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, what’s good for the community is also good for business.

As with any other business initiative, developing a well-planned strategy is critical for success. TEIG began work on a philanthropic strategy in 2010, with an eye to supporting and positively impacting both the current and future social concerns of its stakeholders. The plan includes activities and initiatives that align with company values, support organizational objectives, and have the potential to create new business opportunities.

Over time, TEIG’s Philanthropic Strategy will evolve into the following components: corporate and community giving, a signature charity, learning and scholarships, and an employee volunteer program.

In particular, I’m thrilled that United Way is a leading contender to become TEIG’s signature charity and I’m excited at the prospect of an employee volunteer program that lets staff take time off for volunteer work and team volunteer projects. One need look no further than the many United Way awards TEIG has won over the years to realize just how strong and successful the relationship has been between our two organizations.

TEIG’s Philanthropy Strategy isn’t yet finalized, but I love the direction it’s heading in and hope it becomes a standard other businesses strive to achieve.

Jan

Waterloo Region Record editorial

If you missed the great editorial entitled "United Ways deserve our help" in the Friday September 23 edition of the Waterloo Region Record, be sure to click here and check it out.

Here's my favourite paragraph from a campaign perspective:

"Either through channelling donated money or volunteer time, United Way organizations are making our communities better places in which to live. And they richly deserve all the support our communities can give them."

And here's my favourite paragraph in terms of helping people understand what it is that United Way does in the community:

"Interestingly, United Way organizations are altering their focus. They are putting less emphasis on their role as an umbrella organization that raises money and are focusing more on issues in the community that require major change."

Thanks also to the other local media outlets - radio, TV and print - that highlighted our 2nd Annual Day of Caring. This type of coverage is critical in helping us spread our message and garner the support needed to keep this community strong.

Jan

Putting caring into action – the big day is almost here!

September 21, 2011, our second annual Day of Caring, is coming up fast. Special thanks to Manulife Financial for sponsoring the day this year. With their support, I know we’re really going to get the message out that people can make change happen through volunteer efforts. That’s what Day of Caring is all about - fostering volunteerism in our community by showing people they can make a difference with more than just dollars. They just need to put caring into action.
  
Last year, 21 teams of volunteers worked on projects ranging from yard work and deep cleaning to think tank participation. I helped paint a large mural on the KW Multicultural Centre building. Can’t wait to see what’s in store for me this year!

Know what else is special about our upcoming Day of Caring? It’s the one year anniversary of my first tweet! For those of you who don’t believe I know how to use Twitter (don’t deny it, I know you’re out there), here’s a picture of me during last year’s Day of Caring, getting lessons from our Communications Officer, Meg Lagrotta.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
See you at noon on Wednesday September 21, on King Street in downtown Kitchener (by city hall) for our Day of Caring celebrations and workplace campaign launch. We’ll be sharing the street with the Downtown Kitchener BIA as they host their employee appreciation day. For the rest of the particulars, be sure to visit http://www.uwaykw.org/.

 
Jan
 
PS - Meg said to tell you to follow hashtag #dayofcaringkw, whatever that means. (Maybe I need to brush up on my Twitter just a little.)

A BIG welcome to our WCCs, and a HUGE thanks to their sponsors!

It’s that time of year again when our annual Fall Workplace Campaign ramps up. This campaign wouldn’t be nearly as successful each year without the addition of Workplace Campaign Coordinators (WCCs) to our staff roster. These individuals come to us through the generosity of local organizations and individuals participating in our sponsored employee program.

With salary and benefits paid by their sponsors, WCCs join forces with our staff to support and inspire hundreds of workplace campaigns in our community. They assist these workplaces in planning, implementing and monitoring their United Way campaigns, while honing and refining their skills in sales, customer service, public speaking, leadership, project management, networking and strategic analysis.

Many of our WCCs come from post-secondary institutions. Some are sponsored by the schools themselves, while others come to us through the generosity of local individuals.

Please join me in giving a BIG welcome to our new WCCs, and a HUGE thanks to their sponsors:

Esther Song  -  University of Waterloo

Matthew Wong  -  University of Waterloo

Renee Walkom  -  Wilfrid Laurier University

Annette Walker  -  Region of Waterloo

Carrie Bergen-Geisel  -  Manulife Financial


To learn more about our sponsored employee program, please visit our web site or contact Rene Porritt at rporritt@uwaykw.org or 519-888-6100 ext. 287.

Jan

Lisa LaFlamme to headline our 2011 Celebrity Event

Reporter Joel Rubinoff wrote a great feature in The Waterloo Region Record last Saturday about Lisa LaFlamme, the Kitchener native who rose through the ranks of television news and broke through the proverbial glass ceiling to recently take over from Lloyd Robertson as chief anchor of the CTV evening news.

Here’s how Joel describes Lisa in the article:
“She’s a doer, not a whiner, an optimist, not a cynic, a passionate, committed trailblazer who rises to challenges, grabs opportunities and, confronted with opposition, pushes beyond it.”
 
She sounds like someone just as worthy of being the news as she is worthy of delivering it, doesn’t she? Which is why I’m so thrilled that it’s Lisa we’re honouring at this year’s United Way Kitchener Waterloo and Area Annual Celebrity Event on Friday November 25th at Federation Hall.
  
Tickets go on sale later this month, and you’ll find more details about the event at http://www.uwaykw.org/.
 
Hope to see you there!

Jan

Text-to-Give campaign for Goderich raises much-needed support

I’m pleased to report that our text-to-give campaign in support of those affected by the recent tornado in Goderich raised $2855. These funds, along with some additional donations from individuals without texting capabilities, are being passed on to United Way Perth-Huron, which serves the Goderich area.

I was so pleased to see the support from the community, media partners and social media outlets. We’ve never seen so many retweets! Our community put caring into action by texting their financial support and sharing it with their networks. As our Communications Officer, Meg Lagrotta, wrote in her recent Community Heroes blog on the subject, “that’s a whole lot of texting going on!”

Thanks to Libro Financial Group for making this campaign possible. With their support, we became one of the first United Ways in Canada to launch mobile giving.

Our mobile giving campaign continues throughout our fall workplace campaign season in support of those in need here in the KW area. Up to 6 times per month, you can text “UWAY” to 45678 to donate $5 to United Way KW. The amount gets added your phone bill.

Thanks for caring,

Jan

The Value of our Sponsored Employee Program

I’ve been discussing corporate social responsibility a lot lately, so it seems only fitting to tell you about our sponsored employee program. It’s a unique opportunity for local organizations to practice corporate social responsibility in a way that benefits them, their chosen employee and our community.

Essentially, our sponsored employee program sees potential leaders from a variety of workplaces join forces with United Way KW staff for about four months, often during our fall workplace campaign. These individuals hone and refine valuable business skills - including public speaking, customer service, strategic planning, leadership, project management and networking - while helping workplaces plan, implement and monitor their United Way campaigns. They then return to their workplace feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to go - not to mention brimming with new skills and ideas.

Of course, not every organization has an employee to loan. Another option is to donate funding for a sponsored employee, allowing United Way KW the flexibility to hire an individual with the specific skills we need.

Many sponsored employees are students from post-secondary institutions. While some are sponsored by their schools, others come to us through the generosity of local businesses and organizations. Be sure to read my August 2nd blog to learn about a unique sponsored employee arrangement that’s benefitting United Way KW, Teledyne Dalsa and co-op student James Saliba alike.

For more information about our sponsored employee program, be sure to visit www.uwaykw.org.

Jan

Please Join United Way KW in Supporting the Citizens of Goderich

The town of Goderich lies disaster-stricken in the wake of an F3 Tornado that hit the community last Sunday. I find it hard to believe that the photos I see online and in the newspapers depict a once-idyllic location so near to my own home. The overwhelming personal and emotional loss suffered by the residents of Goderich extends far beyond the physical damage these images reveal. Like the buildings, their lives, too, need to be rebuilt.

In times such as this, with so many lives uprooted so close to home, we must step up and help each other. Please, put your caring into action. Text "UCARE" to 45678 to donate $5.00 to United Way Perth-Huron and let the citizens of Goderich know we're here to help them thorough this tumultuous time.

For more information, please refer to the media release on the our web site. 

Jan

Corporate Social Responsibility: No Longer Just a Buzzword

Corporate social responsibility. You hear this phrase everywhere, and I, for one, couldn’t be happier that it has passed the mere buzzword phase to now represent a key consideration – an expectation, in fact - for those thinking about doing business with or working for an organization.

I firmly believe that what’s good for the community is also good for business. Working with United Way KW can strengthen your reputation as a caring organization while setting a positive example for employees. No matter what size your business, no matter how many employees, your support can make a difference in our community.

Here are two great ideas for getting involved:

• Make a corporate gift to show that you care about more than just the bottom line - you also care about your employees and your community. Encourage employees to get involved by offering to match their contributions with an equal corporate gift.
• Grow leadership within your organization and foster team spirit by holding an annual United Way workplace campaign. Combine fundraising efforts with other initiatives such as a staff BBQ to make giving fun while bringing awareness to social issues in our community.

For more great ideas for engaging in corporate social responsibility, click here.


Jan

Teledyne Dalsa Donates Social Media Student

“You’re pursuing a master’s degree in what?”

This was my first thought when introduced to University of Waterloo student James Saliba, who’s currently working on a master of arts degree in experimental digital media. It probably also explains why James is such a valuable asset to United Way KW.

James comes to us as a gift from Teledyne Dalsa, where he is currently employed on a co-op work term. From now until his work term ends in December, James will spend one day a week using his technical and academic experience to evaluate the way United Way KW engages with community stakeholders via electronic means. He’ll conduct a comprehensive review of our digital social media engagement practices and will work to build a consistent, simple means for us to utilize social media to its full extent.

We were told James has a knack for thinking outside the box and identifying opportunities we didn’t even know existed, and he’s already proven this to be true. I can’t wait to see what additional opportunities he’ll find as we look at expanding our use of digital media for connecting with the community.

You’ve heard of a win-win situation, I know, but this one is win-win-win. James benefits from experience gained through two work terms in one, we at United Way KW benefit from James’ valuable knowledge and skills, and Teledyne Dalsa benefits from providing further support to United Way while offering an enhanced experience for co-op students.

Special thanks to Patrick Myles, Vice President of Business Development and Communications at Teledyne DALSA (also a member of our Board of Directors), and to Neil Humphrey, Manager of Corporate Communications at Teledyne Dalsa, for spearheading this unique opportunity.

Jan

Our Inaugural Youth Campaign Chair: Keith Reinhart

I recently told you about our 2011 Campaign Chair, James Chmiel. Helping James to engage our community's youth in support of United Way will be our inaugural Youth Campaign Chair, Keith Reinhart. Check out our Community Heroes blog for a quick intro to Keith, then read the latest addition of REACH (that's Keith on the cover) to find out more about this fun-loving social media guru.
Jan

Our 2011 Campaign Chair: James Chmiel

James Chmiel, a partner and President of Erb and Erb Insurance, is our 2011 Campaign Chair. Check out our Community Heroes blog for a quick intro to this dynamic individual, then read the latest addition of REACH for a list of the top 10 things we think you should know about him.

Two quick hints...
James met someone very special in an elevator, and he's really gone the distance in his past fundraising efforts - 42.2 km to be exact.

Jan

Partnership Key to Assisting Local Immigrants

For the past five years, the Waterloo Region Immigrant Employment Network (WRIEN) has benefited both immigrants to our area and local employers alike. Our region now stands posed to offer immigrants and employers an even stronger resource for meeting their respective goals thanks to the recent integration of WRIEN into the Immigration Partnership Council of Waterloo Region, which helps immigrants transition into all aspects of life here in Waterloo Region, not only employment.

Here’s an interesting statistic from the Immigration Partnership Council web site,  http://www.immigrationpartnership.ca/: currently 22.3% of Waterloo Region residents are immigrants from diverse regions of the world, with an expected growth to 30% by 2031. That’s a solid argument for increasing awareness and growing the capacity of our region to integrate a higher number of immigrants. Both of which are goals of the Immigration Partnership Council, by the way. Additional goals include:
• improving access to and coordination of initiatives that facilitate immigrant settlement and integration, and
• partnering with and responding to the needs of local employers to improve access to the labour market for immigrants.

I’m pleased to be a member of the Council and I’m proud of the work we’re doing to assist those who choose to settle in our area with feeling a sense of belonging and being able to contribute to our - make that their - community.

Jan

2011 Edition of REACH Now Available

It's here!

  
  
Be sure to check out the 2011 edition of REACH, our annual report to the community.

You can read REACH online or contact our office to request a print copy.

Jan

Bittersweet Father’s Day

On Sunday June 19th, we pay tribute to fathers all over the world - biological fathers, adoptive fathers, stepfathers, foster fathers, and anyone else, regardless of gender, who fills the role of a father in someone's life.

The day will be bittersweet for me this year, as my father passed away a few months ago in his 92nd year.

My usual visit with my father won’t be happening on Father’s Day, so there’s no need to call ahead and make arrangements. Nor do I need to search through an endless selection of greeting cards to find the perfect sentiment. Someone else’s father will be getting that card this year.

These thoughts would create emptiness inside were it not for the wonderful memories of my father that I have to fill the void. While I miss him deeply, I realize how very fortunate I am to have had him in my life as long as I did, and how very fortunate he was to have had so many years to live life to the fullest.

Thinking about my father invokes not only fond recollections, but also a sense of pride. He was a member of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps - an optometrist who held the rank of sergeant in charge of vision care. He served his country with great pride for the duration of WWII.

My father made a positive difference in the lives of many people. It is with him as my inspiration that I attempt to do the same through my role with United Way KW. I couldn’t have wished for a better role model.
  
Jan

Arrival of 211 Service Makes Finding Local Help Much Easier

Earlier this month, the long-anticipated 211 service was launched in Waterloo Region, allowing people in our area to conveniently connect with the local services and help they need through one easy-to-remember phone number.

United Way KW is pleased to play a significant role in the 211 project, which is a joint initiative between ourselves, the Province of Ontario, the Region of Waterloo, and United Way of Cambridge and North Dumfries.

Along with the live telephone helpline accessed by dialing 2-1-1, information is also available online at http://www.211ontario.ca/.

In total, 211 provides access to about 56,000 programs and services in the community, social services, health and government sectors. Access is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year, in more than 170 languages.

Our Board Chair, Victor Zamin, best summed up the benefits of 211 when he told attendees at the official launch, “This process is about becoming more efficient. It can be difficult for residents to find the information they need without investing large amounts of time and energy. Having a person actually there giving you answers can make all the difference.”

211 phone lines are staffed by Information and Referral specialists trained to connect people to the agencies and resources within their community that can best meet their needs.

I encourage you to visit http://www.211ontario.ca/ and see for yourself how 211 empowers individuals to quickly and confidently find the help they need.

Please help United Way KW spread the word about 211. It’s one more way we’re working within our community to change people’s lives for the better.

Jan

Record Article Highlights Neighbourhood Challenges

United Way KW is committed to strengthening our local neighbourhoods through the exploration and development of a more comprehensive neighbourhood strategy. Melinda Dalton’s May 4th article in The Waterloo Region Record - “Residents work to take back neighbourhood, honour slain friend” - offers a powerful reminder of the challenges some of our neighbourhood’s face. It inspired me to write the following Letter to the Editor, which was published May 12th:

I applaud the residents of the late John Ferreira’s Kitchener neighbourhood for their efforts to clean up and reclaim their section of our community. Out of the tragedy of an untimely and needless death has arisen a wonderful legacy of unity and caring.

Unfortunately, the long term answer to preventing future tragedies of this nature lies with proactivity, not reactivity.

Covering up graffiti and cleaning up garbage will not eradicate the issues that plagued John Ferreira’s neighbourhood. We must, as a community, take the necessary steps to resolve the underlying issues and circumstances that led to these negative behaviours in the first place.

While Waterloo Region neighbourhoods may vary in terms of demographics and income levels, ultimately their residents all share the same basic wants and needs, including the desire to feel understood, valued and respected. Creating such a caring and welcoming atmosphere requires a willingness to trust and the ability to respect diversity rather than fear it.

There’s a famous line in Robert Frost’s poem “Mending Wall” that states, “great fences make great neighbours.” The implication is that putting up boundaries and encouraging neighbours to both literally and figuratively keep their differences to themselves will result in a safe and peaceful community. I’d argue, however, that what masquerades as peace and security in such a situation is really fear and distrust.

What really makes a neighbourhood great is the ability for residents to accept each others’ differences and work together for the common good to bring about positive change.

It is an unfortunate truth that it often takes a sudden and tragic event before circumstances are deemed critical enough to merit action. By identifying and addressing the underlying root causes of neighbourhood issues, hopefully the necessary changes can by identified and actioned before history repeats itself.

Until then, however, to expect that another innocent individual won’t suffer the same fate as John Ferreira would be simply naïve.
 
Working with our community partners, United Way KW is taking steps to learn more about the challenges within our region’s neighbourhoods and to determine appropriate actions and investments for the future. With your support, I know something can – and will – be done.

Jan

United Way KW Celebrates 70th Anniversary

With age comes wisdom, and 2011 marks the 70th year that United Way KW has been gathering wisdom about our community, its social service needs and the best way for these needs to be met.

My column in the May edition of Business Times recounts the early beginnings of United Way KW, relying heavily on well-documented details from a history prepared by former United Way KW CEO John Thompson, who retired his role to me in 2005 after 28 years with the organization.

What started out in 1941 as Kitchener-Waterloo Federated Charities, a fundraising appeal initiated by a small group of community and business leaders to raise funds for local efforts supporting the Second World War, has grown into the United Way KW we’re familiar with today.

While so much has changed over the years, both within United Way KW and in our community at large, a surprising number of similarities remain from that war-time era. The original “economies of scale” rationale behind our inception – the idea that a unified fundraising campaign would be far more cost-effective and efficient that numerous separate fundraising efforts – remains viable today. The concept of the workplace campaign introduced back then also carries on as a mainstay of our current efforts, as does a heavy reliance on volunteers and support from community leaders.

United Way KW was there to help back in 1941, and thanks to the ongoing support of so many in our community, I fully expect we’ll be there helping to be change, make change and see change in the KW area another 70 years as well.

Jan

A Tribute to Mothers Everywhere

On Sunday May 8th, we pay tribute to mothers the world over - biological mothers, adoptive mothers, stepmothers, foster mothers, and anyone else, regardless of gender, who fills the role of mother in someone's life.

I encourage you to visit our Community Heroes blog, where our Director of Community Development, Nancy Bird, has written about her mother and the valuable life lessons her mother taught her while growing up.

Thanks,

Jan

We've Moved - Same Building, Different Floor

We've just relocated from our offices on the 11th floor of the Marsland Building to a great new spot on the 8th floor. Please note our new contact information:


United Way of KW and Area

20 Erb Street West

Suite 801

Waterloo Ontario N2L 1T2

Giving Circles

What better way for a group of community-minded individuals to share their passion for making a difference than to collectively make an impact on the local social issues most important to them? That’s the whole idea behind Giving Circles - groups of friends, colleagues or business leaders who pool their charitable dollars and decide, together, how these funds will be invested. United Way of KW and Area launched its first Giving Circle last year, with Amanda Knapp from RBC Dominion Securities Inc. at the helm. The project is the first of its kind in Canada for United Way. Research from the U.S. points to the fact that Giving Circle members tend to be highly engaged in their community and possess a strong knowledge of philanthropy, nonprofits and community needs. I invite you to read my March 2011 Business Times column, which explores Giving Circles in more detail. You can also learn more by contacting our office at 519-888-6100 or info@uwaykw.org.

Opinions Wanted for our Online Communications Survey

Feeling a little opinionated? Great, you're just the person we're looking for! In April 2010, we surveyed many of our stakeholders about their online communications experiences with United Way of KW and Area. Largely as a result of that feedback, we launched a new web site and several social media initiatives in summer 2010, including the blog you're reading right now. Special thanks to all who participated and provided suggestions for improvement. We’re listening! It’s now time to find out how our new web site and online initiatives are doing. We value your feedback in this regard. Whether or not you contributed to our original survey, we welcome and encourage your participation in the brief online questionnaire found at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7YLRNRL. We welcome your input at any time, but to ensure your ideas receive consideration as soon as possible, we encourage you to please respond by Friday April 15, 2011.

Community Spirit Awards

At the end of February, we held our annual Community Spirit Awards, recognizing individuals and organizations in the KW area that have demonstrated solid commitment and exceptional effort in helping United Way change community conditions for the better.

Congratulations to all of our award winners, whom I’ve noted below. For a PDF listing of these winners, along with details about our award criteria, click here.

At the Community Spirit Awards, we bid a fond farewell to our 2010 Campaign Chair, radio personality Lisa Drew from News570. With her enthusiasm, energy and passion for our community, Lisa was an incredible asset to our team and efforts. Thanks so much, Lisa, for all you’ve done and continue to do on our behalf.

2010 Community Spirit Award Winners:

Leadership Giving Award – The Economical Insurance Group

Corporate Support Award – Manulife Financial

Best First‐Time Campaign Award – Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

Joe Williams Award – Joan Geisel, Clemmer Steelcraft Technologies

Campaign Chair Award - Sun Life Financial

Agency Engagement Award – House of Friendship

Arlene Smith Memorial Award – Gebre Berihun

Joint Union/Management Award – Clemmer Steelcraft Technologies and United Steelworkers 838

United Way Choice Award – Chief Matt Torigian

Of course, the really big winner continues to be our community. Special thanks to all who are helping to make the KW area a great place to live - for everyone!

Jan

Applying “Bystander Effect” to Local Social Services Emphasizes Need for Support

An article in The Record on January 17th got me doing some serious thinking. I decided to write a letter to the editor, which appeared in The Record on January 21st.

My comments, which I'll repeat here, are in response to Michelle Tait’s article entitled “Police warn of ‘bystander effect’ in mall robberies.” 

The article suggests that police may have narrowly missed catching those involved in a recent Conestoga Mall jewelry store robbery due to the “bystander effect”, whereby witnesses to a crime or accident neglect to call 911 because they assume someone else already has.

 

Particularly for those not directly involved in a situation, calling 911 can be perceived as a decision to be made at their discretion rather than a dire necessity. One could easily assume that someone more closely linked to the incident has already sought help. Likewise, bystanders might assume that because they didn’t witness the whole event, what little they do know doesn’t warrant a 911 call.

 

The “bystander effect” can also be applied to our local social services sector. It would be easy for many individuals, particularly those not personally affected as of yet, to assume that failing to support those in need in our community – perhaps neglecting to lend their contribution “just this once” - won’t have a negative impact. After all, everyone else will continue to lend their support, right?

 

Remember, the next time someone in our community decides not to call 911 - or decides it’s not important to support local social service needs - it may be you or someone dear to your heart in dire need of assistance. How will you feel about the “bystander effect” then?

I invite you to join the United Way team in making a conscious effort to not be a bystander!

Jan

 

KW Counselling 60th Anniversary Speaker Series

There is excitement in the air about the final two installments of the 4-part “Celebrating Change” speaker series hosted by KW Counselling in honour of the organization’s 60th anniversary. Some very celebrated Canadians will be sharing their experiences with the powerful and positive effects of change, both in their lives and the lives of others.

Speaking on February 3 will be Rosemary Thompson, a veteran political correspondent for CTV news and the Director of Communications and Public Affairs for the National Arts Centre, along with Karen Redman, former long-time Liberal MPP for Kitchener Centre. Talk about your powerful female role models!

Then on May 17th, Stephen Lewis, former United Nations' special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa and a former NDP leader and broadcaster, will be joined by international bestselling author Barbara Coloroso, whose effective parenting and teaching strategies have helped so many throughout the years.

Both evenings will be held at Bingemans in Kitchener. For further information about these two must-see events, please visit www.kwcounselling.com.

Last November, we at United Way KW were thrilled to partner with KW Counselling in bringing celebrated Olympian Clara Hughes to town, not only as part of the “Celebrating Change” speaker series, but also as a thank you to our Leadership donors – those who generously support our community with gifts of $1000 a year or more. Clara shared the inspiring story of how she overcame many obstacles in her youth to become the only Canadian ever to win medals in both the summer and winter Olympics. This well-received evening wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support of our Leadership sponsor, Manulife Financial.

The moral of this blog? Change is good!

Jan