By Yousef Wahba
United Way Halton & Hamilton hosted their annual evening of celebration at Burlington Convention Centre on March 31, after raising $11 million in their fundraising campaign.
The energy was high and the crowd was enthusiastic, as this was the first in-person annual celebration since 2019. Due to the pandemic, these events were held virtually from 2020–2022.
Through an essential network of programs and services, United Way aims to achieve a lasting, positive impact on the community. This past year, United Way donors, partners, and volunteers have been standing together, giving generously, to help the programs and services that aid the over 205,000 people that rely on them. The celebration night was a night full of hope, companionship, and gratitude for the funds raised, and people helped.
Brad Park, president and CEO of United Way Halton & Hamilton, stated: “Supporters of United Way continue to showcase their commitment to helping people. It is so inspiring to see how unwavering this community is. The Local Love displayed has been immense. During a year where non-profits have struggled, we are happy that new and existing donors show their care and support for the people who rely on important local programs for their health and safety.”
Towards the end of the evening, it was announced that $11,000,000 was raised. These funds are allocated into different local programs to address a number of community issues.
Throughout the evening, United Way presented various awards to donors, partners, and volunteers who that helped United Way raise this immense amount of money. These awards included the Step Up for the Community Award, the Champions of Change Award, the Inspiring Local Love Award, the Game Changer Award, the Leading the Way and the Leading the Way Philanthropist awards, the Joint Union Management Award, each of which had multiple winners.
A long list of the deserving winners was released by the United Way Halton and Hamilton, which can be found here. We reached out to some of the winners for their comments, and Champions of Change award winner Abby Adkins, of Burlington Hydro’s winning trio of Adkins, Sarah Thomas, and Diana Lo had this to say: “I am proud to be recognized as a Champion of Change and to receive the award. We could not have done it without the help from our Burlington Hydro employees and the wonderful committee who help engage employees and find ways to raise money for United Way. Burlington Hydro and its Charitable Giving Committee raised money through raffles, contests, BBQs, and 50/50 draws. You never know when someone may be struggling and it’s good to know there is somewhere to turn for help. United Way makes this possible.”
As this was the first in-person event for United Way Halton & Hamilton since 2019, we wanted to find out what else changed for United Way after the pandemic. So we took the liberty of asking them about these changes firsthand. Here are the questions and their responses, some of which have been condensed or edited for clarity.
Q: How has the pandemic affected your fundraising efforts?
It has been a difficult past two years. Yet, today’s reality is, we are now facing a perilous secondary crisis — an economic crisis — which is compounding the aftermath of the health pandemic and is placing debilitating pressure on individuals, households, and the very programs that support community. As an organization, we understand that people in our community have required even more support during this time, and will require our attention now and into the future. With rising inflation, donors may feel the decrease in their purchasing power, which may impact their giving capacity — yet, at the same time, reinforces the importance of giving. As an organization, we are navigating the economic crisis by working with dedicated support from our individual and corporate partners who provide funding to address the long-term recovery of our community’s social safety net.
Q: Please tell us more about the Share Your Local Love Day (SYLLD). Has the return to in-person events meant the growth of that program?
SYLLD started in 2019, pivoting to a completely virtual event during the pandemic as the safety and wellbeing of both team members and attendees is our top priority. Last year, SYLLD provided both virtual and in-person volunteer opportunities, and this year’s event will do the same.
Volunteers across Halton and Hamilton will participate in a multitude of projects supporting local United Way partner agencies. Whether it’s helping out with a special event, sorting fresh veggies to share with those in need, or cleaning up garden beds at a local agency, SYLLD is an amazing opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the community.
[Editor’s note: Share Your Local Love is happening again on May 17; there are a number of local organizations looking for your help for specific projects. Browse the projects here.]
Q: Have you noticed a change in need in the organizations you fund as a result of the pandemic? If so, is that still ongoing?
Inflation saw an increase in operational costs for United Way funded agencies, including wages, rent, and supplies that need to be absorbed by the charity or non-profit. This has impacted the staff on the frontline’s abilities to support clients.
At the same time, the charitable and non-profit sector must find ways to meet the growing demand despite rapidly increasing operational costs, as these services are required for the health and safety of so many vulnerable people in our community.
As community recovers, your United Way supports our funded agencies by investing special emergency funding dollars. We are also taking part in the distribution of the Community Services Recovery Fund. $400 million has been allocated through the federal government and United Way Centraide Canada, Canadian Red Cross, and Community Foundations of Canada, [the latter three of which] have been selected to allocate these funds.
Q: Was this $11 million raised a record-breaking total?
During this year’s Evening of Celebration, held for the first time in person since 2019, your United Way honoured community donors and partners following a fundraising campaign that raised a total of $11,000,000.
“The funds raised thanks to the people and organizations from our community will absolutely have a huge impact on the investments we make to local agencies that provide critical services to local people in need. The work being done across Halton and Hamilton, together, continues to be incredibly inspiring to us all,” said Brad Park, president and CEO of United Way Halton & Hamilton.
Funds raised are invested into 106 local programs that help people move closer to food security, more mental health supports to help cope with daily challenges, and for local youth to have a better, brighter future.
Q: Any changes in how or what you support due to the pandemic’s impact?
United Way is there during times of stability and those of crisis. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, your United Way’s network of agencies was on the frontlines of the community response. In addition to annual community fund investments, we responded to the global health pandemic by investing special emergency dollars.This past year, we were able to support:
Individuals who received support: 205,311
Total agencies supported: 58
Total programs supported: 106
You can find more details by referencing our Annual Impact Report at www.togetherstronger.ca.
Additionally, your United Way is a partner in the Community Services Recovery Fund — a $400-million commitment from the Government of Canada to support charities and non-profits as they build resilience and adapt to the long-term impacts of COVID-19.
Q: What’s next for the United Way Halton & Hamilton in terms of raising funds, programs, and goals?
Your United Way is essentially the backbone to a critical network of local agencies supporting those struggling to meet these basic needs. But that network is also currently under great strain.
The economic pressures individuals and households are facing today is driving unpredictability, making it difficult to move forward. Nevertheless, if there is one thing we have learned, it’s that the only way we will get closer to food security, to reliable jobs, to safe homes, and to the kind of community we know we can be — truly, for everyone — is by working our way there together.
Individuals can help by investing in the work of United Way Halton & Hamilton. When you give to your United Way, you’re helping to ensure that those who are vulnerable can access critical supports that provide them with food and other life necessities.
When basic needs are taken care of, people have the capacity to build skills and resources so they can prepare for a better future.
We are excited for our 2023–24 campaign. Stay tuned for our goal announcement, coming September 2023.
