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

Volunteers have Huge Impact on our Community – and Me!

I attended the Volunteer Impact Awards Gala last night! Now I’m even more excited to start my “Care it Forward” journey. It’s truly amazing to see what the gift of time can do in our community.

United Way KW was the proud sponsor of the Business Community Partner Award. Here’s a photo of our very own Nancy Bird, Director of Community Development, on the far right, presenting the award to Home Hardware.

Congrats to all the nominees and winners at last night’s gala. You’ve truly inspired me with all of the amazing things that you do. I hope I can join some of you on my “Care it Forward” adventures. Visit http://www.volunteerkw.ca/ to see all of the deserving award nominees.

It's here! Time to “Care it Forward”...

In the spirit of National Volunteer Week, I’d like to announce something very exciting we’re starting here at United Way! Something we like to call “CARE IT FORWARD”. You’ll hear those three words a lot over the next little while. In fact, you’ll hear from me a lot over the next little while, and as those who know me well are fully aware, I love to talk.

Remember Day of Caring? Well, “Care it Forward” is our way of turning every day into a Day of Caring. There’s an old proverb that goes: "If you have much, give your wealth; if you have little, give your heart." Well, I have a big heart and if I could, I would change the world. Realistically, I know I can’t do that, but I can make a difference right here in my own community.

The goal of “Care it Forward” is to get you thinking about volunteerism and how you, too, can make a difference by lending a helping hand. Which reminds me, we’ve added two new awards to our Community Spirit Awards roster with the introduction of both individual and corporate “Care it Forward” awards. What do you think? Are you up to the challenge?

I invite you to follow me as I venture out over the next few months, volunteering my time and meeting some of the many individuals and organizations in our area that exemplify the true spirit of a community hero.

Come on, be part of the “Care it Forward” movement. Do a good deed and share your story with me. Who knows, I might mention you in my blog. I may even volunteer to help you out!

You can reach me on Twitter , Facebook, or via email at mlagrotta@uwaykw.org.

I look forward to meeting lots of fascinating people and learning more about what our community has to offer. First stop, the Volunteer Impact Awards Gala on April 12th. I can’t wait to be inspired by those who invest their time giving back to our community. Talk about your wise investors!

Until next time, keep caring it forward,

Meg

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.

International Women’s Day - March 8, 2011

Celebrating 100 years of women’s achievements, March 8, 2011 is the centenary International Women’s Day. What does that really mean? Women have been contributing to family, community and global achievements for more than 100 years surely. Women are caregivers, peacemakers, financiers, artists, leaders, negotiators, managers, homemakers, chefs, coaches, personal shoppers, etc – and that’s just in their daily life!

There are many women in our community who have come to this Region from elsewhere on the globe and are making their mark. They have combined making Canada and Waterloo Region their home and making a difference in community for others. This is no small feat. I know several women who came to Canada with their children but without their spouse. They have to learn our education, health care and employment systems and in some cases, our language, just to function as we all believe we should – with opportunity, respect, food, shelter and safety. These women don’t stop there, however. Instead, they see the need others are experiencing and take action to help.

I think it’s important to mark women’s achievements and this day gives us a global perspective on who, what, where and why. 100 years – that is amazing! Now how about we give the women in our community credit for all they do EVERY DAY? I would like to take this opportunity to thank my mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunts, and girlfriends. I wouldn’t be who I am without their achievements, both big and small. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to make my mark too. I can’t wait to see what my daughter achieves!

Nancy Bird
Director, Community Development

Leave Your Mark on Our Community

A February 22 article in The Record about the late Bobby Kuntz got me thinking about the many ways individuals can help others, even after their death. United Way offers several opportunities for creating a lasting legacy in our community. I highlighted some of these possibilities in a letter to the editor published February 28, which I’ve repeated here:

By donating Bobby Kuntz’s brain to medical science for a concussion study, the Kuntz family is helping to support vital research that could unravel some of the mystery surrounding degenerative neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

As well as fulfilling their desire to learn if a link exists between the head injuries Kuntz sustained during his football career and the onset of Parkinson’s later in his life, the Kuntz family’s gift has the potential to make the world a better place for future generations.

Bobby Kuntz’s legacy in the football world may turn into an even greater legacy in the scientific world by supporting future developments that prevent others from having to endure a similar fate.

We all have the power to make the world a better place for future generations in a way that is personally meaningful to us and our families. Granted, donating all or part of a family member’s body — or one’s own — to research isn’t for everyone.

Consider making a charity the full or partial beneficiary of an insurance policy, or leaving a bequest in your will to a cause dear to your heart. There are many options to explore.

By considering the future needs of our community when planning a will or estate, we can help to bring about long-term sustainable change, not only for the family members we leave behind, but for our entire community and its future generations.

If you’d like to explore options for working through United Way to leave your mark on the future success of our community, please contact me at csnyder@uwaykw.org or 519-888-6100 ext. 254. You’ll also find more information at www.uwaykw.org.

Cathy Snyder
CFO

2010 Community Spirit Award Winners

Congratulations to all of the individuals and organizations acknowledged at our Community Spirit Awards held Friday February 25th. Our award winners - all true community heroes - are noted below. For a PDF listing of these winners, along with details about our award critera, click here.

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

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