Kicking off the 2017 United Way campaign with a fundraising goal of $3.5 million, executive director Ken Dardano says the most important thing is the community coming together for a great cause and having a good time doing it.
“We don’t want to use money as the end goal, because it’s really about the impacts we’re having on the ground. It’s about providing programs to help people exit from the cycle they might be in,” said Dardano during today’s launch event outside City Hall.
This year’s goal for United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin is down slightly from last year’s $3.6-million ask, a goal which Dardano said was met.
In fact, said Dardano, the local United Way has met its fundraising goal every year for the last decade.
“In Guelph in the last 10 years we have always achieved goal. We’re really proud of that fact, but we couldn’t do it without everybody rallying,” he said.
The slogan for this year's fundraising effort is 'What's raised local stays local'.
Today’s kickoff event for this year’s campaign featured a fundraising barbecue and for a minimum donation of $10, people could take a 100-foot high ride in the basket of a Guelph Fire Department aerial truck.
Deputy fire chief Steven Goode said offering the rides was a good opportunity for the department to provide public education while supporting a good cause.
“Any time we can get out and help any of the organizations that are doing good in our community, we welcome that,” said Goode.
Rick McCombie, United Way campaign chair, took the first ride in the fire truck’s basket with Dardano to reveal a banner featuring the goal for this year’s campaign.
“The fire department looked after us. We were harnessed in, so even if we passed out we were okay,” quipped McCombie.
He said the success the local United Way has had in reaching goal every year for the last decade is not typical.
“When we look around the United Ways across Ontario, some have been hit pretty hard with the whole economic situation — plant closures and that sort of thing. We have had a bit of that here, but for the most part we have a pretty stable economy, a stable workforce, a growing community, so we are very fortunate,” said McCombie.
He also lauds the hours of fundraising work put in by volunteers so the United Way can support 88 programs through 54 local agencies.
Sly Castaldi, executive director of Geulph-Wellington Women in Crisis, said the funds the agency receives from United Way allows them to put their focus on providing programs for people in need, like their Rural Women’s Support Program and Sexual Assault Centre.
“Those two program areas are under-funded and under-resourced, so we really need the enhancement from the United Way to be able to provide full programming,” said Castaldi.
Without programs like these, said Castaldi, it would be rough for a lot of people in the community who rely on them.
“I think one of the things United Way does for all of the agencies that are part of the United Way family is that they do the fundraising for all of us so we aren’t competing with each other. They provide us with the resources we need to provide our programs,” said Castaldi.
Dardano said this year’s goal was scaled back slightly from the previous year after an analysis of the what came in last year and a forecasting of this year’s needs.
“We wanted to be realistic about the goal this year and make sure it’s achievable, but also we are really emphasizing that beyond part. We really want to strive to get back to the 3.6 (million dollars) but we felt we wanted to be honest and open,” he said.
Of course, McCombie said he hopes the United Way meets this year’s goal — and beyond.
“We need to raise that kind of money to fund the current programs, and what we are really talking about today is the beyond piece — the minute we meet somebody’s needs someone else comes along,” said McCombie.
Meeting this year’s goal is important to maintain the current level of service, said Dardano.
“If we reach our goal, obviously we won’t see any cuts to our partner agencies and we still are getting funding out to new programs,” he said.
Dardano noted the recently-opened 10C, across the street from today’s event, houses many United Way partner agencies, including Chalmers Community Services Centre.
“They have a food pantry, a clothing program and they do a lot of help and support for a lot of marginalized folks in our community. It’s a great drop in centre,” said Dardano.
Many of the 200 or so corporate campaigns have already kicked off or will be starting soon, said Dardano.
Cathy Downer, Ward 5 councillor and acting mayor for today’s event, said the city’s fundraising effort for United Way begins September 12.
“I have no doubt they will reach their 3.5 million dollar goal because that’s just the way Guelph is. People in our community like to make a difference and help others,” said Downer.
McCombie said it isn’t just for the corporations and municipalities to get involved in fundraising, but also the approximately 7,000 individual donors.
Even with web sites, social media and email, McCombie notes the age-old direct mail program still brings in some big numbers for the United Way.
“With all of the technology we have nowadays, you would think that thing would be dead. That program still raises over $200,000 every year,” he said.
