Looking for an opportunity to get more engaged in the community, but not sure where to start? Concerned about time constraints?
The 100+ Men Who Give a Damn Guelph (a.k.a. 100+ Men Guelph), pack a large amount of community impact into a short amount of time!
Established in 2017, following the fantastic example set by the 100 Women Who Care Guelph, 100+ Men Guelph meets for 1 hour, 4 times a year with the goal of raising at least $10,000 for a deserving local community organization.
The concept is simple: one quarterly meeting, 100 people, $100 per person = ~$10,000 which goes directly to the winning charitable organization. Nominations are collected from members. The top three nominees are invited to present to the group and then the group votes on a winner.
To date, 100+ Men Guelph have raised over $250,000 and counting for various local organizations.
“Something that everyone can appreciate is the minimal time commitment (four meetings per year). Many of our members are busy enough as it is, but they make time for our group. They recognize that, by carving out just 4 hours of your year, the ripples and benefits that you can create in our community are incredibly impactful and worthwhile,” says Mike Brookbank of 100+ Men Guelph.
One hundred percent of the money goes directly to the winning organization. None of the donation money goes toward overhead cost. There are no fees or membership dues for those that join.
100+ Men Guelph take pride in the direct impact they can have in Guelph and the surrounding area. Most recently, the four winners from the 2023 meetings were as follows:
- Rainbow Programs for Children
- Community of Hearts
- Anishnabeg Outreach
- Stepping Stone
Often times members will consider donating above the standard of $100 or may end up supporting all three presenting organizations.
“That is part of the beauty of our formula. You end up learning about a diverse group of organizations in our community that you may not have otherwise known about or known as much about. It is that awareness piece in addition to the funds raised that makes every presenter a ‘winner’ at our meetings,” stated Tom Gill of 100+ Men Guelph.
100+ Men Guelph also do their best to promote a laid-back, positive, welcoming environment where, whether it is your first meeting or you have never missed a meeting, everyone is on the same page. Get to know each other, perhaps enjoy a beverage, network a bit, and band together toward a common goal.
“Members represent diverse backgrounds, ages, and stages of life. We are always excited to welcome new members to our group. There have been members who have joined without knowing many/any of our members and now they are important parts of the fabric of 100+ Men. It is a great environment to meet like-mined people, make new connections, and feel good about doing good,” added Doug Bricknell of 100+ Men Guelph
With 2023 now in the rear view, 100+ Men Guelph are looking forward to carrying the positive momentum into 2024.
Their first quarter (Q1) meeting will be taking place on Wednesday, February 28th at 7PM at The Ward Bar @ Springmill Distillery in Guelph. Doors open at 6:30PM, meeting starts at 7PM.
100+ Men encourages you to find more information both on 100+ Men Guelph’s website and on their social media.
Are you a part of an organization that you would like to nominate for consideration or have additional questions, please fill out a contact form online here.
This article was sponsored by Wayne Pitman Ford Lincoln, a 2023 GuelphToday Reader Favourite.