Wow! It certainly has been exciting since I took on the role of Executive Director at the beginning of this year. I’m amazed at how much is going on in our communities. I feel honoured to be part of our United Way as it continues to provide support through the sharing of both financial resources and knowledge. Read more here.
In partnership with the University of Guelph and the Volunteer Centre of Guelph/Wellington, the United Way is calling for nominations for the 2nd annual Dr. William Winegard Exemplary Volunteer Involvement Awards. These awards, held in honour of former University of Guelph president Dr. William Winegard, annually recognize the significant community involvement of a University of Guelph student, staff, and faculty member. Read more here.
The United Way of Guelph & Wellington will be hosting their Annual General Meeting on Monday, March 31st from 5:00 to 6:30 at the Italian Canadian Club. This event will feature a special presentation on “Volunteering in Ontario: The Changing Landscape” by Cathy Taylor, Executive Director of the Volunteer Centre of Guelph/Wellington. For more information or to R.S.V.P. please contact Homeria Costas at homeira@unitedwayguelph.com or 519-821-0571 ext. 26.
As was officially announced at our 2007 Campaign closing, we are honoured to welcome Dr. Alastair Summerlee as our 2008 Campaign Chair. Dr. Summerlee has played a key leadership role within the very successful University of Guelph United Way campaign and is a proud leadership donor. He is a strong believer in creating links between the University of Guelph and the Guelph community encouraging staff, faculty, and students to get involved through volunteerism and advocacy. Over the next few months, Dr.Summerlee will recruit his campaign cabinet who will assist him as he leads the campaign in 2008.
We are excited to announce that donations to the 2007 United Way Campaign continued to be made even after the official campaign achievement luncheon in December. Because of this generosity, the final amount raised through last year’s campaign is officially $2,627,825. This incredible achievement is the result of the hard work of hundreds of volunteers and the generosity of thousands of donors. This success is outstanding especially considering that volunteers were predicting a $100,000 shortfall. CONGRATULATIONS GUELPH & WELLINGTON!
Family Counselling & Support Services - In the Business of Instilling Hope
For over 20 years, Family Counselling and Support Services has been the primary counselling centre for Guelph & Wellington County. “People in our community come to us when they need help,” says Jack Watkins, Executive Director of FC& SS. “Because of our United Way funding we are able to be there for everyone.” Read More Here.
The population of Guelph and Wellington County grew by about 8% from 2001 to 2006. As our community grows, so does the number of New Canadians who live here. The foreign-born population in the City of Guelph is slightly higher than the national average at just above 20%, while in the county about 14% of the population was born outside of Canada.
Read more here.
There are people in our community who live in poverty – this means they struggle to pay for basic needs, such as sufficient housing and nutritious food. Over time, there has been an increased need for emergency shelter and people are staying for longer periods of time. There are long wait list for many subsidized housing units and food bank use is increasing.Read more here.
- The population of Guelph and Wellington continues to age. People aged 50+ represent 31% of the population, with a higher proportion of seniors living in Wellington County than in the City of Guelph.
- Guelph and Wellington is becoming increasingly diverse, albeit at a slower rate than the province.
- The number of Aboriginal people living in Guelph and Wellington has nearly doubled over the past 5 years, but continues to represent less than 1% of the population.
- Unemployment in Guelph in 2006 was at its lowest point since 1987 and was 1.4% lower than the provincial average.
Read more here.
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