THUNDER BAY -- Employee campaigns are integral to the United Way of Thunder Bay’s annual campaign goal.
It’s especially critical for the city’s larger organizations to take part each year, their higher staff count enabling them to collect more money for the charity.
Michael Nitz, this year’s campaign co-chairman, on Wednesday brought together representatives of six organizations, who together have pledged to raise more than $200,000 this year, a figure that represents about 11 per cent of the United Way’s stated $2.66-million campaign goal.
Nitz is hopeful other companies, both big and small, can be convinced to join in the 2016 fundraising effort.
“Fifty per cent of our total funds raised come from employee campaigns,” Nitz said. “People, with their peers in their workplace, step up and want to make a difference in the lives of people here in Thunder Bay.
“It’s absolutely critical. If we didn’t have half the money that we raise we wouldn’t be able to fund half the programs that we do.”
No United Way in Thunder Bay is a scary thought, he added.
“People would go hungry, kids would go without mentorship and abused women wouldn’t have the opportunity to seek shelter. There are 60 programs. It keeps me up every night thinking if we weren’t able to fund one of them, let alone many of them,” Nitz said.
Confederation College’s Jeanine Verdenik says she’s hopeful the school can set example during this year’s campaign window.
“It’s not a hard thing to develop an employee campaign,” she said. “I’ve been a part of employee campaigns in other organizations and it’s a great way to give back to your community.’
Other organizations involved in the effort include Lakehead University, Lakehead Public School Board, the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board, St. Joseph’s Care Group and CSDC Aurora Borealis.
For more information, visit http://www.uwaytbay.ca/.
This year's campaign is currently at 23 per cent of its goal, though a spokeswoman for the charity said she expects the number to grow quickly as employee campaign collections are handed in.
