THUNDER BAY — The United Way of Thunder Bay is preaching local love.
The organization, which funds more than a dozen agencies and 22 different programs throughout the city, on Tuesday launched its annual fundraising campaign, encouraging local business leaders and the general public to donate to the cause.
Once again, the United Way did not publicly disclose their target, a practice they’ve observed for the past several years.
Albert Brulé, CEO of the United Way of Thunder Bay, said the campaign is key to their success, the annual breakfast the signal of the start of the multi-million-dollar drive.
“The goal is to encourage workplaces, businesses, individuals, service clubs, unions, schools and community groups to rally in support of those in need in our community,” he said. “We support a variety of vital programs and services through our funded agencies and we rely on the support of the community to meet those needs.
“The needs are ever growing.”
Without an organization like the United Way, many of these programs might struggle more, or more alarmingly, cease to exist.
Brulé said tens of thousands of individuals would be affected or impacted, either through the need for shelter or food security and clothing. Programs funded by the United Way also help address the root causes of poverty in the community.
“Much of that work would go unfunded,” Brulé said.
“We know the impacts of homelessness. We know the impacts of food insecurity. Those impacts would be even greater. So, we admire and respect and celebrate the fact that so many workplaces, businesses, individuals and families do step up to make a donation. Every donation counts.”
The campaign kicked off with a $10,000 matching donation from Tbaytel, and in a matter of minutes all $10,000 had been pledged.
The United Way will also be hosting a number of events, including the return later this month of the plane-pull fundraiser in conjunction with Wasaya Airlines. Novemburger is also on this year’s calendar and on Wednesday, a $1 from each Local Love Cupcake sold at Carol’s Cakes will be donated to the campaign.
There is also the Giant Food Drive this weekend, in conjunction with local service clubs, that will see non-perishable goods collected at grocery stores throughout Thunder Bay. And there’s a chance to win a pair of tickets and airfare to see Shania Twain in Vancouver, the draw happening on Sept. 29.
Volker Kromm, who heads the Regional Food Distribution Association, said the United Way has been a great partner over the years and support plenty of organizations, like Our Kids Count and Evergreen, a United Neighbourhood, that do great work in the community.
“We support them as well, but they’ve brought them all to the United Way table and I think by focusing on the Dew Drop Inn and the other feeding programs that are also connected to the United Way, it brings the local love back to the focus as a collaborative engine that we are working on together,” Kromm said.
“We are stronger together. We cannot do this on our own. None of those other organizations, or the United Way, can do this without working as a team.”
