Learning first-hand the difference our community can make together

Learning first-hand the difference our community can make together! 🙂

By Alyson Montovani-Ozaki, Development Officer at United Way Niagara

Recently, United Way Niagara held a small social gathering for individuals who volunteer by leading United Way campaigns in their workplaces. With just a few hours to spare, our goal was to give attendees a chance to see the impact their donation can have on the community.

First, we arranged to pack Welcome Home Kits that would be distributed to Niagara Region’s Social Assistance and Employment office. These helpful kits will go to families who are either newcomers to the area or transitioning from the shelter system to stable housing. Welcome Home Kits provide basic household and hygiene items, such as pots and pans, dishes, cutlery, towels, and soap to reduce the financial burden associated with moving and provide the items needed to prepare meals and take care of personal hygiene.

Once the kits were finished, the volunteers had the opportunity to listen to presentations from local people leading change in our community. We first heard from Luke Baulk, Garden Hub Lead, who shared details on the United Way Garden Hub Project. It was amazing to see the photos of the open plot of land that they started with in the spring and the carefully defined rows of produce that have filled in wonderfully over the summer.

Goosebumps went down my arms hearing that while most programs tend to help women get out of trafficking after going through the program up to ten times, the program at YWCA has a very high success rate after one time through the program.

Luke also mentioned that all produce grown at the two Garden Hubs is destined to supply community run pop up markets, located throughout Niagara, in food deserts and economically depressed areas to provide residents of these communities with a way to access fresh produce in an affordable and dignified way.

Lastly, we heard from Elizabeth Zimmermann of the YWCA. I was familiar with the organization and I knew they worked with women and children, but what I didn’t realize is that they also have some important United Way funded programs that help people to escape human trafficking. Goosebumps went down my arms hearing that while most programs tend to help women get out of trafficking after going through the program up to ten times, the program at YWCA has a very high success rate after one time through the program.

By the end of the night, I felt it was clear the difference United Way and our community fund can make for families and individuals in need. It was a wonderful night that really opened my eyes to the difference we can make when we work together.

It was also impactful to hear that after obtaining funding for the trafficking program, they realized the need to teach younger individuals about grooming to help them avoid getting into trafficking in the first place. They reached out to United Way to fund this new program and marketed it to schools throughout Niagara. Now girls across the region are learning as part of their regular curriculum about forming healthy relationships and how to notice red flags in potential friends and partners. All thanks to funding that came to them through United Way.

By the end of the night, I felt it was clear the difference United Way and our community fund can make for families and individuals in need. It was a wonderful night that really opened my eyes to the difference we can make when we work together.