Congratulations to the 2023 Special Award Winners!
Each year United Way Niagara is proud to recognize the outstanding achievements of local partners and supporters with yearly campaign awards. The following award winners have shown tremendous support and dedication to strengthening our community over the past year.
Anita Robertson Legacy Award
This memorial award is bestowed annually upon an individual or individuals that embody Anita’s kind heart and community spirit and demonstrate an unwavering commitment to our cause.
We are pleased to announce that the 2023 Anita award recipient is Shelley Marchand. Shelley exemplifies the spirit of what it really means to be the change you wish to see in the world. United Way is grateful for her leadership, including serving as a member of the Campaign Cabinet and the Women United Committee, opening her home to host special receptions, and sharing her time, talent and resources on many occasions in support of United Way initiatives and projects.
Campaign of the Year
The Campaign of the Year award is presented to an organization that achieved tremendous success in their employee campaign in 2023.
Canadian Niagara Power has remained on the list of United Way Niagara’s Top 50 Employee Campaigns for many years and has set an example of a successful campaign that continues to grow each year with close to 50% participation in 2023. The success of the campaign is a direct result of the culture of giving that is engrained in Canadian Niagara Power.
Community Builder Award
The Community Builder Award is presented to an organization or group that has made significant strides in building their community, making Niagara a better place for everyone.
This years winner has proven their dedication to improving food security and expanding food access through their collaborative efforts in partnership with United Way’s Community Pop-up Produce Market program.
We are honoured to present the Community Builder Award to Edith Cavell Public School’s Fresh West Market team. Fresh West was born out of a class discussion about where families access their food. It was identified that the neighbourhood surrounding the school was somewhat of food desert, with very few options for accessing healthy, and more importantly, affordable food. With the support of United Way’s pop-up market program, a unique market model was created by students, teachers and a public health nurse. Read more about Fresh West on our website.
Community Partner Award
The Community Partnership Award is presented to an organization that demonstrates outstanding dedication and commitment to United Way and the Niagara community through deep rooted partnerships.
Meridian Credit Union’s backing of the 2023 Period Promise Campaign led to a three hundred and eleven percent increase in funds raised through this initiative, setting a new record. The Meridian team has demonstrated an unmatched passion for United Way and the Niagara community and it is evident through their empowering environment that encourages employees to commit to the local community. This is clear through Meridian employees volunteering their time to participate in community events, raising significant awareness for the Period Promise initiative, as well as sponsoring and volunteering at the Vineland Garden Hub.
Corporation of the Year
The Corporation of the Year award criteria is not only based on campaign achievements, but focuses on sponsorship, volunteerism, corporate support, and most importantly, outstanding commitment.
Algoma’s unwavering support has been truly exceptional, evident in their continual corporate matching and employee contributions, the tireless efforts and commitment of their committee, and the numerous volunteer projects enthusiastically completed by employees. In 2023 alone, Algoma’s efforts resulted in raising over one-hundred and twenty thousand dollars, securing the organization once again a top position in United Way’s esteemed Top 20 Employee Campaigns.
Unsung Hero Award
The unsung hero award is presented to an organization or individual who supports United Way while working quietly behind the scenes and whose contributions may otherwise go unnoticed.
The LCBO team and employees worked tirelessly to help us reach our campaign goal for the 2023 campaign through their annual Point-of-Sale campaign. With the support of management emphasizing the importance of the campaign in daily team meetings, and sale associates empowering each customer to make a difference, the LCBO’s commitment to fundraising showed.
Municipal Challenge
Congratulations to the City of Port Colborne for winning the 2023 Municipal Challenge. The City of Port Colborne’s dedicated United Way committee was able to engage their colleagues with a variety of interesting and resourceful events throughout the year, raising the highest amount per capita
Event of the Year
The Event of the Year Award is presented to an organization or individual that organized an outstanding event or initiative in support of United Way.
The Enbridge Annual Golf Tournament in support of United Way Niagara brought together employees from all over the province for a day of comradery, while also generating $35,000 in revenue for United Way – a significant increase over 2022, while also raising awareness of community needs and the many programs that rely on United Way support.
