Starting Off Life at a New Home on the Right Foot

This Fall, with the help of a $10,000 donation from the John Deere Foundation of Canada, United Way Niagara distributed 100 Welcome Home Kits to the community. These kits support individuals and families who are moving from transitional to permanent housing by providing them with the materials needed to cook, serve meals, and attend to personal hygiene. Since this program was established in 2012, over 5,000 kits have been distributed. Sadly, the demand for kits typically outweighs the number available.

John Deere ensures their employees have the time and resources they need to give back to their communities because they know that making a difference starts at home.

John Deere Canada has been a local champion and supporter of United Way for many years, helping not only with Welcome Home Kits but also the Backpacks for Kids program, Days of Caring at our Vineland Garden Hub, and supporting events such as the Firetruck Pull Campaign Kick-off. John Deere ensures their employees have the time and resources they need to give back to their communities because they know that making a difference starts at home.

Creating local change through Welcome Home Kits takes many partners for the program to be successful. From procuring the items that go into the kits to getting them to where they will make the biggest impact. We are thankful for the support we have received from our GenNext Cabinet, who packed the Welcome Home Kits most recently distributed amongst local non-profit organizations to provide to their clients. Following a successful Community Trunk Sale and help at our Vineland Garden Hub, we are excited for a bright future for the GenNext committee!

“By investing in the people we serve, we are able to assist them in overcoming the challenges they face and enable them to lift themselves out of poverty and crisis into self-sufficiency.” – Karen DeBreau, John Deere Canada

Welcome Home Kits would not be possible without the support of donors like John Deere Canada. When they know people in their communities are struggling, they don’t sit idle. “We run so life can leap forward,” said Karen DeBreau, Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility Lead at John Deere Canada. “By investing in the people we serve, we are able to assist them in overcoming the challenges they face and enable them to lift themselves out of poverty and crisis into self-sufficiency.” As local agencies picked up their kits, Sam Lariccia, a volunteer from John Deere Financial, helped make the process an easy one.

“Seeing people struggling in our community and hoping that maybe we can give them an equal chance at doing better is what motivates me to help.” – Sam, John Deere volunteer

“I personally view giving back to the community as so important. Partnering with United Way is an easy way to give back and feel good while doing it,” said Sam. “Seeing people struggling in our community and hoping that maybe we can give them an equal chance at doing better is what motivates me to help.”

Several agencies were present to pick up Welcome Home Kits for the individuals and families they serve. Provided to newcomers to our community, individuals experiencing homelessness and those with lack of supports, these kits will help bridge gaps as people move into new housing.