July 2008 Table of Contents
Measuring Impact ... Measuring Change
Sharing Information and Sharing Strengths
75 years in the community? Tell us about it!
Our new window into our Community
A Generational Portrait at Community Builders of the Year
GUESS What?
Community Builders — Nominate someone you see making a difference
Measuring Impact ... Measuring Change
Measuring results gives us insight into the impact of the investments we make on behalf of the community. It lets us know where we are making a real difference. It helps us evaluate what progress is being made and where we need to make improvements. Most importantly, it tells the community what we’ve accomplished and where we’re heading.
Measures of Change attempts to do just that. Officially released on June 19 at our kick-off 75th anniversary celebration, this report highlights some of the positive changes that have resulted from our investments in programs that enhance the quality of life for children and youth, seniors, people with disabilities, new Canadians and immigrants, and individuals and families in crisis.
Our community partners and the agencies whose programs we support are working with us to help measure our success. “That we are able to begin to measure community impact speaks to the commitment and enthusiasm of our volunteers and our partnerships with the community agencies that are on the front lines. It makes me so proud to be part of this community,” says Catherine Lane, Chair of United Way/Centraide’s Community Services Cabinet, which guides our investment decisions.
As we move ahead with our work, we will be reporting back to the community on the progress we make every year.
To download a copy of Measures of Change, click here.
Sharing Information and Sharing Strengths
On June 10 and 11, United Way/Centraide hosted the 7th annual Sharing our Strengths Community Conference at Algonquin College. Along with our many community partners, United Way/Centraide organizes this two-day gathering each spring to help community organizations meet their training and development needs and enhance their community-building activities. This year, 46 workshops offered the 350 participants leading-edge information on leadership, management, financial management, communications and marketing, information technology and personal development.
According to conference organizer Jessica Smith, “it’s incredible to see so many people eager to learn and so many others willing to share their experience and knowledge.”
Keynote speakers during the breakfast, lunch and dinner hours provided stimulating presentations on:
- the power of motivation in effecting positive change (Ray Zahab);
- the roles that time management and organization play in increasing productivity and satisfaction in our personal and professional lives (Ann Max);
- the relationship between social change, community development and leadership (Dick Stewart); and
- the ability to reflect on our own situations of conflict, resolve complex situations, manage relationships and create sustainable changes in our lives (Ruth Sirman).
Judging by the success of this year’s event, the 2009 conference should be even better. The call for abstracts for Sharing our Strengths 2009 will go out in December, watch our website for updates at that time.
For more information on the conference, click here, call United Way/Centraide at 613-228-6700 or e-mail communityconference@unitedwayottawa.ca.
75 years in the community? Tell us about it!
United Way/Centraide is celebrating 75 years of making a difference in our community. To commemorate this milestone, we are collecting stories from anyone who has been affected by, involved in or inspired by the work that we, our partners and our volunteers do. If you have a story, we want to hear it.
Here’s a story from one of our volunteers — Lisette Bourdeau.
"I look back very fondly on my time volunteering with United Way/Centraide. After retiring from my profession, I began working my way up the volunteer ladder and so was able to help in a number of different areas over several years. I worked collecting money from door-to-door in my current area (Manor Park) and in Ottawa East and Ottawa South, and eventually as a campaign chair recruiting other people to collect with me.
It was always a very enjoyable experience and it opened my eyes and mind to a great many things. It really showed me all of the work being done by United Way/Centraide, which you sometimes don’t realize until you get out in the community and talk to people. I think this was probably the most memorable and important part for me. You sometimes give money and wonder where it’s going and if it’s getting to the people who need it. When you’re volunteering, you see that there are so many — hundreds really —other volunteers, and so you know the money raised isn’t just going to paying salaries and administration. All the money really funnels back into our own community.
Since this experience, I have always tried to give as much as I can to United Way/Centraide because I am confident in how the organization operates. It was very interesting work, and I loved it and really felt such a sense of accomplishment for being involved.”
We’d love to hear your story. You can:
E-mail us at stories@unitedwayottawa.ca.
Call us at 613-683-3860.
Mail to: United Way Ottawa
75th Anniversary Stories
c/o Erika Shea
363 Coventry Road
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
K1K 2C5
Or submit your story on-line at our Facebook page. We’ve already had great response from members of our community, check out some of their stories here.
If you’ve already sent us a story why not consider posting one of our 75th anniversary web banners on your website? They’re available in English and French (in two sizes) and are a great way to show your support for 75 years of United Way/Centraide making a difference in this community. To access the banners contact Erika Shea.
Our new window into our Community
You’ll notice something new when you click through to our newsletter’s home on our website. We’ve got a brand new face and we’re much easier to navigate. We’ve upgraded our website to make it easier for you to use.
There’s a lot more information about United Way/Centraide, our volunteers, our partners and our staff. You can find out more about our impact areas and details on our community-wide initiatives.
If you’re looking for more information there are direct links to the people who can help you out. You can also make a donation directly on-line.
This website was designed and developed in-house. It is part of our 75th anniversary celebration and as such has a section devoted to our history. You can walk through time, view pictures and posters that date back to our inception, and read about our history and how we’ve evolved in Ottawa over the past 75 years. Readers have shared their stories with us, and we’ve posted these on the site to share them with you.
We’ve also added a career section for the job hunters out there, and if you’re interested in becoming a partner or looking for a way to sponsor an event, all that information is instantly available too.
For members of the press and the media, we’ve developed a section just for you. Check back often, as this site is dynamic and will be updated regularly.
We invite you to take a few minutes and get acquainted with our new window on our community. We’re sure you’ll find the site informative and interesting. For more information or to share any feedback, contact Stacey Diffin-Lafleur, Director, Marketing, United Way/Centraide.
A Generational Portrait at Community Builders of the Year
In May, at the annual Community Builder of the Year awards ceremony and as part of our 75th anniversary celebrations, three individuals who represent a generational portrait in our community in the area of philantrhopic work were recognized as Community Builders of the Year. They are Aliai Lual, a university student who contributes to Ottawa and the Global Community; Lawrence Greenspon, a human rights lawyer who finds time to give of himself to many charities and causes in the community, and the late Evelyne Laishley, who quietly, unassumingly and anonymously supported many different causes in Ottawa.
From Left. Dennis Jackson, District Vice-President, Scotiabank and Community Builder of the Year Sponsor, with Linda Souccar (accepting in memory of the Late Mrs. Laishley), Aliai Lual and Lawrence Greenspon.
GUESS What?
United Way Ottawa is working with GUESS Inc. and Gifts In Kind International (GIKI) to provide stylish and warm clothing to people in our community who may not have the means to purchase their own.
Since December 2007, GUESS has donated more than $25K in clothing for men, women and children through the Gifts In Kind International/Canada Retail Donation Program, which is administered by United Way/Centraide. Through this program, United Way/Centraide has partnered with three GUESS retail outlets in the Ottawa region.
GIKI connects community organizations with donor companies and retail stores that can provide important resources to help improve lives.
United Way/Centraide is getting ready to launch its own Gift in-Kind program featuring an online database of materials needed or available.
Watch this space in an upcoming newsletter to learn how your company can get involved in this new program, or how you can receive products for people in need in your community. For more information please contact us at 613-228-6700 or at giftsinkind@unitedwayottawa.ca.
Community Builder Awards: Nominate someone you see making a difference
Do you know someone who gives back to our community whenever possible — often without being asked or expecting any thanks? If so, why not recognize this individual by nominating him or her for a Community Builder Award?
United Way Ottawa created the Community Builder Award program in 2000 to recognize those volunteers in Ottawa who have given their time and energy towards building a stronger community for all.
Winners of this award are presented with a surprise Community Builder Award by celebrity United Way/Centraide volunteers Michael O’Byrne, Karen Soloman and Suzanne Pinel. This team makes these presentations everywhere — at board meetings, holiday parties, even bowling tournaments. You never know where they’ll turn up, or for whom.
Recipients’ names are permanently inscribed on our Wall of Inspiration, located in Jean Piggott Hall at Ottawa City Hall. People like Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Brian Kilrea, Mayor Larry O’Brien and Debbie O’Brien, CTV meteorologist J.J. Clarke and CTV news anchor Max Keeping. Next time you’re in the area, take a look. You’ll see lots of recognizable names.
But not just high-profile people win these awards; they are won by people you see every day, people in your community, people you work with, people who are, quietly but determinedly, making a difference in our community.
Consider nominating someone like this for a United Way/Centraide Community Builder Award. Nominations can be made at www.unitedwayottawa.ca. We look forward to receiving a nomination about someone who inspires you.