Table of Contents
- Malcolm Gladwell takes Ottawa
- The storyteller as campaign chair
- Kudos to our Community Builders of the Year
- Help shape our community
- United Way Ottawa Celebrates International Youth Day
- Nominate someone you know for a Community Builder Award
Malcolm Gladwell takes Ottawa
"It was an-awe inspiring 90 minutes, to say the least. We laughed, we thought, we even got a little emotional at times. We also supported United Way Ottawa, so we felt good on many levels." – Ottawa blogger, Susan Murphy.
On June 11, a close to sold-out crowd heard Malcolm Gladwell, renowned author of The Tipping Point, Blink and Outliers, speak about history, knowledge, homelessness and even basketball. The crowd was delighted and showed its appreciation with a standing ovation after 90 minutes of conversation between Gladwell and Ottawa’s own Mark Sutcliffe.
Broadcast on a big screen at the back of the stage, the scene was simple ? two people having a conversation in a theatre full of people. The room was a’twitter as well, as United Way/Centraide’s CEO and President Michael Allen invited the audience to “turn on your blackberries” and participate in the conversation via Twitter or e-mail. Visit here to view pictures, watch videos and read blogs about the event.
The storyteller as Campaign Chair
When you first meet Jamie McCracken, you quickly realize that he is a natural storyteller. The Director of Education and Secretary Treasurer of the Ottawa Catholic School Board — and the 2009 chair of United Way Ottawa’s community campaign — loves to tell stories to illustrate a point, conjure up an image or reinforce an important message.
As an English major and a native of Robbie Burns’ Scotland, this shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. Along with weaving lines of poetry or allegory into his speeches, Jamie also loves a good debate or discussion. As comfortable talking about social justice issues to a group of businessmen as he is teaching a class of high school students — which he did for many years before becoming a principal and an administrator — Jamie’s emotional DNA is wrapped up in helping others.
“We didn’t have much and when my dad died in a mining accident when I was a teenager, we were really struggling. I have a brother and a sister, and my mom brought us to Canada to live with an uncle and try to make a better life for us. Those first years were really difficult and I remember being sent to The Christmas Exchange to pick up presents for my little brother. That’s when it really struck me that we were not well off,” he says.
Jamie started giving back to his community when he took over the school board’s struggling Foundation. He changed its focus, turning it into a meaningful charity that alleviates poverty among the board’s poor children and families. He’s also been involved in United Way Ottawa for a number of years, is Chair of the Success By 6 Council and volunteers at the Shepherd’s of Good Hope.
United Way’s community mandate is attractive to someone like Jamie who believes that people care about giving and “want to feel they are part of something bigger.”
Everyone’s life has meaning, and in a community where there really is a divide between the poor and the affluent, Jamie looks for every opportunity to “touch people’s hearts” and show them that they can make someone’s life better.
And what better way to drive this message home than with a story? Teachers from Jamie’s schools regularly take students to visit The Shepherds of Good Hope. One day they came back with a story about Joan, a client. Her room is covered in cheap toys, and she’s even stuffed toys down her blouse — they’re safe there until her children come back ‘home.’ The story goes that Joan caused an accident that killed all of her children.
Holding up a piece of paper, edge out, Jamie says: “What separates sanity from insanity is about this thin — and there but for the grace of God, go you and I.”
Stay tuned for more stories from our campaign chair as the 2009 campaign rolls out.
Kudos to our Community Builders of the Year
Close to 2,000 people from across Ottawa packed into the Westin Hotel on May 29 to honour outstanding people, organizations and neighbourhood groups involved in making the city a stronger community.
This year’s United Way Ottawa’s Community Builder of the Year was Stephen Greenberg. A long-standing and committed volunteer, he and his family recently committed $1 million over 10 years to support after-school homework club programs through United Way/Centraide. Out in the community, he has championed a long and diverse list of organizations such as the Jewish Community Council of Ottawa, Ashbury College, Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa and National Arts Centre Foundation.
Two other individuals were also honoured. Catherine Lane, a passionate volunteer in the community and currently chair of the Community Services Cabinet, was named Volunteer of the Year. Scott Lawrence, a tireless community advocate for CHEO, Christie Lake Kids, Ride for Dad and a 12-year volunteer for United Way/Centraide, received the Ambassador’s Award.
Organizations honoured this year for their work were:
- Youth Net in the children and youth category;
- Le Patro d’Ottawa in the community capacity building category;
- City for All Women Initiative in the new Canadians and immigrants category;
- Causeway Work Centre in the people with disabilities category;
- Ottawa Food Bank in the people in need and crisis category; and
- Regional Geriatric Program of Eastern Ontario in the seniors category.
In addition to these awards, United Way/Centraide presented an award for Best Community Campaign to Innovapost and for Best Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign to Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.
Find out more about our Community Builder of the Year Awards Gala or our CBA program.
Help shape our community
Help us build a stronger, healthier and safer community by joining one of our six Community Impact Councils.
We work to make a measurable difference at the local level with the support of our community partners. As a volunteer, you will help United Way/Centraide and our partners identify community solutions and guide our investment decisions – putting resources where they are needed the most and will have the greatest impact.
To find out more about becoming a volunteer on our Community Impact Councils, please contact Carol Rice at (613) 228-6732 or crice@unitedwayottawa.ca.
United Way Ottawa Celebrates International Youth Day
What will more than 500 youth in our community be doing between August 9 and 12? They’ll be celebrating International Youth Day at events and gatherings across the city in partnership with many of the youth-serving organizations in Ottawa.
United Way/Centraide Ottawa’s Youth Action Panel will be holding the inaugural Youth Got Talent event at the Bronson Centre on August 12 at 7:00 p.m. The event will raise awareness about youth substance abuse, showcase the diversity of Ottawa’s youth and celebrate their talents. Auditions will be held over the month of July for stage performers, and a marketplace at the event itself will showcase visual arts produced by youth. In addition, a live performance by JUNO-nominated artist, Elise Estrada, will cap off the evening’s festivities. All proceeds from this event will support project s.t.e.p., a United Way/Centraide fundraising campaign for two Ottawa residential youth substance abuse treatment centres and an enhanced school-based education and prevention program.
A kick-off event for International Youth Day activities will be held on Sunday, August 9 at McNabb Skate Park from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m. Stay tuned to our website and to Ottawakiosk.com for more details in the days and weeks to come.
Nominate someone you know for a Community Builder Award
Do you know a Community Builder? United Way/Centraide Ottawa’s Community Builder Awards recognize people who make a difference in the lives of others in our community through their volunteer work. United Way/Centraide’s volunteer recognition team – Michael O’Byrne, Karen Soloman and Suzanne Pinel – are out and about in the community throughout the year, handing out surprise CBAs to many unsuspecting and well-deserving recipients.
Learn more about the program and nominate a Community Builder