United Way launches fundraising campaign

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This article was published 16/09/2022 (1252 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Performances by local dance troupes, speeches from local dignitaries and plenty of red shirts took to the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium late Thursday afternoon for the United Way of Brandon and District’s largest campaign kickoff since before the COVID-19 pandemic under the theme of “building forward.”

Though the removal of some COVID-19 restrictions meant that the organization was able to hold a scaled-down kickoff outside at the Riverbank Discovery Centre last year, organizers were looking for a return to form for both the kickoff and this year’s fundraising campaign.

Representatives from the organization spoke with pride during the event about still being able to raise $1.3 million over the past two years despite the challenges of the pandemic.

Unlike in previous years, local United Way CEO Cynamon Mychasiw said no specific fundraising target is being set this year due to continuing economic uncertainty, though she said the organization will need around $800,000 to fulfil its commitments.

“We’re very sensitive to the fact that people are still recovering from the pandemic,” Mychasiw told the Sun. “Employees, businesses, everyone is coming back from that. While the community has not let us down the past couple of years, we are looking to grow just because need has gone up so much and we want to get close to meeting that need.”

According to Mychasiw, the United Way has had to invest more money in food programs over the last year than it has in the past.

This year’s campaign chair is Samantha Falloon, a managing partner with Myphone.

She outlined many ways that United Way helps people in the community, from providing hot lunches, safe places for people with angry partners and school supplies for kids to connecting newcomers with family programming and people with anger management lessons.

From her experience spending six years on the United Way’s board of directors, Falloon said she understands how tough it is to decide where the organization’s funding is directed and how need exceeds the money available every year.

“While many are struggling to overcome the restrictions of the past few years, many more are struggling just to survive,” Falloon said. “Cost of living is high and young couples are both often working more than one job to pay the rent.”

The first of the new fundraising campaign’s events will be the United Way’s annual garage sale, taking place this Saturday at the Keystone Centre from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Entry is $2 for adults and free for kids 12 and under.

That will be followed up by the return of the annual spaghetti lunch this fall and a holiday gala serving as a larger-scale version of the traditional Christmas tree auction that helps raise money for hampers.

“I’m a little excited about all of it,” Falloon said. “I really love the events. I love getting together and seeing the community pull together.”

On behalf of United Way Brandon’s board of directors, chairperson Karla Dane said the organization would be working on several ambitious projects over the next year including the establishment of a new Indigenous advisory council, a new group called “Women United” and a new program to help working adults become more financially stable.

Speeches from local dignitaries at the kickoff included Brandon and District Labour Council president Kirk Carr, who spoke of the relationship between the labour movement and the United Way as well as about how many donations the United Way will receive will come from working families through payroll deductions and workplace campaigns.

“These donations from working people are going to come at a time where money is currently stretched very thin,” Carr said. “But these donations mean a worker still believes in the community and believes in the importance of the availability of services for all of Brandon.”

Mayor Rick Chrest said it was a “great honour” for him to participate in the kickoff and praised the United Way’s community involvement over the decades.

Providing entertainment for the event was local dance troupe International Sensation as well as another troupe of Filipino dancers.

Those interested in contributing to the campaign are encouraged to attend the fundraising events, but Mychasiw said the organization is always interested in receiving donations in the way that works best for donors.

Apart from financial donations, the United Way is still looking to collect donations of winter coats for its annual Coats for Kids campaign. Coats for boys are especially being sought right now.

Those interested in contributing should visit brandonuw.ca for more information.

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