United Way of Canada:
United Way of Canada (Centraide Canada in French) is the national organization for the 120 autonomous, volunteer-based United Ways across Canada, which work to better the lives of all Canadians by addressing the root causes of social problems, such as poverty.
United Way-Centraide is a leading community building organization in Canada. In Canada, United Ways-Centraides are led and supported by more than 200,000 volunteers all dedicated to improving the lives of individuals in their community. Volunteers sit on United Way-Centraide boards, work on local fundraising campaigns, and help out in other meaningful capacities. Each United Way-Centraide is responsible to its own community, raising the resources and distributing it back to their community. Each year, United Ways-Centraides raise upwards of $480 million, the vast majority of which is reinvested in local communities to support programs and services directed at improving the social conditions of Canadians.[1]
United Way-Centraide is unique in building on a community’s strengths and resources by bringing together all parts of a community to identify and work towards common goals and through developing solutions and results that are sustainable, preventative and holistic.
In spite of the vastly different conditions every community faces, there is a commonality of the issues that arise - poverty, homelessness, families or individuals in crisis or need, and so on. United Ways-Centraides work collaboratively with other partners, such as government or other community organizations to address these issues in ways that are most relevant to the community they are serving. [2]
[edit] The National Office
The National Office, which was founded in 1939, is located in Ottawa, Ontario. As the national organization, United Way of Canada-Centraide Canada acts as a voice for local United Ways-Centraides within the Canadian voluntary sector and internationally and provides leadership; training and learning opportunities; and other services. United Way of Canada-Centraide Canada convenes local United Ways-Centraides on a yearly basis at its annual conference, where they benefit from professional development training, share best practices and learn from leading thinkers. [1]
[edit] History
United Way-Centraide was born out of a “community collective” philosophy which began in Denver in 1887. The community collective philosophy originally emerged when various clergy in Denver were trying to raise money individually to support their community and realized that they could have a greater impact if they worked together to raise and distribute funds. [3] The community collective philosophy spread to Canada prior to the 1920s. This was a turbulent time in world history. Canada was enmeshed in the Great War to end all wars and the first threads of our social safety net were still almost 30 years away. Individuals and families were reliant upon their own ingenuity and the generosity of their neighbours and community. It is in this environment that United Way-Centraide first emerged. In 1917 in Montreal and Toronto, charities started community collectives similar to the one in Denver to raise funds to strengthen their communities. [3]
Additional community collectives sprang up across Canada over time. Known originally as Red Feather, Community Chest and the United Appeal, it was not until the 1970s that these organizations took the name of United Way and Centraide (in 1973 and 1975 respectively). [3]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b United Way of Canada, About US, [1]
- ^ United Way of Canada, 2007 Annual Report, [2]
- ^ a b c United Way of Canada, History, [3]
[edit] External links
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