29 Feb Your United Way in Action
Last year, our Board of Directors approved a new Strategic Plan to act as a compass for us over a three-year period. Developed with input from a wide variety of community members, this plan identified the following four strategic themes as mission critical for your United Way as a charity:
- Build capacity to meet the needs of the community
- Increase awareness of United Way Simcoe Muskoka’s impact on the communities we serve
- Strengthen communities through strategic funding and partnership opportunities
- Affect long-term systemic change through advocacy and education.
I wanted to provide an update on some of the progress we have made over the past year when it comes to “increasing awareness” and leading through “advocacy and education” (as well as provide a sneak peak of what is to come):
- To keep you better informed as a United Way supporter, we have launched this monthly e-blast newsletter
- To engage the next generation of United Way ambassadors, we now have a Tik Tok channel to complement our social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter)
- To raise awareness of the challenges facing members of our community experiencing poverty, we developed the Living in My Shoes online poverty simulator
- To destigmatize the lived experiences of vulnerable populations across our region, we hosted the #REAL2REEL Documentary Film Festival with films screenings in Barrie, Collingwood, Midland, and Orillia
As we look to the future, we have even more exciting developments in the works:
- March 26 marks the premier of our second annual #REAL2REEL Documentary Film Series with a screening of “Four Feet Up” at the Simcoe Street Theatre in Collingwood; this year’s film series is made possible through the generous support of our partners at the RBC Foundation and Enbridge
- We are working with our partners at CFS Counselling and Wellbeing on the release of the “Resilience Rising” podcast – this eight-episode series will drop in the spring
- Finally, we are developing a new partnership with a locally-owned media outlet that will see us reach even more members of our community through local radio, increased web-presence, and traditional media – more details to come!
You can also help us spread the word!
It is as easy as following us on social media and simply liking and sharing our posts with your own network.
Thank you for your ongoing support – together we can make a difference.
Join us this March for a ‘Month of Hope’– a celebration of our commitment to creating lasting impact in communities across Simcoe Muskoka. Your United Way Simcoe Muskoka has proudly committed a $2.1 million investment in 7 transformative community collaborative projects over the next three years. Together, we’re fostering positive change, empowering individuals, and building stronger, more resilient communities. Join us in spreading hope throughout this month as we work hand-in-hand with 30 community partners to invest in housing stability, mental health, food security and income stability. Your support fuels the potential for brighter futures and thriving communities. Let’s unite for a Month of Hope and make a difference together!
Join us in spreading hope this month. Every dollar you donate will be generously matched by Glueckler Metal, doubling the impact of your contribution. To have your gift matched, click here
United Way Simcoe Muskoka is proud to announce the annual Real2Reel Documentary Film Festival, a purpose-driven event addressing complex societal issues such as poverty, substance disorders, human trafficking, and social inclusion.
Film Screenings:
4 Feet Up: Tuesday March 26
6:30-9:30 PM at Simcoe Street Theatre, 65 Simcoe Street studio 7 in Collingwood
The People and Partners Behind United Way Simcoe Muskoka
Thank you Reliance! For over 15 Years, Reliance has worked with United Ways to strengthen communities, this year their team members raised over $1,000,000 through workplace campaigns and matching corporate commitments. As this year’s 2024 Annual Reliance Summit was held at Blue Mountain Resort, United Way Simcoe Muskoka was presented with a gift of $15,000 to support our efforts to move people from poverty to possibility.
Over 300 Reliance employees came together to build 50 wheelchairs for those in need in our community! Chairs were distributed to Empower Simcoe, Helping Hands Orillia, Independent Living Services, WOW Living, Ontario Disability offices in Bracebridge, Orillia and Barrie, BANAC, Chippewas Rama First Nations, Lions Club of Elmvale, Community Living Muskoka, Barrie Family Unite.
Employee Spotlight: Kerry Butler-Beauchamp, Financial Associate
We believe in investing in people and forming meaningful connections. We see ourselves as more than just a funder. We listen, we collaborate and we bring communities together. Here we’re pleased to introduce you to one of the amazing humans doing this work.
I have been on staff here at United Way Simcoe Muskoka for 13 years as of April. Working here I have had the privilege of seeing first hand our growth and involvement throughout Simcoe Muskoka. To know that what you do helps your neighbor and community members in so many ways, makes each day have purpose.
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