2010 annual report

our mission

Thompson nicola cariboo UniTed Way 2010 annUal reporT

to improve lives and build community by engaging individuals and mobilizing collective action

unitedwaytnc.ca250.372.99331.855.372.9933

2010 has been a defining year for our United Way. We have joined other United Ways across the country in focusing our efforts and supporting the work on the ground. This is the only way we can create the opportunities that people need to achieve their greatest potential. If we work collaboratively with others and build on each other’s strengths, we can change lives for those people who do not have a place to call home. And if we continue to work closely with the agencies that we fund, we can assure our donors that their dollars are supporting the wisest solutions to improving individual lives and changing community conditions.

Our continued involvement in diverse communities, sectors and groups has taught us the wisdom of others. And we firmly believe in the ability we all have to make a difference if we work together in partnership.

Using these strategies we can:

• Engage and mobilize the community (through dollars, influence, time and knowledge)

• Address underlying causes (with initiatives such as Success by 6® and the Homelessness Action Plan)

• Strengthen the network of services and capacity of non-profits and community (by funding agencies and supporting Leadership Development)

• Influence attitudes, systems, and policy

United Way is about creating opportunities for a better life for everyone in our communities. Thank you to the countless volunteers that inspire us, work beside us and lead the way. My respect and admiration go out to an inspirational and tireless staff team who demonstrate every day that change does start here.

Brenda AynsleyExecutive Director

3

report from theExEcutivE dirEctor

StaffMelodie GrabnerDirector of Resource Development

Janey HellmenResource Development Associate

Danalee CoatesCommunity Development Coordinator

Kaitlin O’LearyCommunity Development Associate – Youth

Francy HaywardSuccess by 6® Regional Coordinator

Barb WalchOffice Administration

Board of directorSTony Ryan Gerard Hayes Marilyn MartinMelissa Arkinstall Judi Ault Paula Cousins Hugh MacInnes Jameel Aziz Christine Loney Frank Anderson Jason Fawcett Mark Freberg Aubrey Shannon Bill Hamblett

campaign caBinetSteve Earl Rob Wilson Helena James Jason Fawcett Brian McLeod Sarah Cuzzetto John Hall Rob Kovac Mike Sun Kevin Cowan Shelley Trudeau Kathy Fournier Joanne Metz Jerry SpiceAllison Ryder Gerry West Tim Shoults

who’s who

Youth adviSorY councilAmy BerardDanielle DhaliwalNesochi EzeliEmily FukumotoJeff HicksAlanna JanzAmy LongoOmatayo (Tayo) Orebiyi Ashley RicaltonTaylor ShantzKari SpivakChelsey TennantJacquelyn Webber

SucceSS BY 6® council of partnerSDeanie HansenElizabeth DeVriesKarl De BruijnKris WeathermanKrista LussierLouise OylerManju SinghMarilyn MartinMeg LeeNadine RyanNicole BeauregardVal JanzWendy Matheson

SucceSS BY 6® BuSineSS engagement committeeJim AndersonDonna EricksonJulie RachynskiGordon PetersenGraham HeldGlen FarrowSue Lissel

communitY impact councilSlogan lake & ashcroftSusie LavigneRandi WestfallCathy Cwirko

100 mile houseArla DriverChris NicklessChristine JordanLea Smirfitt

Williams lakeAnnie McKitrick Kathi MalachLarry StranbergLuke MogerTaryn Aumond Rock Lamont

It is my pleasure to have been President of Thompson Nicola Cariboo United Way for the 2010/ 2011 fiscal year. And what a year it has been! Once again, we had a record fundraising campaign, with the incredibly generous people and companies of our region donating over $1.8 million. This has allowed United Way to come even closer to achieving our goals in 2011. These goals include:

• Creating a shift from poverty to possibility. This past year has seen the launch of the Homelessness Action Plan, a community-based initiative seeking to end homelessness in Kamloops in less than 5 years. We believe everyone in our community should have the chance to live well.

• Helping people grow up great. Children are our future, and United Way is proud to work with our community partners and other groups to give children in the Thompson Nicola Cariboo region the best chance to achieve their full potential.

• Building strong communities. Thompson Nicola Cariboo United Way is creating positive change in the communities where we live. We do this not only by channelling funds raised to our community partners, but also by lending all types of support to other community groups and leading our own initiatives.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank a number of people without whom we could not achieve such exciting results. I would like to thank the dedicated members of the Board of Directors, the hardworking staff who do such an incredible job, the countless volunteers who so eagerly help out when needed, and the caring and committed people who work so hard for our community partners and other community groups. Lastly, and most importantly, I would like to thank the thousands of individuals who donated to our 2010 campaign. Without your generous contributions, we couldn’t have done nearly as much to improve our communities.

Thank you all. And I look forward to making even greater strides in 2011!

Tony Ryan

board rEport


5

without yourgenerous contributions, we couldn’t havedonE nEarly as much to improve ourcommunities

Granny & Grampa Connections Box

success by 6®

is dedicated to providing all children with a good start in life

growing up grEat


7

Every child deserves the love, the learning and the confidence to reach his or her potential. Sadly, many of British Columbia’s children are being let down and left behind. The province’s child vulnerability rate – which measures the proportion of children who enter the school system lacking the skills they need to succeed – is 29%. What does this mean? It means there are too many children who enter school unable to hold a pencil, or climb stairs, or listen to and understand a teacher’s instructions. It also means too many parents lack the time and resources they need to ensure their children are able to thrive.

To meet these formidable challenges, Thompson Nicola Cariboo United Way has developed the following strategies:

• Increasing communities’ knowledge about early childhood development by supporting

In our multicultural society, a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work when it comes to educating and caring for children. That’s why the Success by 6® initiative, which is dedicated to providing all children with a good start in life, has developed its Granny and Grampa Connections Box. It’s a toolkit for parents, elders and educators of young Aboriginal children that reflects the belief that culture and language form the foundation of a child’s development.

The concept of the box, which contains puppets, toys and musical instruments that allow children and their caregivers to bond and tell stories to one another, isn’t new. Similar boxes featuring Mother Goose and other familiar characters have enjoyed success. But this is the first box that is culturally appropriate for Aboriginal families, and for this reason it’s getting a

and engaging community coalitions that focus on this issue

• Enhancing community resources that benefit young children

• Working with youth to increase their knowledge about, awareness of, and engagement with the community

United Way has applied these strategies to considerable success in the past year. We have collaborated with non-traditional partners such as Interior Savings Credit Union and local business leaders. And we’re excited about programs like our Youth Day of Caring. Together, we’re changing the landscape, and the future, for our children and youth.

very positive response from First Nations elders and caregivers who have been trained to use it. Asked how people are responding to the box, Success by 6® Aboriginal Engagement Coordinator for the North Thompson Cindy Wilgosh smiles. “Very well. People are thrilled to see the relevance to First Nations, Inuit, and Metis families. They’re very excited to start using these boxes in their communities.”

This is why Thompson Nicola Cariboo United Way is collaborating with the provincial Success by 6® office to offer these Connections boxes, and the training for caregivers that go with them, in even more communities. And that means helping even more children grow up great.

It’s a Friday night in Chase. Do you know where your teenagers are?

Now, some parents can answer “at school.” In the fall of 2010, the Chase Youth Action Committee received a United Way Youth Initiative Grant to help fund their Friday Night Youth in Action program. Every Friday, the school opens its doors for students looking for a place to hang out. There are sports, pool, and foosball in the gymnasium, and a place to play Xbox or watch movies. It’s certainly a better solution to boredom than drugs and alcohol - problems that the Chase Youth Action Committee found resulted in part from the lack of meaningful weekend activities.

The supervisor of the Friday Night Youth in Action is Steffi Kynoch, a University of Regina social work student who has returned to her hometown to do

Youth Initiative Grant

her practicum at Chase Secondary. She remembers life as a teenager, looking for something to do. “It’s great to provide these kids with activities to do on weekends in a safe environment.”

United Way’s Youth Initiative Grants were created to support projects for youth by youth in the Thompson Nicola Cariboo region. Youth with ideas for projects presented their proposals to the Youth Advisory Council, which made the final funding decision. In 2010, $10,000 went to these projects around the region. It’s just one more way that United Way helps youth grow up great.

Under the thoughtful oversight of an energetic and creative new coordinator, Merritt’s Success by 6® initiative has been given new focus and direction and is making waves throughout the community. In her short time with the initiative, Trish Rodie has developed a strategic plan and has adapted existing programs to make them more accessible and inclusive. The results are striking. Many more parents and their children are now engaged with Success by 6® programs, which bodes well for youth in the Merritt region.

Trish says her biggest accomplishment to date is starting the Aboriginal Engagement Table, which brings together members of five local First Nations bands to develop a community plan and share resources that support their children and families. Merritt Success by 6® also hosts a family fun night at a local school gymnasium and publishes a newsletter to keep community members informed about its programming. Working jointly with Scw’cxmx Health and Nzen’man, it also offers Family Skills at Play, a much needed mobile play group that travels out to remote reserves to offer resources (and really fun games) to families who can’t always attend programming in town.

“It’s been a busy time,” says Rodie, an understatement typical of this remarkable mother of four young daughters.

Merritt Success by 6®


9

one moreway that united way helps youth grow up grEat

T-minus four years to the end of homelessness in Kamloops. This is the bold vision of a partnership of various community organizations, businesses and volunteers that spent two years developing Kamloops’ Homelessness Action Plan (HAP). Originally spearheaded by local group Changing the Face of Poverty, the plan acknowledges that homelessness is a complex problem that must be approached from many angles. It sets out 6 Goals and 8 Strategies to eradicate homelessness in the city by 2015. United Way is proud to join the Federal Government and the City of Kamloops in funding this ambitious piece of community engagement.

Now in Year 2 of its implementation, the HAP has seen some real successes. It has a full-time coordinator in Tangie Genshorek, whose enthusiasm for her work is palpable as she describes the plan’s recent milestones. A Kamloops Housing Board has been established to achieve Goal 1 of the plan: the assessment and enhancement of housing availability.

The Homelessness Action Plan

This Board also passes on citizens’ concerns about homelessness. “The board is a community voice that feeds directly into city policy,” Tangie explains.

Goal 2 of the plan - the improvement of outreach services for the homeless - has prompted the establishment of the Kamloops Integrated Community Collaboration (KICC), which facilitates the sharing of information among outreach workers in the city. With weekly meetings, it allows those ground-level workers to be more effective at what they do.

So how has the HAP impacted the community? “Feedback from the community has been awesome,” Tangie reports. So far, so good. It’s the positive culmination of years of hard work by local agencies, and proof that United Way inspires people to come together, to engage with their communities, and to make a lasting difference.

What does it mean for people to live well in a healthy community? Different things for different people. For many in our region, just getting through the day can present serious challenges. Poverty, mental illness, discrimination, homelessness, abuse, addiction, disabilities, isolation, and lack of education… these are just some of the root social issues that need to be addressed.

To tackle these issues head-on, Thompson Nicola Cariboo United Way has developed several strategies:

• Funding the work of non-profit agencies that show continual improvement

• Addressing the changing and emerging needs of the community

• Working collaboratively with other organizations and businesses to change community conditions

United Way is happy to say that with the generous support of our donors, our community partners have been able to improve the lives of thousands in our region. The dedicated work of agencies such as the Kamloops Therapeutic Riding Association, People in Motion and the Kamloops Brain Injury Association has had a direct impact on the lives of those around us.

living wEll


11

what does itmean for people to live well in a healthycommunity?

When Sophie – 70 years old and financially dependent on her family – experienced violence at the hands of her son, what could she do? Where could she go? The predicament is more common than most people might think. We don’t normally associate domestic violence with the elderly, but in reality, 7 to 10 percent of seniors report being verbally or physically abused. It often comes from their own family members. Unfortunately, many communities lack resources to help abused seniors, meaning their only reprieve from abuse is a trip to the hospital. But a day or two later, most of those seniors return to unsafe environments.

Many new programs the United Way funds grow out of a simple phrase: ‘We can do better.’ This sentiment was what inspired the Seniors Outreach Services Society to create its Safe Suite program.

Safe Suite

Starting in April 2011, the program will provide a safe haven to seniors in transition. Safe Suite provides its clients with free, fully-furnished housing and food for up to 60 days, and connects them with the legal, housing and health services that can help them resolve their challenges. “The idea is to give people distance from their situations. We help them in any way we can,” explains Suzan Goguen, Managing Director of the society. She and Shelly Trudeau of the Canadian Mental Health Association are excited about their partnership on the Safe Suite.

It’s another example of our commitment to improving the lives of people in our community, and the important role played by supporters of United Way.

Elaine entered the Kamloops Law Courts filled with anxiety and dread. It was a place she had never been before, and because she had come to attend her children’s custody hearing, the stakes were high. She had no idea where she was supposed to be. She knew her lawyer’s name, but not what he looked like. And the kids glued to her legs were already starting to get fussy.

Elaine’s experience is all too common, which is why United Way provides funding to Courtwork, a program run by the Kamloops and District Elizabeth Fry Society. Four days a week, the program places volunteers at the law courts to help people navigate the legal system. They make sure those needing legal advice can get it, connect people with their Legal Aid lawyers, and explain the court process. Courtwork volunteers will even sit in court with people who need the support. In Elaine’s case, a volunteer takes her upstairs to the kids’ play area so her children can be comfortable and then explains the custody hearing process and introduces her to her lawyer.

Without Courtwork, the court registry would be swamped with requests for information. And Legal Aid lawyers like it because it helps them connect with their clients. Courtwork volunteers ensure that everyone has equal access to the legal system and that all the parts of the legal system can work smoothly together. And it wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of United Way supporters.

Courtwork


13

WiThoUT coUrTWorkthe court registrywould be swampedwith rEquEstsfor informaTion

What happens to a small organization when the long-time Executive Director retires and, at the same time, participation at the board level changes by 50%?

Well, if you are the Kamloops Child Development Society, you become stronger.

When the Society recruited a new Executive Director and several new board members, they realized everyone needed to be on the same page. So they got help. United Way came in to conduct board development sessions in which the Society clearly spelled out its mission, vision and values. According to Board Chair Cecile McVittie, it was “an incredibly powerful bonding experience.” And it was good for more than just the Board: “It gave our ED a much stronger mandate for the work she was doing.”

Kamloops Child Development Society

United Way also organized three Days of Caring for the Kamloops Child Development Centre. Staff from the City of Kamloops came in to paint the rooms of the infant-toddler community rooms, Home Depot stepped up to donate and install a chain link fence, and GE Capital, Interior Savings Credit Union and the Valleyview Overlander Lions Club transformed the lobby, hallways and gym from a sombre grey to a cheerful yellow.

It’s important to remember that building Strong Communities is about more than just dollars. It’s about strength and working together.

Strong communities mean strong people. Our growing campaign and resources mean we can keep improving access to social and health-related support services for people in the Thompson Nicola Cariboo region. Take Access Williams Lake as an example. Since its inception in the summer of 2010, visits to the online service directory have increased over 400%. And Access Kamloops has an average of over 2,500 monthly visits. That means more people are getting information they need.

This is just one part of Thompson Nicola Cariboo United Way’s key strategies for Strong Communities:

• Connecting people to the resources necessary to create solutions

• Building organizational capacity through Leadership Development Training for non-profit boards

• Supporting the development of local Community Impact Councils to identify and respond to community needs

With respect for local community wisdom, and through resident and community engagement, Community Impact Councils have been developed in three communities in the Cariboo. And board members of organizations like the Kamloops Adult Learning Society have strengthened their leadership capabilities. Efforts such as this to build capacity help build strong communities. And that’s a united way.

strong communitiEs


15

it’s aboutstrength and working together

A team of 21 volunteers from Thompson Rivers University and the City of Kamloops came together to build flower beds and erect a shed at the Boys and Girls Club of Kamloops. The purpose? Connecting children and families to the food they eat by creating a space where they can grow food and learn about environmental responsibility.

Yet another United Way Day of Caring.

Days of Caring build strong communities by connecting people with projects. Businesses and organizations can donate employees’ time to helping a non-profit organization with a project that otherwise wouldn’t be completed due to a lack of resources. But it’s about more than just the project- employees come away with a deeper understanding of community issues and build relationships with community members outside their workplaces.

Days of Caring

2010 saw several new contributors to the Days of Caring, including Thompson Rivers University, Fresh Inc., B.C. Ministry of Transportation, B.C. Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and the Arts, as well as Home Depot. United Way also salutes the continued support of Domtar, KPMG LLP, RBC Royal Bank, NRI Distribution, the Dunes at Kamloops, Interior Savings Credit Union, Spectra Energy, Costco, BMO Bank of Montreal, BCLC, TD Canada Trust, ICBC, CIBC, Daley & Company LLP, Service Canada, and Kamloops Immigrant Services. With so many willing volunteers, much good work was accomplished.

United Way is about bringing people and resources together to provide solutions.

It started five years ago as a weekly meeting of mothers and their children. It has blossomed into Family Tree Family Centre, a place where high priority families can connect with each other and with mainstream professional services. At Family Tree, judgment has no place and acceptance is a given.

Programs such as Mothers for Recovery and Mentorship have remained true to their roots. They facilitate peer-driven groups in which women support each other throughout their recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. Meanwhile, the Drop-In program provides a healthy hot lunch, food bags, clothing and baby equipment, and a fantastic area for children to play and parents to connect.

Family Tree brings professionals such as social workers, drug and alcohol counsellors, infant development workers and doctors to the people who need them. “There is no other agency like it in our area,” says Cogi Smith, who does clinical supervision for the programs. “It is truly a profound experience to be part of this amazing movement and to watch women make such remarkable shifts in their lives.”

United Way has been with Family Tree since day one. We’ve stood by the organization through its growth and changes, and we feel that Kamloops wouldn’t be quite as strong a community without it.

Family Tree Family Centre


17

connecting people with projEcts

General Internally Allocations and Externally Capital Total Total Operating Restricted Designations Restricted Fund 2010 2009

Internal External (Board (Donor Determined) Determined) REVENuES

Corporations $ 440,728 $ $ $ 41,537 $ $ $ 482,265 $ 453,024

Payroll 576,049 - - 161,719 - - 737,768 692,037

Personal 29,075 - - - - - 29,075 37,212

United Way events 39,850 - - - - - 39,850 49,569

Agency events 281 - - 189,440 - - 189,721 128,521

Promotional events 24,125 - - - - - 24,125 23,208

Funds transferred from other United Ways 306,515 - - - - - 306,515 247,319

Funds to be transferred to other United Ways - - - 12,097 - - 12,097 9,939

GROSS CAMPAIGN REVENuE 1,416,623 - - 404,793 - - 1,821,416 1,640,829

LESS:

Uncollectible pledges -14,900 - -51,670 -10,644 - - -77,214 -20,441

Funds transferred to other United Ways - - - -12,097 - - -12,097 -9,939

-14,900 - -51,670 -22,741 - - -89,311 -30,380

NET CAMPAIGN REVENuE 1,401,723 - -51,670 382,052 - - 1,732,105 1,610,449

OTHER:

Interest & Miscellaneous Income 15,590 259 - - - - 15,849 6,539

Grants & Donations 60,790 - - 53,250 238,719 - 352,759 352,514

Service Canada - HPI 34,094 - - - - - 34,094 -

110,474 259 - 53,250 238,719 - 402,702 359,053

1,512,197 259 -51,670 435,302 238,719 - 2,134,807 1,969,502

EXPENSES

Fundraising expenses

(Schedule 2) 273,883 - - - - 4,490 278,373 260,155

NET REVENuE AVAILABLEFOR PROGRAMS 1,238,314 259 -51,670 435,302 238,719 -4,490 1,856,434 1,709,347

PROGRAM EXPENSES:

Allocations & designations (Schedule 3) - - 738,326 384,333 - - 1,122,659 995,673

Programs (Schedule 3) 261,370 - 41,761 237,889 2,994 544,014 533,052

261,370 - 738,326 426,094 237,889 2,994 1,666,673 1,528,725

EXCESS (DEFICIENCY) OF REVENuES OVER EXPENSES $ 976,944 $259 $ -789,996 $9,208 $830 $ -7,484 $189,761 $180,622

These summarized financial statements do not contain all the disclosures required by Canadian generally accepted accounting principles. Readers are cautioned that these statements may not be appropriate for their purposes. For more information of the entity’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows, reference should be made to the related complete financial statements which can be found on the Society’s website at www.unitedwaytnc.ca

statement of opErations december 31, 2010

General Internally Allocations and Externally Capital Total Total Operating Restricted Designations Restricted Fund 2010 2009

Internal External (Board (DonorASSETS Determined) Determined)

CURRENT ASSETS:

Cash $331,478 - - - $42,206 - $373,684 $310,899

Term deposit - 87,686 - - - - 87,686 52,427

Pledges receivable 553,859 - 670,440 225,827 - - 1,450,126 1,356,634

Accounts receivable 26,848 - - - - - 26,848 292

Due (to) from other funds (Note 4) -6,666 - - - -435 7,101 - -

Prepaid expenses 2,375 - - - - - 2,375 2,359

907,894 87,686 670,440 225,827 41,771 7,101 1,940,719 1,722,611

EQUIPMENT AND LEASEHOLDS (Note 5) - - - - - 9,664 9,664 15,881

LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS (Note 6) 14,773 - - - - - 14,773 13,941

$922,667 $87,686 $670,440 $225,827 $41,771 $16,765 $1,965,156 $1,752,433

LIABILITIES

CURRENT LIABILITIES:

Accounts Payable and accruals $30,948 - - $12,097 $1,079 - $44,124 $18,056

Current portion of obligation under capital lease - - - - - 2,553 2,553 2,547

30,948 - - 12,097 1,079 2,553 46,677 20,603

OBLIGATION UNDER CAPITAL LEASE (Note 8) - - - - - 4,548 4,548 7,660 30,948 - - 12,097 1,079 7,101 51,225 28,263

COMMITMENTS (Note 9)

NET ASSETS

Unrestricted 891,719 - - - - - 891,719 671,951 Internally Restricted - 87,686 - - - - 87,686 102,527 Internally restricted - allocations - - 670,440 - - - 670,440 698,359 Externally restricted - designations - - - 213,730 - - 213,730 195,590 Externally restricted - - - - 40,692 - 40,692 39,862 Invested in equipment - - - - - 9,664 9,664 15,881

891,719 87,686 670,440 213,730 40,692 9,664 1,913,931 1,724,170

$922,667 $87,686 $670,440 $225,827 $41,771 $16,765 $1,965,156 $1,752,433

APPROVED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD __________________________ DIRECTOR __________________________ DIRECTOR

These summarized financial statements do not contain all the disclosures required by Canadian generally accepted accounting principles. Readers are cautioned that these statements may not be appropriate for their purposes. For more information of the entity’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows, reference should be made to the related complete financial statements which can be found on the Society’s website at www.unitedwaytnc.ca

december 31, 2010

statement of Financial position


19

There is a line between have and have not. What if we re-drew that line? What if instead of a line that divides, there were a line that connects? Thanks to the astounding generosity of the people and organizations in our region, new lines are being drawn in our communities every day, lines that connect needs to resources. Here are a few numbers that illustrate just how generous people in the Thompson Nicola Cariboo are:

• $1,848,277 raised

• 3,200 people and workplaces invested in their communities through United Way

• 165 Workplace Campaigns

• 740 Leadership level donors ($500 - $1,000)

• 128 Community Builder level donors ($1,000 +)

• $196,250 in-kind media and marketing support

It was also a remarkable year for United Way’s Day of Caring Initiative:

• 35 Days of Caring

2010 community gEnErosity

• 35 community projects completed

• 415 Day of Caring Volunteers

• 2,250 Day of Caring Volunteer Hours

United Way’s most valuable resource is the amazing volunteers who donate their time and talent to make our community a better place for all. Volunteers include the following:

• Employee Campaign Coordinators

• Success By 6 Business Engagement Committee

• Success By 6 Council of Partners

• Community Impact Councils (Williams Lake, 100- Mile House, Logan Lake/Ashcroft)

• Board of Directors

• Campaign Cabinet

• Youth Advisory Council

• Office Administration Volunteers

total number of volunteers = 181total volunteer hours = 1,910


Gibraltar Mines

The effort and enthusiasm that some of our supporting businesses pour into their United Way campaigns is inspiring. At Gibraltar Mines, whose $110,000 contribution this year was an astounding 50% increase over the year previous, campaign leaders like Taryn Aumond get really creative to make things exciting for their co-workers. During the 2010 campaign, two senior foremen went ‘head-to-head’ over whose department could raise the most money; the loser sacrificed not only his pride, but his hair as well. The bake sales are popular, as are the silent auctions and weekly raffles for which Gibraltar solicits donations from its suppliers. A highly prized item this past year was a bar fridge imprinted with designs featuring Gibraltar equipment and filled with the beverage of the winner’s choice (we’re told it was prune juice).

It’s all just a means to a worthy end, and ultimately it’s the challenges in the community, and the

difference their donations can make, that motivate Gibraltar and its employees to be so generous. Taryn Aumond explains, “It’s a huge thing for my co-workers to know that the funds stay in the community. We make sure everyone knows where their money is going. The process is really transparent.”

And what kinds of challenges is Williams Lake facing right now? “Food security. The area’s food policy council is funded by United Way. And programming for youth and the elderly is really important. It makes a big difference in the community.”

Co-workers build camaraderie, while a community receives vital support. It’s a winning formula.

21

there is a linebEtwEEn havEand havE not.what iF wE rEdrEw

that line?

At United Way, communication is critical to our work in the community. This communication assumes different forms. Sometimes we’re a siren alerting people about social problems; other times we’re fireworks celebrating community accomplishments; and still others we’re a bell announcing the start of something important. But we’re none of these things without a supportive local media. Fortunately, that’s what we’ve got here in the Thompson Nicola Cariboo region. The media’s unwavering commitment to helping us disseminate our campaign message results directly in donations that fund vital community programming.

Our media supporters both create and broadcast our messaging on the radio, in print and on television. It takes a lot of resources and talent, but our friends at NL Broadcasting, Kamloops This Week, Kamloops Daily News, Overland Press, the Broadcast Centre,

Media

Kent Wong Photography and 100-Mile Free Press always manage to find the time. In addition, the Broadcast Centre and the Kamloops Daily News run enthusiastic campaigns that helped us break our fundraising goal last year.

Asked why his co-workers donate their time and money so freely year after year, Broadcast Centre producer (and maker of the cabbage rolls and perogies that are in high demand during workplace fundraisers) Rob Kovac pauses. “It’s a highlight for us. It breaks the tedium of our normal schedule. There’s a need for it, and you’ve got to get involved if you want things to happen.”

Because of Rob and dozens of others employed in the media in our region, things do happen. And we love them for it.

iCompass

A key part of United Way’s road map for success is forming new partnerships in the business community. One local business that joined the United Way family this past year was iCompass Technologies.

The company already had in place a policy of matching its employees’ donations to charitable organizations. This past year, its management expanded this program to include United Way as a beneficiary. iCompass President and CEO Todd Stone explains that the decision was about making the biggest impact with their donations. “United Way is such a big part of the community. You can see the results of your donations all around you. They fund family and health organizations that do great work.”

For their first campaign, iCompass and fifteen of its employees made an impressive effort and committed contributions of nearly $7,500. But as Stone sees it, they are just getting their feet wet. Everyone is excited to incorporate a United Way Day of Caring into next year’s campaign. Something outdoors, they hope. And trying to beat last year’s contribution, perhaps by engaging in a little friendly competition with some other local businesses, will be fun. In the end, it’s the community that wins when local businesses like iCompass give so generously.

in the end, it’s thecommunityThaT Wins


23

When United Way succeeds, it’s because community leaders like Jason Fawcett step forward to give their time and knowledge. There’s little glamour in the work; people like Jason volunteer because they care about their communities and know how important it is to lead by example.

When Jason joined the Board of Directors in September of 2009, it was an extension of the long commitment to community shown by his family’s business – the Kelson Group. As the Board liaison to the Campaign Cabinet, he finds real excitement in watching the campaign unfold and seeing people demonstrate how much they care about Kamloops. And he sees that money go to a wide range of community projects. “I like the idea of spreading funds throughout the community rather than donating to one charity.”

Jason believes business has a responsibility to the community that supports it. And with the Kelson Group, which runs properties in several communities in B.C. and Alberta, he wants to help out in the best way they can, which means helping everyone find suitable housing. To that end, the Kelson Group has partnered with ASK Wellness – a United Way community partner – to develop innovative solutions to housing the hard-to-house. It’s with community leaders like Jason that United Way can make such an impact in our community.

“Kamloops felt more like home.” That’s what Amy Berard had to say when asked how she felt after her experience as the first Thompson Rivers University co-op student to take on a summer position with United Way.

Soon after being hired, the third-year business student was proving her worth. She helped organize Days of Caring, took the lead on the downtown Community Carnival, and helped increase enrolment in the Youth Advisory Council. But the end of her summer position didn’t mean the end of her United Way involvement. She continued to participate in meetings of the Homelessness Action Plan, which led to her being hired on as a part-time research assistant throughout the school year. And she helped out with the TRU fundraising campaign.

mEntorshiplEadErship

25Thompson nicola cariboo UniTed Way 2010 annUal reporT

Amy’s experience was transformative. Speaking about her dealings with outreach workers and non-profit organizations, she says, “You hear the stories; you can’t not be affected. It changes your outlook.” And that’s an important experience for a young and highly promising business student. Amy has undergone a rigorous selection process and been chosen for The Next 36 program, designed to launch the careers of Canada’s 36 most promising and innovative undergraduates.

“A really positive leadership example,” is how Amy describes the organization and people of Thompson Nicola Cariboo United Way. And that’s an important statement, coming from one of the country’s future leaders.

it’s with communityleaders like jasonthat united waycan make suchan impacton our community

“It’s all connected.”

Jim McCarthy doesn’t seem to separate his paid work, his volunteer work, his family life, and his participation in the community.

Jim works as the Grievance Chairman for United Steelworkers Local 7619. He’s a proud husband, father of three, and grandfather of even more. (Along with his family, having a home and food makes Jim feel like a multimillionaire.) And he has worked with United Way for nine years. He currently serves as a community representative on the allocation committee, which he considers important because he wants to watch the impact of the donations that he solicits at his workplace. But Jim’s impact is felt on the ground as well. One year, Jim helped cook a Mother’s Day meal at ASK Wellness, but he heard that some women didn’t attend because they didn’t have a place to wash. So what did Jim do? He

inspirationmobilized the people around him and helped build a shower, which led to the construction of a bathroom, a laundry facility, and a doctor’s office. “I don’t think about it. I just do it.”

Talk with Jim and you’ll get a true sense of what it means for a “way” to be “united.” And he’ll tell you what lies at the foundation of a united way: “Everything is about people,” Jim says. And he’ll go on to talk about acceptance, about credibility, about faith, about trust, about teamwork, and about respect, the core human values that bind us. He’ll talk about coaching soccer, which he believes is really about coaching life. And he’ll also talk about food. If Jim’s not cooking at an event, then he’s running around making sure people are getting enough to eat and having a good time.

Without people like Jim McCarthy and the united way they foster, our work would not be possible.

our values• provide non-partisan leadership in social change

• endorse innovation, partnerships and collective action

• respect community wisdom and encourage citizen involvement

• encourage and promote volunteerism and volunteer leadership

• demonstrate trust, integrity, transparency, inclusivity and respect

• embrace diversity


unitedwaytnc.ca250.372.99331.855.372.9933

2010 annual report

Documents

policyunited way

community conditions

individual lives

united ways

diverse communities

funding agencies

annual reportto

network of services