Last August, the United Way York Region (UWYR) launched an ambitious new fundraising campaign. The aim: to increase community services in every neighbourhood in York by raising $30 million in just three years.
Yesterday, less than five months after the start of the "In Every Neighbourhood" campaign, the UWYR has announced that it's already hit 20 per cent of its $30 million goal.
The funds, which have come in large part from corporate donors in the region, will be used towards building social supports in the Town of Witchurch-Stouffville and the Town of East Gwillimbury, two growing municipalities that UWRY has identified as "highly underserved." The recently acquired $6 million will be used to fund projects in both townships for at least the next three years ($30,000/year is the minimum earmarked for each municipality).
Yesterday’s announcement also named Hugo Blasutta CEO of MMM Group, as the “In Every Neighbourhood” campaign chair for 2014. MMM Group has raised $115,000 since the initiative was launched last summer (they were also large donors to the UWRY n in the past).
"We at MMM Group understand that there is a growing need for services in every neighbourhood, and we are happy to partner with United Way York Region so those services are available to everyone," stated Blasutta at yesterday’s press conference.
Hitting 20 per cent of $30 million is a significant milestone for such an ambitious fundraising goal, a goal which Daniele Zanotti, CEO of UWYR, describes as "unprecedented among United Ways across Canada." And, says Zanotti, though UWYR is having to work extra hard to expand its donor networks, it’s worth it to implement a much-needed intervention in the region’s community service sector.
As Zanotti explains, York Region is home to some of Canada's fastest growing municipalities. But the growth of social services has not kept par with the growth in population.
This gap is exacerbated by the fact that the region is also in the midst of some demographic changes. Between 2001 and 2006 there was a 55 per cent increase in York's low income population (1 in 8 people) and the poverty rate is growing 2.5 faster than the percentage increase in the total population.
"Most indicators of our region and our nine municipalities show that they are doing well around income, and health, and educational achievement," says Zanotti. "But we are beginning to see some disturbing trends especially around double digit increases in poverty. In specific neighbourhoods around York region, [poverty] is growing faster than the provincial and national average and we know that the social infrastructure is having trouble keeping pace with the thousands who are calling York Region home."
Zanotti is hopeful that the $30 million will help the United Way build the region's social infrastructure and bring services to where people need them the most - in their own community.
"The best prevention and the best return on investment are community supports close to home," says Zanotti. "When a community has social infrastructure…there's all kinds of indicators that you've also got lower crime rates, better health, higher educational achievement, and better economic growth."
Writer: Katia Snukal
Source: Daniele Zanotti, CEO, United Way York Region