The University of Waterloo’s United Way Campaign has always brought the campus together. Releasing our annual report this year, in the midst of a global pandemic, has a different feeling for those of us on the campaign committee. We want to sincerely thank our dedicated supporters, volunteer ambassadors and campaign donors; you help make a difference in the health and well-being of our community. Together, we can support our Region to ensure a more prosperous future for all.
This year with so many of us working remotely, it’s important to reflect on the ‘togetherness’ that the campaign brings to the University community and highlight the importance of philanthropy.
There are so many individuals within our community that are in need of support that our agencies have to offer. By participating in the United Way campaign at the University of Waterloo, we can be proud knowing that our donations helped make a difference for many people within our community. I look forward to supporting the United Way in 2021.
Adding to the importance of the campaign to our community, current campaign staff co-chair Alice Raynard said:
Everyone benefits with the United Way, from donors and volunteers to beneficiaries. It brings out the best in people and I am amazed at the difference it makes in our community: we are engaged, we belong, we are generous, and we grow together.
During our 2020 Campaign kicked off event, with President Hamdullahpur, we heard from impact speaker John Neufeld from House of Friendship, who showed us how our donations directly impact people within our community. This inspirational message echoed throughout the campaign resulting in contributions of over $230,000 to United Way Waterloo Region Communities.
In mid-October, senior academic leadership (i.e., the Deans) stepped up to help build awareness and excitement across campus. This was the fifth year in a row that the Deans dressed up, this time as Star Trek characters. Like other years, they marched across campus, though this year it was filmed so that those who couldn’t make it to campus could witness their fun costumes. They brought their energy and enthusiasm and reminded our campus community how much they support the annual campaign. We’d like to extend our thanks to the Deans for their dedication to the United Way. Watch them here:
- Sheila Ager, Dean of Arts
- Mary Wells, Dean of Engineering
- Jean Andrey, Dean of Environment
- Lili Liu, Dean of Health
- Mark Giesbrecht, Dean of Mathematics
- Bob Lemieux, Dean of Science
We are proud of the success of the 2020 Campaign during such a challenging time and appreciate every individual donation from members of the UW committee, and for each special event organized by our dedicated ambassadors across campus. Our ambassadors poured their energy into creating virtual events, which couldn’t have been easy, but they certainly made it look that way. We are excited to see what 2021 will bring!
Feature image: The UWaterloo sign missed it's annual United Way makeover this year as it was being moved to a new, photo-friendly location near the Arts Quad.
