September 15, 2017
Winnipeg Free Press, Saturday, September 16, 2017, kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
The United Way of Winnipeg kicked off its 2017 campaign with a goal of $20.5 million – $500,00 more than last year. Colin Ryan, this year’s campaign chairman, said on Friday during the campaign’s kickoff at Red River College’s Stevenson Campus, that the goal may be higher than ever, but so is the generosity of Winnipeggers. “Winnipeggers told us it’s vital to keep our existing supports strong while going even further to help more kids and families still struggling with many different challenges,” he said. “United Way looks like all of us because it really is all of us. It’s about Winnipeggers helping Winnipeggers.”
The fundraising goal wasn’t the only high point the United Way established. It also brought together 65 teams from 20 workplaces, the most ever, to participate in the 14th annual plane-pulling event that requires teams to pull either a Boeing 727 or a Canadian Armed Forces Hercules a few metres forward.
Under cloudy skies and a stiff wind, Scott Fielding, the province’s minister of families, quipped to the crowd of plane-pulling participants and volunteers, “Welcome to sunny St. James.” Field said the provincial government treasures its relationship with the United Way and noted the province will be matching, up to $7.5 million, funding by the organization to family programs.
Connie Walker, president and CEO of United Way Winnipeg, said they provide organizations with sustained funding they can count on. “You need to have programs that are stable so when kids arrive to an after school program, the program is there,” she said. “But it means we have to raise all the money we raised last year and then more if we want to support more agencies and support more people.”
Sponsored Executive Program
From August 28, 2017 to December 1, 2017, I was part of the United Way’s Sponsored Executive Program whereby I was to given a 14 week leave of absence from my current employer to work as an extension of United Way staff. I was representing my workplace in each activity that I was engaged in while working as a Sponsored Executive (SE). I was part of the Health and Community Services Division. This was a difficult portfolio as the provincial government were making many changes to health care including laying off staff and closing Emergency departments in many hospitals. Some United Way workplace campaigns were cancelled such as at St. Boniface Hospital and Concordia Hospital.
The United Way is a very compassionate organization. I will never forget my time, highlighted by introducing Speakers, listening to heart wrenching stories of survival, serving pancakes, selling Tall Grass cinnamon buns, selling raffle tickets, compiling a Powerpoint presentation on Compassion, pulling a plane and connecting with 30 other SE’s.
I discovered that United Way supported Main Street Project’s Project Breakaway, which is an intensive, holistic-care model that supports and empowers chronically homeless individuals to build stability and reduce dependence on public services.
People who experience chronic homelessness often have multiple barriers to obtaining stable housing. Project Breakaway is a Housing First initiative that provides intensive case management for chronically homeless individuals in our community. The program improves their overall quality of life and reduces dependence on public services. In collaboration with a number of partners, this program is designed to help individuals build stability. Project Breakaway uses a holistic-intensive care model that supports and empowers participants to reach their personal goals. Four Transition Service Workers are dedicated to the project. They have a caseload of up to 25 individuals who may be in acute crisis or transitioning with supports to stability.
