Today the United Way of the Alberta Capital Region is celebrating its donors and volunteers across Greater Edmonton, whose generosity helped more than 270,000 people in our region last year. Edmonton is our city - and hundreds of those donors and volunteers originate from the University of Alberta community. As chairs of the U of A United Way Committee, we want to say first and foremost: thank you for supporting our United Way campaign.
We also want to recognize and thank all those donors at Augustana Campus, whose contributions have helped to support local communities through the United Way of Central Alberta.
Our university has been working in partnership with the United Way of the Alberta Capital Region for more than 30 years. That partnership stemmed from a simple idea: we at the U of A are part of this community - and our annual United Way campaign is one of many ways we care for our community. As committee chairs, we have been humbled by our university's dedication, and by the way the faculty, staff and students across our campuses have joined together and supported the U of A United Way campaign.
This fall's campaign reaffirmed that dedication: hundreds of Everyday Heroes - those who give their time and money - emerged from every corner of our campuses to join the fight against poverty. Over the past three decades we've contributed more than $13M in total, raising $572,238 during the 2019 campaign alone.
What kind of impact will that have? For reference, the funds we raised this year could provide all of the following:
- Financial literacy materials for 7,336 adults
- Child/parent programs for 1,238 families
- Math literacy programs for 62 adults
- Distress line support for 62 full days
- Basic daily-life necessities for 62 youth at risk, and
- After school programs for 29 youth for a full year
This is an incredible contribution! As a university community, we know that education in particular plays a critical role in breaking the cycle of poverty. The United Way is not only helping at-risk youth and adults alike to get the most out of education and create new opportunities for themselves; it's funding the diverse supports needed to create real pathways out of poverty in Edmonton.
Together, with dedication and commitment, we are making a difference. To everyone who contributed their time, money, passion and expertise this year: you have our sincere gratitude.
- Doug, Jennifer and Rob
Douglas R. Stollery, QC, LLM, is Chancellor of the University of Alberta and Chair of the Senate, as well as Honorary Chair of the U of A's United Way Campaign..
Jennifer Tupper is Dean of the Faculty of Education and a Co-Chair of the U of A's United Way Committee.
Rob Munro is the Director of Risk Management Services (Environment, Health & Safety) and a Co-Chair of the U of A's United Way Committee.