"We are closing in on our campaign goal of $12.7-million but are still behind where we'd like to be," says United Way CEO Shelley White.

Donations to United Way support 115 programs and services provided through 55 community agencies. They provide a network of care for people in our community who are facing difficult situations, such as women and their children fleeing from abuse, seniors struggling to maintain their health and independence, parents pulled apart by unemployment and poverty, families facing serious illness, people grieving over the death of a loved one, and new immigrants yearning for a fair chance and a fresh start.

"A gift to United Way is a gift for our entire community," White emphasizes. "When our families, friends, neighbours and coworkers have somewhere to turn for support in challenging times, everyone in our community benefits."

To donate to United Way of Peel Region, please call 905-602-3650. To donate online, visit www.unitedwaypeel.org. Cheques must be dated before January 1, 2006 to receive a 2005 tax receipt. Mail donations to United Way, 5170 Dixie Road, Suite 300, Mississauga ON L4W 1E3.

The Strategic Review of Poverty comes as no surprise to the many organizations working together in Peel to address this urgent issue. Several of the startling statistics it contains were included in Portraits of Peel: Facing the Facts, a collaborative report issued earlier this year by United Way of Peel Region, the Region of Peel, the Social Planning Council of Peel, and the Fair Share Task Force.

The 2005 Report Card on Children Poverty in Canada, released on November 24 by Campaign 2000, also raises the alarm. It reveals that the child poverty rate in Canada hasn't budged from its 17.6% rate since 2001. That means that one in six children in Canada live in poverty.

The Peel poverty report identifies several groups within our population who are particularly vulnerable to poverty:

• visible minorities
• recent immigrants
• single parents
• unattached seniors (especially women)
• persons with disabilities, and
• families with young children

The national child poverty report echoes the Peel report, indicating that the children who are most vulnerable are those with disabilities and those living in single-parent or new immigrant families.

With the release of the Strategic Review of Poverty and the 2005 Report Card, perhaps this is a good time to be asking ourselves some important questions. One is, What can we do as a community to help vulnerable people either avoid poverty or find their way out of the circumstances that keep them poor? This is an especially good question to ask in Mississauga, where poverty is masked by images of affluence and abundance.

The challenges we face in Mississauga are complex and the solutions require a multifaceted approach. United Way focuses on the needs of the most vulnerable people in our community when making decisions about how the dollars raised in our campaign should be spent. The 115 programs and services that United Way supports through 55 different community agencies seek to meet immediate needs as well as address the root causes behind them. But it's only when we all work together that the challenges in our community can be met.

We are so fortunate in Peel that there is a tremendous spirit of collaboration among organizations such as United Way and community agencies, government, businesses, labour, education and community leaders. Together, we are tackling some of the most difficult issues our community faces. Initiatives such as Success By 6 Peel, the Mentoring Partnership, and the Fair Share Task Force are founded on the principle that together, we can make a difference. United Way's campaign theme, joining hands, we build community, expresses our conviction that the power of "we" will always be stronger than the efforts of individuals.

As United Way's 2005 campaign comes to an end soon, I urge you to give generously to your community.

Cari was co-ECC with Jennifer in 2004 and wanted to keep the momentum going strong this year. "Jen has led a successful campaign here at IMS for the past several years and I did not want to see her past efforts and enthusiasm for United Way diminish in her absence," said Cari. The company's campaign wrapped up on November 25.

In past years, IMS held prize draws, a mini-putt challenge and bake and craft sales. "My approach was to change things up this year," said Cari. "We ran the campaign similarly to previous years but introduced new events like 'The Amazing Race', a scavenger hunt that took employees on a midday adventure, and at the last minute, due to demand, we pulled off a silent auction. We surpassed our initial goal of 92% participation and are very proud of our numbers this year."

In addition to running new events, Cari implemented another technique to keep staff enthused about their campaign. "We motivated employees by keeping the results in front of them. Each time we would hit the next milestone, we would send out an email to the office, congratulating everyone on their efforts. We would also encourage participation by holding spontaneous challenges within the office to get those last pledge forms in," she said.

When asked whether or not she would encourage fellow employees or friends and relatives to become ECCs at their workplaces, Cari replied: "I think that the gratification that you can get from making a difference in the community has a priceless value. I encourage people at all levels of the community to get involved in bringing the community together. You never know when you'll need the support of your community - there is always someone who needs a helping hand."

Cari fully recognizes how important it is to support United Way. "A community is only as strong as its people. United Way needs the support of organizations and citizens. In difficult times, we must be able to help those in need, those who are sick or those who are less fortunate. We must not judge but rather come together as a community and support one another in unity," she said.