At the Mississauga Board of Trade’s Awards of Excellence gala on November 8, Saldanha Health Centre, operated by United Way of Peel Region Board Chair Dr. Colin Saldanha, won the Sam McCallion Small Business Community Involvement Award.
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If you haven’t submitted your entry for United Way of Peel Region's Spirit Awards, hurry! The deadline is 5 p.m. on December 20, 2007.

The Spirit Awards honour the inspiration and passion evident in our very best campaigns. Spirit Award winners take campaign best practices and tailor them to fit their organizational and workplace culture. Year after year, Spirit Award winners find innovative and creative ways to promote team spirit, fun and cooperation while raising more money for our community.
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In 2005, Raymond Y., who suffers from bipolar disorder, was arrested for assault. He spent time in jail and lost his job as a kitchen worker in a retirement home. Raymond was assigned to a probation officer, who introduced him to St. Leonard’s House, a United Way-funded agency that provides a place of safety, belonging, dignity, nourishment and education for men in transition.
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United Way and the Region of Peel are jointly reviewing their respective investment strategies to help ensure that human care needs in our community are being addressed. The review is expected to conclude in April 2008, with any changes to United Way’s funding priorities taking effect in April 2009.

“Conducting a joint review enables United Way to share costs and planning while expanding the breadth of the research,” explained Anita Stellinga, United Way’s Director of Community Investment. “It’s important to note however that, while we are collaborating with the Region on this initiative, the strategies, actions and final reports will be prepared separately.”

Elements of the review will include establishing an advisory group, conducting community consultations, a literature review, in-depth research and analysis, and the development of a new community investment strategy.

United Way last reviewed its funding priorities in 2001-02, which led to a five-year community investment strategy focusing on:

• strengthening families and children;
• helping newcomers to settle and integrate;
• reducing poverty, hunger and homelessness;
• helping abused women and children;
• supporting seniors to live healthy and independent lives.

At the Mississauga Board of Trade’s Awards of Excellence gala on November 8, Saldanha Health Centre, operated by United Way of Peel Region Board Chair Dr. Colin Saldanha, won the Sam McCallion Small Business Community Involvement Award.

Over the past 20 years, Saldanha has been making a difference in the community. A medical doctor affiliated with the Credit Valley Hospital, he has been a strong and dedicated champion of change. In addition to United Way, Dr. Saldanha has served as the senior volunteer of every organization with which he has been involved, including the Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre, the Mississauga Board of Trade, the Peel Multicultural Council, the Peel Police Services Board, and the Safe and Sober Driving Coalition.

Dr. Saldanha has also received national recognition. In acknowledgement of his extensive volunteer work, the Governor General of Canada awarded him the Commemorative Medal for the 125th anniversary of the Canadian Federation.

If you haven’t submitted your entry for United Way of Peel Region's Spirit Awards, hurry! The deadline is 5 p.m. on December 20, 2007.

The Spirit Awards honour the inspiration and passion evident in our very best campaigns. Spirit Award winners take campaign best practices and tailor them to fit their organizational and workplace culture. Year after year, Spirit Award winners find innovative and creative ways to promote team spirit, fun and cooperation while raising more money for our community.

An independent panel of judges selects the winners by assessing each nomination according to the awards criteria. Spirit Award winners will be announced at United Way's Community Achievement Celebration on January 31, 2008. Below is the list of Spirit Awards available to win:

Outstanding Agency Campaign Award
Presented to an agency employee campaign that has exceptional participation and promotes giving to the Community Fund. Awarded to both funded and non-funded agencies.

Outstanding Corporate Campaign Award
Presented to a corporation/company that excels in the many areas of corporate support to United Way.

Outstanding Employee Campaign Award
Presented to the employee campaign that has the greatest increase in participation and/or dollars raised.

Best First-Time Campaign Award
Presented to a new workplace campaign that has had outstanding participation in its first campaign. It recognizes new campaigns that have vitality, excitement, involvement and excellent communication. Workplaces that have not run a campaign in two years are also eligible.

Leadership Giving Campaign Award
Presented to the workplace campaign that conducts an exemplary Leadership Giving campaign. There is only one Leadership Giving Campaign Award presented each year.

Best National Employee Campaign Award
Presented to the employee campaign that runs an exceptional national campaign that has the greatest increase in participation and/or dollars raised.

Outstanding Joint Union-Management Campaign
Presented to a workplace campaign run jointly by union members and management that exemplifies teamwork, leadership and community giving. Awarded in both the private and public sector categories.

It's Your SAY Spirit Awards for Youth
Presented to schools that find innovative and creative ways to promote school spirit, fun and cooperation while fundraising for United Way of Peel Region.

Speakers' Bureau Award
This award will be presented to the Speakers' Bureau volunteer who was an active and effective ambassador for United Way throughout the entire campaign.

Chair's Award of Merit
Presented by the Campaign Chair to a company or organization that has gone above and beyond its traditional support during the campaign.

For more information or to download a nomination form, click here to visit the Spirit Awards page on United Way's website.

In 2005, Raymond Y., who suffers from bipolar disorder, was arrested for assault. He spent time in jail and lost his job as a kitchen worker in a retirement home. Raymond was assigned to a probation officer, who introduced him to St. Leonard’s House, a United Way-funded agency that provides a place of safety, belonging, dignity, nourishment, and education for men in transition.

Raymond participated in the day program at the agency while it was undergoing renovations. During this time, he stopped taking his bipolar medication and had became depressed. He couldn’t cope with the strict rules imposed on shelter residents.

“With all my stress and depression, it was hard for me living in a shelter, as St. Leonard's House was still under construction.” Raymond turned to drugs and alcohol.

One day, he attempted suicide and ended up in hospital. Later, Raymond was transferred to another facility for four months. He then contacted the men’s residence and demonstrated his dedication and desire to re-enter the United Way-funded programs on life-skills and substance-abuse. It wasn’t long before a room became available for 45-year-old Raymond.

“I have been here for more than three months and it has been like heaven for me,” said Raymond, who now regularly takes his prescribed medication and is planning to return to school for computer training.

There are several advantages to making a gift in this manner:

• Opportunity - It provides an opportunity to make a significant gift during your lifetime.
• Tax Advantages - By donating your appreciated securities or mutual funds directly to United Way of Peel Region, you can eliminate your capital gains tax bill.
• Reduced Expenses - Your actual cost of making the gift is reduced.
• Reduced Brokerage Fees - Many brokerage houses forego fees for charitable transactions.
• Simple and Convenient - Securities are easy to transfer. Your broker transfers the shares from your account to United Way of Peel Region's brokerage account.
• Recognition - Your gift can be honoured during your lifetime.

To take advantage of this option for donating, securities must be electronically transferred to United Way's brokerage account and not be sold by you, the donor. The gift will not qualify for the reduced capital gains tax if the securities are sold and the cash then gifted to a charity. A donation receipt is issued for the fair market value of the security on the date of transfer.

Here is an example - a donor in the 45% tax bracket who wishes to give a gift of $100,000:

Gifts of Publicly Traded Securities and Mutual Funds

As you can see, you get a substantial tax break and it is very easy to do!

If you are interested in taking advantage of the new tax exemption, please call Ted Fauteux, Director Resource Development, at 905-602-3632 or email tfauteux@unitedwaypeel.org.

Evelyn Myrie has recently been appointed Director of the Peel Newcomer Strategy Group (PNSG), a collaboration led by United Way of Peel Region and the Region of Peel. It is designed to enhance successful social and economic integration of newcomers. Myrie brings to her position over 20 years of management and consulting experience with government and the voluntary sector.

‘With continued leadership from United Way and the Region of Peel, this collaborative community initiative promises to make the Region of Peel a destination of choice for skilled newcomers to Canada,” said Myrie.

Currently, PNSG is in the process of developing community profiles and will be preparing an inventory of services as well as identifying gaps in the settlement sector. This groundwork is a critical step toward the development of a holistic model of service coordination and delivery in the region. PNSG has received a two-year funding commitment from Citizenship and Immigration Canada to facilitate the development of the system.

For further information, contact

Nikesh Amit
Communications Specialist
Peel Newcomer Strategy Group
165 Dundas Street West, Suite # 501
Mississauga, ON L5B 2N6
Tel: 905-602-3650, Ext. 2464
Fax: 905-602-3653
Email: namit@unitedwaypeel.org namit@unitedwaypeel.org

A new Healthy Start site opened in Caledon on November 15?
Located in Bolton at the Caledon Parent-Child Centre, a United Way of Peel Region-funded agency, the site will focus on helping pregnant teens and young women who are isolated, financially challenged, and living in difficult circumstances.