Volunteers

United Way recognizes that volunteers are central to the health and vitality of our community. Volunteers are the backbone of United Way and are involved in every facet of our organization. We celebrate our volunteers during National Volunteer Week held in April of each year. Without the commitment, skills and experience of our volunteers we would not be able to fulfill our mission of ensuring that everyone in our community is cared for, connected and included.

If you are interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities at United Way, please contact Jen Davis at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Spirit Awards

United Way of Peel Region's 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.

• 2011 Submission Guidelines
• 2011 Spirit Award Categories
• 2010 Spirit Award Winners
• 2009 Spirit Award Winners

2011 Submission Guidelines

Nominees may apply for all awards for which they are eligible. Campaigns can be nominated by the Employee Campaign Chair and/or committee. Your United Way staff partner can provide you with nomination forms and assist you where needed. Forms can also be downloaded from www.unitedwaypeel.org.

All applications are to be received at the United Way of Peel Region office by 5 p.m. on Thursday, January 11, 2012. Winners will be announced at the Community Achievement Celebration on February 9, 2012.

2011 Spirit Award Categories

Employee Campaign Chair (ECC) of the Year
This award is presented to Employee Campaign Chairs who run an exemplary campaign that inspires those around them. Winning ECCs will have utilized best practices, creativity, enthusiasm, leadership skills and strategic thinking to run an exceptional campaign. This award is presented in three categories based on organizational size. Download a nomination form in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat.

Excellence in Community Fund Giving
This award is presented to workplace campaigns that raise the highest percentage increase of donations to United Way of Peel Region`s Community Fund. This award is presented in three categories based on organizational size. Download a nomination form in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat.

Outstanding Agency Campaign Award
This award is presented to agency employee campaigns that have exceptional participation and promote giving to the Community Fund. It is awarded to both funded and non-funded agencies. Download a nomination form in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat.

Speakers' Bureau Award
This award is presented to a Speakers' Bureau volunteer who acts as an active ambassador for United Way throughout the entire campaign. The winner emphasizes the importance of the Community Fund and tells a compelling story to his/her audience. Speakers' Bureau volunteers are employees, volunteers, and/or clients of United Way funded agencies, and senior volunteers of United Way of Peel Region.

Outstanding Corporate Campaign Award
This award is presented to organizations that excel in the many areas of corporate support for United Way. This award is presented in three categories based on organizational size. Download a nomination form in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat.

Outstanding Employee Campaign Award
This highly contested award is presented to the employee campaigns that have the greatest increase in participation and/or dollars raised. This award is presented in three categories based on organizational size. Download a nomination form in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat.

Best First-Time Campaign Award
This award is presented to new workplace campaigns that have had outstanding participation in their 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. This award is presented in three categories based on organizational size. Download a nomination form in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat.

Leadership Giving Campaign Award
This award is presented to workplace campaigns that conduct exemplary Leadership Giving campaigns. Download a nomination form in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat.

Best National Employee Campaign Award
This award is presented to the employee campaigns that run an exceptional national campaign and experience a significant increase in participation and/or dollars raised. Download a nomination form in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat.

Outstanding Joint Union-Management Campaign
This award is presented to workplace campaigns run jointly by union members and management that exemplify teamwork, leadership and community giving. It is awarded in both the private and public sector in three categories based on organizational size. Download a nomination form for private JUM workplaces in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat. Download a nomination form for public JUM workplaces in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat.

2010 Spirit Award Winners

Best First-Time Campaign: Presented to first-time workplace campaigns that demonstrate outstanding participation.
Winner: Revera Inc., Mississauga

Outstanding Agency Campaign Award:
Presented to a United Way-funded agency that has exceptional participation in its employee United Way campaign.
Winners: Family Services of Peel, Mississauga; and Canadian Mental Health Association, Peel Branch; and Supportive Housing in Peel, Mississauga

Outstanding Corporate Campaign Award:
Presented to a corporation that excels in many areas of corporate support.
Winners: General Mills Canada Corporation, Mississauga; and PepsiCo Beverages Canada, Mississauga

Best National Employee Campaign:
Presented to an organization that runs an exceptional national campaign and has the greatest increase in participation and/or dollars raised. To be eligible, organizations must be headquartered in Peel and have multiple locations across the country that run a coordinated campaign.
Winner: General Mills Canada Corporation, Mississauga

Outstanding Leadership Giving Campaign Award:
Given to organizations that conduct an exemplary Leadership Giving Campaign. A leadership donor gives more than $1,000 annually.
Winner: Carlson Marketing Group Ltd., Mississauga

Speakers’ Bureau Award:
Presented to members of the United Way Speakers’ Bureau who are outstanding ambassadors and public speakers.
Winners: Christianah Olarewaju and Audley Stephenson

Outstanding Joint Union-Management Award:
Presented to workplace campaigns that demonstrate exemplary teamwork in a joint union and management campaign.
Winner: The Corporation of the City of Brampton and the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 831; Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1573; and The Brampton Professional Firefighters Association Local 1068

Employee Campaign Chair of the Year Award:
This is a new award that recognizes outstanding Employee Campaign Chairs (ECCs) who ran exemplary campaigns that inspired those around them. The recipients will have used best practices, creativity, enthusiasm, leadership skills and strategic thinking to run an exceptional campaign.
Winners: Rod Karasiuk and Eric Sweezey, Co-Chairs at Hershey Canada Inc., Mississauga; and Lori Hillier and Sam Hatter, Co-Chairs at General Mills Canada Corporation, Mississauga; and Mandy Gibson of Carlson Marketing Inc., Mississauga

Outstanding Employee Campaign Award:
Presented to the workplace campaigns that show an outstanding increase in employee participation and excel in their support of United Way.
Winners: Teradata Canada, Mississauga; and The Tri-Hospital United Way Campaign: Credit Valley Hospital, Trillium Health Centre and William Osler Health System

Award winners, excluding the Speakers’ Bureau award, were selected by the following judges:

• Marilyn Friedmann, Chief Development Officer
• Kimberley Souliere, Assistant Director Resource Development
• Shari Lynn Ladanchuk, Executive Director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peel
• Melissa Rydahl, Aquatics Supervisor, City of Mississauga.

2009 Spirit Award Winners

Best First-Time Campaign: Presented to first-time workplace campaigns that demonstrate outstanding participation.

Outstanding Joint Union-Management Campaign: Presented to both public and private sector joint union and management campaigns that best exemplify teamwork and leadership.

Outstanding Agency Campaign Award: Presented to a United Way-funded agency that has exceptional participation in its employee United Way campaign.

Best National Employee Campaign: Presented to an organization that runs an exceptional national campaign and has the greatest increase in participation and/or dollars raised. To be eligible, organizations must be headquartered in Peel and have locations across the country that run a coordinated campaign.

Outstanding Corporate Campaign Award: Presented to a corporation that excels in many areas of corporate support.

Speakers' Bureau Award: Presented to a member of the United Way Speakers' Bureau who is an outstanding ambassador and public speaker.

Outstanding Leadership Giving Campaign Award: Given to organizations that conduct an exemplary Leadership Giving Campaign. A leadership donor gives more than $1,000 annually to United Way.

Outstanding Employee Campaign Award: Presented to the workplace campaigns that show an outstanding increase in employee participation and achieve excellent results.

Pacesetter Award: Presented to an organization that takes the lead by making a written commitment to support United Way prior to the public launch of the campaign.

Chair's Award of Merit: This award honours an organization that has gone above and beyond their traditional support for United Way.

Award winners, excluding the Speakers' Bureau award, were selected by the following judges: United Way Board member Louroz Mercader; CEO Shelley White; Assistant Director Resource Development Kimberley Souliere; Labour Community Services of Peel Labour Director Susan Mortimer; Paddy Ramsingh, Executive Director Family Services of Peel; Angela Stevens, Canada Post and member of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers; and Sharon Whelan, Bantrel.

Leadership Donors

Gifts over $1,000

Your Leadership gift to our Community Fund will mean that much needed services and programs continue to be available for our community. But your gift does so much more. It helps build strong agencies, supports initiatives that provide economic opportunities, enables us to speak out as an advocate for social change, and fosters community partnerships focused on collective action. Starting from just $2.75 per day, you can become part of the Leadership Giving Program at United Way.

Become a Leader for just $2.75 per day.

Long-lasting change comes from tackling the root of the problem. A Leadership gift to United Way's Community Fund not only provides the resources to meet immediate needs, it also supports initiatives that address our community's most challenging social issues. It's one of the best investments you can make. Research shows that every dollar invested strategically in addressing the underlying causes of social problems saves between five and seven dollars in later costs to the community.

Here are some examples of the differences your Leadership gift to the Community Fund will make in the lives of so many (per pay/annual donation, based on 26 pay periods per year):

• $40 per pay ($1,040 per year) provides a woman who has been abused by her partner with a year of confidential 24-hour crisis counselling so that she and her children can build a future free from fear and violence.
• $50 per pay ($1,300 per year) provides individual mental health counselling and support to a youth struggling with depression, anxiety, substance use or difficulties at school or home.
• $70 per pay ($1,820 per year) provides tutoring in math and reading for 30 Kindergarten children who have been referred for assistance by their teachers.
• $80 per pay ($2,080 per year) provides 60 new parents with a 10-week parenting course so that they can ensure their children thrive.
• $100 per pay ($2,600 per year) provides 8 seniors with one year of a weekly drop-in support group to reduce isolation and loneliness in their lives.
• $150 per pay ($3,900 per year) provides 20 full-day volunteer workshops to 800 newcomers to help them achieve social integration and utilize their skills.
• $200 per pay ($5,200 per year) provides 30 low-income children with one full week of summer camp so they can envision new possibilities for their future.

Leadership Giving Levels

• Trustee $50,000 and over
• Benefactor $25,000 - $49,999
• Builder $10,000 - $24,999
• Patron $5,000 - $9,999
• Sponsor $2,000 - $4,999
• Leader $1,000 - $1,999

Tax Information

This information is based on 2011 tax information.

Honour Roll

837 Leadership donors contributed more than $1.5 million to the Community Fund in 2010. The Community Fund helps meet immediate needs and address the root causes of social problems so that individuals develop resilience, families grow strong and neighbourhoods become vibrant.

We thank all of the donors listed for their incredible generosity. Without you, there would be no way!

Click here to download the 2010 Honour Roll.

Honour Roll

The following organizations and their employees donated $1,000 or more to United Way in 2010, through gifts such as direct charitable donations, corporate matching funds, payroll deduction, one-time donations and special events. This listing includes local and centrally coordinated campaigns.

Click here to download the 2010 Honour Roll.

Labour Supporters

Labour, management and United Way share many of the same goals. We all want to ensure that our community thrives and the people who live here have access to the services and programs they need to live happy, healthy and productive lives. By working together to conduct a joint union-management United Way campaign in your workplace, you can help strengthen our community and improve individual lives.

Why Promote Joint Union-Management Campaigns?
In the past several years, companies and unions have been working together with the assistance of United Ways to organize joint campaigns.

Joint Campaigns make sense for several reasons:

• Problems and contentious issues are quickly resolved because union and management are involved as equal partners in all levels of campaign decision making.
• It is an effective fundraising tool.
• Joint committees bring together union and management representatives, who can bring valuable skills and talents to contribute to the success of the campaign.
• Duties and responsibilities are shared among a committee. One person does not have sole responsibility for the campaign.

The personal commitment of the Chief Executive Officer and the Local Union Executive ensures that the joint committee is able to carry out their duties successfully.

What Are The Steps in Organizing a Joint Campaign?
Local Union Executives and Chief Executive Officers should take the following steps prior to the commencement of the fall campaign:

• Confirm their support and interest to United Way volunteers.
• Ask the CEO and Local Union President(s) to jointly endorse the campaign and to
  appoint the union/management co-chairs.
• Campaign Co-Chairs are responsible for the recruitment of the employee campaign
  committee.
• The committee has the responsibility to plan, organize and implement the campaign.
• CEO and senior management must ensure that sufficient time is given to all committee
  members to guarantee a successful campaign.
• The committee should be working well in advance of the campaign, keeping the CEO
  and Local Union President(s) informed on a regular basis.
• To assist the committee United Way provides training and assistance. We have volunteers, Loaned Representatives, a Labour Staff Representative and staff who have the expertise to help.
• Read and implement United Way's Campaign Best Practices Manual.

Joint Union-Management Spirit Awards
The Outstanding Joint Union-Management Campaign Award is 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 in three categories:

• 100 or fewer employees
• 101- 499 employees
• 500 or more employees

For More Information about the Partnership between Labour and United Way
Contact Mohammed Hashim, Interim Labour Director at 905-602-3644 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Sponsors

In 2010, the following organizations committed to sponsoring various United Way activities. To learn more, contact your United Way Representative or Nira Lall at United Way of Peel Region at 905-602-3645 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

$20,000 or more

• Regional Municipality of Peel

$15,000 – 19,999

• Edward Jones
• PepsiCo Beverages Canada

$10,000 - $14,999

• Areawide United Ways
• GE Canada

$5,000 - $9,999

• Deloitte
• General Mills Canada Corporation
• Purolator Courier Ltd.
• RBC Insurance
• TD Canada Trust
• Telus

$2,500 - $4,999

• PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
• Rogers
• Softchoice
• TD Canada Trust- Employee’s Serving Mississauga

$1,000 - $2,499

• Ricoh Canada Inc.
• GlaxoSmithKline Inc.
• Grant Thornton LLP

Through Gifts in Kind, donations of good quality non-cash products or goods can be passed from contributors, both individuals and corporations, to funded agencies and their participants. Examples include office furniture, supplies and equipment, computers and printers, entertainment coupons and tickets, toys and books, supplies for shelters (i.e. personal care items soap, toothpaste shampoo etc).

United Way of Peel Region's role is to match gift-in-kind donations with charitable organization needs. In-kind donations are distributed to charitable organizations throughout Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga who then determine which clients can most benefit from the donations.

To learn more, contact Jacqueline Pereira, Office Assistant, at United Way of Peel Region at 905-602-3650 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Supporters
Thank you to the following organizations for their sponsorship of less than $1,000, gifts-in-kind and donated services in 2010:

• Air Combat Zone
• AV Telav
• Balls of Fun Inc.
• Brita
• Canada Dry Mott’s Inc.
• Canadian Art Wholesalers
• Canadian Tire Corporation
• Carlson Marketing Group Ltd.
• Casa Film
• Champlain Trail Public School
• Classic Bowl
• Clublink
• Coppley Apparel Group - Hamilton
• Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd.
• CueGo Audio Visuals
• Dance Heads
• Down Under - Mississauga
• Dr. Alex Pister
• Ficel Sports & Entertainment
• G&A Coporate
• G&A Corporate
• General Mills Canada Corporation
• Greater Toronto Airports Authority
• Hallmark Billiards
• Hershey Canada Inc.
• Intelliprompt
• International Centre
• JP Productions
• Kernels Popcorn
• Lionhead Golf and Country Club
• Lululemon Athletica
• Mary Kay Cosmetics
• On the Move Catering
• Ontario Place
• Paderno
• Pepsi Beverages Company Canada
• RBC Insurance Services Inc.
• Reebok
• Royal SunAlliance Canada
• Samsung Electronics Canada
• Showtec
• Starburst Coin Machines Inc.
• Symcor Inc.
• Tim Hortons - Dixie Road
• Toronto Raptors
• UPS Canada/UPS SCS Canada
• Wellness Direct
• William Ashley China