Local Love in a Global Crisis
Category: News, Updates & Events
211 – A Resource You Can Turn To For Assistance
211 – A Resource You Can Turn To For Assistance
211’s telephone line and online directory help Canadians deal with life’s challenges. The service connects users with vital community and social resources, close to home and specific to their needs. From basic needs like housing and food, to support for seniors and children, to responding to crisis situations, 211 is there.
People in crisis receive immediate attention, and those needing ongoing support always have a place to turn.
United Way of Haldimand and Norfolk is a proud founding partner of 211 in Canada, providing funding and support for the program, and working to make its services available to all Canadians.
United Way of Haldimand and Norfolk COVID-19 Response
United Way of Haldimand and Norfolk COVID-19 Response
I hope this email finds you safe and well. I wanted to be sure to reach out to you directly, our valued and committed supporters. At this time of great concern for us all, I sincerely hope that you and your loved ones are in good health. In terms of activity at your United Way of Haldimand and Norfolk, I can assure you that we are following government advice and have put strict measures in place to protect our team and our volunteers. As a result, our United Way office at 23 Argyle Street is closed, but you can always reach me directly via email at [email protected].
I have reached out directly to all the agencies that we support to ensure that they know United Way is there to help. We will be posting various messages on our social media platforms, both on our website www.unitedwayhn.on.ca and our Facebook page, from our agencies, as they provide updates on their plans and next steps with COVID-19.
I am enormously proud of the outstanding roles that our agencies continue to play to ensure that those they serve are supported. Thank you for all you do to advocate on their behalf. Please ensure that you stay healthy. We are, and always will be, stronger together. With gratitude and my very best wishes.
Kim Shippey, Executive Director
H-N REACH COVID-19 Response Plan
H-N REACH COVID-19 Response Plan
H-N REACH is committed to protecting the health and safety of our service participants, employees and communities.
In an effort to slow the transmission of COVID-19 across our communities, we are now taking the following precautions:
- All agency work sites will be closed to the public.
- All H-N REACH employees will refrain from attending other work sites or public meetings.
- H-N REACH programs will not be providing any face-to-face services.
- We will provide support and appointments to service participants by telephone and video.
- Our Child and Youth Crisis Service continues to be available via phone.
All of the above measures will be in effect until further notice.
Please feel free to be in touch if you have any questions about our plan.
You are also welcome to call our office if you wish to make a referral or speak to any of our employees.
Regards,
Leo Massi, Executive Director
Haldimand-Norfolk R.E.A.C.H.
101 Nanticoke Creek Parkway
Townsend, ON, N0A 1S0
T.519-587-2441 Ext. 251 1-800-265-8087 F. 519-587-2682
Update Covid-19 Community Support Centre
Update Covid-19 Community Support Centre
As we are all aware, the situation with the Coronavirus Pandemic across our country and the world is evolving minute by minute. It is our goal to ensure that the health, security and well-being of our clients, employees, their families, friends and other loved ones. Based on the most recent direction from the Provincial Government we believe it is in the best interest of everyone to temporarily close our doors. The Centre will be closed until Monday, April 6th, 2020.
All renters will have access to their offices, we do request they follow the recommendations from all levels of government. Wash your hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer, sneeze and cough into your sleeve, avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, avoid contact with people who are sick, stay home if you are sick. Above all please practice social distancing. We want to ensure that we do our best to ‘flatten the curve’ and protect the most vulnerable in our society. For the safety of everyone, we would recommend that you don’t see clients at this location.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact me.
Thanks,
Andrea Gee, Executive Director
Community Support Centre Haldimand-Norfolk
Scotiabank Simcoe are Community Champions for United Way of Haldimand and Norfolk
Scotiabank Simcoe are Community Champions for United Way of Haldimand and Norfolk
Scotiabank in Simcoe presented United Way of Haldimand and Norfolk with a cheque for $2,750.00.
We are incredibly grateful for this outstanding gift from Scotiabank Simcoe. Through their community investment strategy and focus on supporting causes at a grassroots level, this donation will benefit multiple organizations and programs resulting in a positive, measurable impact.
Kim Shippey, Executive Director – United Way of Haldimand and Norfolk
As a leader in social innovation, United Way drives change by investing in local programs that support the social sector to not only serve but solve social issues.
We are proud to continue our support of our local United Way.
Wes Keenan, Branch Manager – Scotiabank Simcoe
Through a collaborative effort, United Way of Haldimand and Norfolk funds services that ensure individuals, children and families have access to basic needs like food and shelter, while enabling them towards greater self-sufficiency. We continue to build strong relationships with local organizations and community champions, like Scotiabank.
Swiss Chalet Shows United Way of Haldimand and Norfolk A Little Love
Swiss Chalet Shows United Way of Haldimand and Norfolk A Little Love
Swiss Chalet Simcoe knows how to create a buzz through social media. As great community champions, Swiss Chalet is helping to boost the United Way message through a series of Facebook giveaways by donating four separate large gift baskets, each with a unique theme. The first basket they provided had a Valentine’s Day twist, filled with chocolates and a $100 gift card to the restaurant. Their next basket will be themed around Mother’s Day, followed by a July 1st celebration and a back to school basket for Labour Day weekend.
We recognize and applaud the outstanding support that the United Way of Haldimand and Norfolk provides to our community and we are thrilled to be a part of that impactful change.
John MacDonald, franchise owner of Simcoe Swiss Chalet
All you need to do to win is follow us on Facebook, be a local resident and like, share and comment on the contest posts and you could take home one of these fabulous baskets. Our Valentines basket reached an astounding 49,915 people with over 10,000 engagements.
We can’t thank Swiss Chalet, Simcoe and John MacDonald enough for providing an avenue for our United Way to share our message to so many people. The need for social services continues to grow in our communities. Thank you, John and your team, for helping us to spread this message through our social media platform and gain more followers and champions for United Way.
Kim Shippey, Executive Director of United Way of Haldimand and Norfolk
When you support United Way of Haldimand and Norfolk, you are helping a multitude of services through community programs that offer basic needs like food, shelter, programs for seniors to enhance their lives, much-needed school supplies for children in need across Haldimand and Norfolk and a supportive environment for those living with mental illness.
To donate a gift basket from your local business please contact us today. You can be a part of impactful change today.
12 Days of Pizza
12 Days of Pizza Raises $4,741
We were thrilled to partner once again with Domino’s Pizza of Simcoe for the 12 Days of Pizza event which ran from Dec 12 – 24, 2019. In its fourth year, 12 Days of Pizza continues to gain momentum and helps to create a positive impact through the work of the United Way. This year it raised a generous $4,741.35 for United Way of Haldimand Norfolk.
“Here at Domino’s we believe in the outstanding work of the United Way and are thrilled to give back to our community through this annual event.”
George Karamilev, Domino’s Pizza Simcoe franchisee.
From December 12 to 24 Domino’s offered a Large 4-Topping Pizza for only $12.99 and 100% of the sales went towards United Way of Haldimand and Norfolk. Many treated their staff, family and friends to this deal during this time, giving back to their community in a delicious way. Thank you to everyone who participated.
Port Dover Christmas Pub Crawl 2019
Port Dover Christmas Pub Crawl Raises $2,030 for United Way of Haldimand and Norfolk
The annual Port Dover Christmas/Charity Pub Crawl gained in popularity with additional stops and restaurants added to the event.
This year’s event supported United Way of Haldimand and Norfolk, bringing in a grand total of $2,030. The evening was epic with outstanding costumes, spirits, generosity and smiles creating a record crowd of over 225 people. The women’s team “Babes” competed with the men’s team “Boys” on which group could raise the most funds throughout the night. Once again, the women’s team was victorious.
The Port Dover Christmas Pub Crawl was pleased to collaborate with the United Way of Haldimand and Norfolk again this year in support of Port Dover and area’s R.E.A.C.H. Program. Working together to help fundraise for a local program that targets social challenges and builds strong healthy communities is always a win-win-win scenario.”
Louie Brzozowski (event organizer)
This is a fun event with approximately 45 minutes at each stop, the Pub Crawl added additional locations and this year started at the Port Dover Legion, then on to The Beach House, to the Fisherman’s Catch, The Terrace Room, Southside Louie’s, 211 Main and the final stop, with a live band and dancing, was The Brig at the Norfolk Tavern.
“Our heartfelt thanks to Louie and his wife Jodi-Anne for their continued dedication to promoting and organizing this event. It was so much fun! We are incredibly grateful to be the recipients of our community’s generosity and want to thank everyone that participated. You are all true community champions.”
Kim Shippey, Executive Director of United Way of Haldimand and Norfolk
United Way of Haldimand and Norfolk Announces First Ever Living Wage for our Region
What does it take for a family of four to live comfortably in Haldimand and Norfolk County? That’s the question we wanted to answer in 2019. Adhering to the principles and methodology of the Canadian Living Wage Framework, we calculated the 2019 hourly Living Wage for Haldimand and Norfolk to be $16.58.
The Living Wage is the hourly wage a worker needs to earn to cover their family’s basic everyday expenses, such as food, housing, utilities, childcare and transportation. The Living Wage was calculated based on a family composition consisting of two 35-year old parents working full-time for 35 hours per week, one 7-year old child who attends school and before and after school care and one 3-year old in childcare full-time year round. Different from the Minimum Wage which is provincially set, the Living Wage is locally derived. The costs used to calculate the Living Wage for Haldimand and Norfolk have come from local sources based on expenses in this community. The Minimum Wage which is currently $14/hour does not take into account the basic needs to maintain a healthy, sustainable life. While the Minimum Wage is adjusted for inflation in Ontario, the Living Wage is adjusted annually to take into consideration cost of living increases, and changes.
A Living Wage means families can make ends meet and don’t have to choose between groceries, medical/dental expenses or rent. It means they can participate in community activities, like putting their kids into sports. What the Living Wage doesn’t include is credit card payments, loan or debt interest, savings for retirement, owning a home, savings for children’s future education, pets, or the cost of caring for loved ones with serious illnesses or disabilities. The Living Wage does not include anything other than the smallest cushion for emergencies or hard times.
“There are a number of benefits to calculating the Living Wage for our community. One of our key focus areas is ‘From Poverty to Possibility’ and we believe knowing how much it costs to survive in our community is an important first step to reducing poverty.”
Brittany Burley, Executive Director
Communities that have already implemented the Living Wage have found it to be beneficial to employers by improving recruitment, employee retention, increased productivity and morale and reduced retraining expenses. For the workers it reduced the need to work multiple jobs to pay bills, reduced stress of financial pressures, provided opportunities for skills training to further employment opportunities, improved nutrition, and raised the standards of living and quality of life. The community benefitted by raising consumer spending locally, increased local participation, and lowered child poverty rates.
Every community experiences different conditions that affect local expenses and that’s why the Living Wage differs by region. For example, Perth and Huron’s Living Wage is $17.55, while Hamilton’s is $16.42. The lack of transportation services across Haldimand and Norfolk and the shortage of affordable housing are two factors affecting local costs. To learn more about the specific local costs, please refer to the infographic above.
We would like to thank Kayla Schaff for her help with this project.
For more
information contact:
Brittany
Burley, Executive Director
United Way of Haldimand and Norfolk
Phone: 519-426-5660 Email: [email protected]