United Way in Guelph goes ‘radical’ in its fundraising campaign – Guelph

United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin is taking a “radical” approach to its 82nd fundraising campaign.

An official launch of their 2022 campaign took place at the CTRL-V virtual reality site in Guelph, Ont., on Wednesday.

This year’s theme is Radical Recovery. One of the unique aspects of this year’s United Way campaign is that there is no fundraising goal.

“Due to the isolation of the pandemic, the pressures on mental health and the current economic situation, everyone feels the need to reach out for help,” said Glenna Banda, Executive Director of the Guelph Wellington Chapter. Dufferin.

« Our goal is to create a community where everyone can thrive, » Banda said. « We’ll do our best and collect what we can and then put those dollars to good use. »

Campaign chair Patricia Tersigni said it was great to have a live, in-person campaign again as they continue to recover from the pandemic.

« If we don’t raise the necessary funds to support these agencies and strategic priorities, it would be impossible to deliver this radical recovery and change that we so desperately need, » Tersigni said.

The significance of the Radical Recovery theme for their campaign grew out of the pandemic.

“The idea of ​​us returning to so-called pre-pandemic normality was not good enough,” Banda said. « We need a radical recovery to change situations and tackle root causes like poverty so people can thrive. »

The idea of ​​having the launch in a virtual reality location did not escape Tersigni.

« Virtual has been a vehicle for people to come together during the pandemic, » Tersigni said. “But we know we can’t go virtual all the time. Community needs community, people need people, and physically we need to come together to solve the most pressing issues.

She added that people want the community to thrive and be resilient in these trying times.

For more information on the Radical Recovery campaign and how to donate, visit the United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin website.

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