GenNext UW

GenNext partnered with Investing in Children for their Under the Sea literacy nights during the month of April, 2013. We had 43 volunteers participate and more than 450 children and adults attend. Investing in Children hosts family literacy events throughout the school year with a new theme each month. United Way has an ongoing relationship with Investing in Children through our work with the Child & Youth Network and on various projects and related to literacy, families and children in our community.

This event is a part of an ongoing event series hosted by GenNext called Pop-up Volunteering. You will see these events, structured very similarly coming out every couple of months. We partner with a variety of community partners and the volunteer tasks at each event will differ.

$8.75 million! Thank you London and Middlesex!

After projecting a $150,000 shortfall last month, United Way London & Middlesex is thrilled to report that we surpassed our goal of $8.75 million, raising $8,752,222.

Through the generosity of the people of London and Middlesex, United Way will make its largest community investment of donor dollars ever. In total, United Way will invest in 83 programs and initiatives delivered at 47 agencies. Thank you GenNext for your support!

Click to read our media release and investment highlights

GenNext tweets 4 toys

We wanted to make the holidays a bit brighter for families in London who have experienced job loss. Some of these families were in a position to contribute to United Way and now find themselves in need of United Way funded programs and services. We needed your help to provide gifts for 18 children and many donors stepped up.

Thanks to everyone who shared the message with their networks, donated toys and encouraged co-workers to do the same. Your efforts will help ensure children in our community have a happy holiday season.

Lotsa socks thanks to FCSSC members!

High five to Forest City Sport & Social Club and its members! You filled Santa's sack of socks with more than 400 pairs of socks for CMHA's London Coffee House, a United Way funded agency.

London Coffee House enhances the quality of life for people on low fixed incomes, particularly those with mental health issues, by providing a welcoming environment for socializing, recreation and individual support.

Why socks? Access to shoes and socks is often limited for men and women who are homeless and living in shelters or on the streets in our community. Rain– and snow-soaked feet, ill-fitting shoes, constant standing and diseases like diabetes mean people who are homeless are at risk of developing a range of foot ailments including trench foot, skin infections, frostbite and nail diseases.

The best way to prevent these conditions is to keep feet clean and dry. That’s where your sock donations will come in this winter. Thank you FCSSC for sharing your holiday spirit with London Coffee House members.

Ambassadors see impact first hand

GenNext ambassadors gathered on December 8 at the London Coffee House and London Police Services headquarters to hear more about poverty and mental health in our community and how their contributions to United Way are making an impact. Speakers at the event included London Police Services Chief Brad Duncan who outlined how police programs and services are adapting to meet the needs of our community.

Wrap it up!

Thanks to all the volunteers who joined us on December 8 as we popped-up to help Big Brothers Big Sisters of London raise funds for their children's mentoring programs. Volunteers greeted shoppers at Masonville Place and wrapped gifts with all money raised going to Big Brothers Big Sisters of London.

Missed this event? Choose another time here. And keep an eye on this space for our next GenNext pop-up volunteering event!

Thank you for teaming up!

Thank you GenNexters! We appreciate your support of our United Way StairClimb once again this year! Special shoutout to all the GenNext ambassadors who organized and captained teams in your workplaces.

Our finance team is busy counting all the money and pledges still coming in so stay tuned for our final total announcement to see if we made our $200,000 goal.

Team & event photos are posted on our facebook page. 'Like', comment or share these photos or share your #StairClimb story with us!

GenNext part of World Homeless Action Day

October 10th of each year is World Homeless Action Day, an international awareness raising event about homelessness. This year, in London, community groups and individuals worked together to build a cardboard town on the lawn of St Paul's Cathedral. The purpose of the event was to raise awareness about the lack of affordable housing in London.

GenNext participated in this event by sponsoring and decorating a cardboard home. Thanks to all of you who visited the site, shared the event with your friends and colleagues and contributed to the conversation about homelessness our community.

GenNext Ambassadors mix and mingle

On October 9, 2012 GenNext Ambassadors from workplaces across London and Middlesex gathered at Forest City Sport & Social Club for our annual orientation and mixer. Attendees had a chance to meet Ambassadors from other workplaces, receive tips, tricks and resources for executing a successful United Way workplace campaign and network.

These tweets were among the buzz at the event:
@slaliberte: 'Giving is habit forming' @GenNextUW Ambassador's launch!

Thanks to everyone who participated, shared their ideas and spent time collaborating. Change starts with you!

United Way announces 2012 Campaign goal: $8.75 million

United Way London & Middlesex announced its largest campaign goal in the organization’s history - $8.75 million. The goal is a 3% increase over 2011’s achievement of $8.5 million and is a response to the region’s growing demand for social services in London and Middlesex County.

“We are all well aware of the economic challenges in our community,” explained Andrew Lockie, CEO, United Way London & Middlesex. “What is concerning is the impact those challenges are having on individuals and families in London and Middlesex County. More people are finding themselves “on the brink” and being able to offer timely interventions before issues escalate, is critical.”

In his role as the Director of the Thames Valley District School Board, Bill Tucker, United Way’s 2012 Campaign Chair, is all too familiar with the pressing social issues our community faces. “Daily, educators see the faces of poverty, the faces of addiction, and the faces of neglect and abuse in our classrooms,” said Tucker. “We also know the difference that the right intervention can make in an individual’s life. That is why I am so passionate about United Way and the impact that it has in people’s lives right here in our community.”

“Together, we can achieve our financial goal and more importantly, give people the opportunities and supports they need to build the best possible lives for themselves and their families”, stated Andrew Lockie.

Backpack Drive blasts through goal!

GenNext’s 2nd Annual Backpack Drive showcased the generosity of our amazing local community with more than 367 backpacks collected this year. This enormous number of backpacks completely exceeded our 2012 goal of 150 and more than doubled last year’s total of 126. Backpacks and school supplies are being distributed to families through a variety of agency partners including LUSO Community Services, John Howard Society, Women’s Community House, and YMCA of Western Ontario. Thanks to our many sponsors, partners and donors, hundreds of children will start the school year ready to learn with the tools they need to succeed.

3M Canada
City of London staff
Ernst & Young
Family Services Thames Valley
Famme & Co
Fanshawe College
Forest City Sport & Social Club
Generous individual donors
Homestead Land Holdings staff and tenants
Intact Insurance
IRS Security
Junior Achievement
Kay Harris Chiropractic
Kidzone Daycare
Mind Your Mind
RBC
Richard Ivey School of Business
Scholar’s Choice
Stephenson & Hunt
United Way staff
Web Assist
Western University Advancement Services
Western University Students Council staff

Volunteers pop-up for breakfast

GenNext's Pop-up volunteering success continues with the first Breakfast Club held on July 12 in partnership with LUSO Community Services. Over 60 children started their day with a healthy breakfast thanks to the efforts of our enthusiastic volunteers who met bright and early to prepare breakfast and spend time with LUSO program participants.

One of the volunteers, Katrina Wong had this to say about her first pop-up volunteering experience: "You can put your couple of hours in and still feel like you've contributed. This particular event (was) something that (I) just couldn't turn away from." Wong said. "It does hit home."

Gather your friends and pop-up to make a difference. All the details here.

Play - Pack - Participate back for the second year

Please join GenNext this summer to support northeast London communities and help children and youth start the school year right:

Enter a team in FCSSC's Rugrat Backpack Beach Volleyball Tournament
Donate a backpack and school supplies to the GenNext Backpack Drive
Volunteer at our community BBQ

More information on how you can get involved is here or check out our event listings for specifics:

Over 4000 volunteer hours raised at Timeraiser

GenNext was proud to once again partner with Framework, Pillar Nonprofit Network and the London Arts Council to host the 3^rd London Timeraiser on May 10, 2012. The sold-out event was held at the Arts Project, attracted over 150 attendees and raised 4,015 volunteer hours for our community.

The evening began with 21 community organizations, representing a diverse cross-section community issues including arts & culture, education, environment, health, social services and sports and recreation, sharing information about available skilled volunteer opportunities. For attendees, this was a chance to learn more about our community and how they could use their skills and experience to contribute.

Following volunteer matching, attendees bid on 17 pieces of original artwork created by local emerging artists. The twist was that instead of bidding money, attendees bid volunteer hours. A total of 4,015 volunteers hours were raised. Successful artwork winners now have a year to complete their volunteer pledge and will collect their artwork at next year’s Timeraiser event.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the success of this event including sponsors, community organizations, artists, volunteers and our event partners.

First pop-up volunteering event a success

The first GenNext pop-up volunteering event was held on Sunday, March 25, 2012.

The events will connect people in their 20s and 30s with a local non-profit organization for an afternoon of volunteering. The first in the series was hosted at WOTCH Community Mental Health Services with 20 volunteers lending a helping hand.

WOTCH Community Mental Health Services is dedicated to serving adults in South Western Ontario who live with serious mental illness. Together GenNext volunteers led an afternoon of recreational activities for WOTCH clients including sports, art activities, baking and games.

“Young professionals want to get out there and help others, but it’s not always easy to find the right opportunity.” says Kim Brockett, Pop-up volunteering Chair for GenNext. “GenNext Pop-up volunteering events are really structured for people in their 20s and 30s. It helps those that may not know how to get involved connect with a local non-profit organization. It is a chance to try out different volunteer opportunities. It’s really a great way to get involved, and make an impact in our community.”

Watch this site for more information about additional GenNext pop-up volunteering events in the coming months.

National Day of Caring 2011

Thanks to all our dedicated volunteers who join us on November 5 at Boys & Girls Club of London for our Day of Caring event. We joined GenNext groups in cities across Canada as part of United Way Canada's GenNext National Day of Canada.

November 5 saw 37 GenNext volunteers in London completed a number of tasks including cleaning the ball pit, washing club vehicles, organizing the library, working with children's programs and outdoor clean-up.

Thanks to Boys & Girls Club for hosting us and thanks to all our volunteers for your hard work and commitment to helping kids in London be all they can be!

Special thanks to Vlora Muslimi and Katy Boychuk for your leadership on this event!

Thanks for playing!

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the success of the Forest City Sport & Social Club Rugrat Backpack Beach Volleyball Tournament in Port Stanley on July 17!

Teams entered in the tournament donated enough backpacks and school supplies to outfit an entire classroom of kids! FCSSC donated all proceeds from the tournament and GenNext volunteers were on hand to sell water to thirsty players. All money raised will be used to fund the Boullee – Huron Heights Community BBQ on August 25. Learn more here.

Donations of backpacks and school supplies continue to be accepted at the United Way office and will be distributed by LUSO Community Services to children who need them the most.

News

Under the Sea Literacy Nights