Day 1: Community Matters – Are you ready for some good news that’s sure to sleigh? As the holiday season approaches, we’re taking a moment to reflect on this year with the return of 12 Days of Good News! From now to December 23rd, we’ll be sharing one positive news story that happened this year every day. So, grab a cup of hot cocoa, cozy up by the fire, and let us spread some holiday cheer with some tree-mendous positivity!
To kick off this year, were taking a look at our Community Matters initiative, a project designed to learn more about the wonderful people of Northumberland! With the unpredictable changes of the last few years affecting everyone’s way of life, Community Matters was developed to better understand the challenges, strengths, and needs of those who live, work, and play in our community. As a part of this project, our team visited 20 libraries, events, and public centres around Northumberland to ensure that everyone has a chance to have their say.
The valuable insights from this project will then be essential in planning our future work as we strive to serve the needs of Northumberland County. A warm thank you goes out to everyone who completed the survey and took the time to help their community! Our survey is still live, so if you haven’t had a chance to have your say, please consider completing the survey here! You can be entered for a chance to win to win a gift card: https://mynuw.org/community-matters/.
Day 2: Matching Gift – For the 2nd day of 12 Days of Good News, we’re taking the chance to celebrate our exciting Matching Gift opportunity! During our annual Campaign Kickoff, an anonymous donor showed their generosity by launching a $50,000 Matching Gift opportunity for United Way Northumberland!
With the amazing commitment of this donor, they have provided the chance to double the value of each dollar donated, helping to double the love and double the impact. This means for any new donor or donor who increases their donation by 10% or more, their gift will be matched. All funds generated from our matching gift will allow us to continue our annual investments in the community through community partner allocations, while also investing in programs and advocacy work to address our greatest needs.
A huge thank you goes out to every donor who has shown their generosity this year and has committed themselves to help those who need it the most in our community.
Day 3: Cars for Community – On the 3rd day of the 12 Days of Good News, we’re thrilled to celebrate the successful conclusion of the second annual Cars for Community Campaign! This year, 11 dealerships across Northumberland County worked together to raise over $10,000 in support of United Way.
The campaign ran from September 1 to November 30, with all participating dealerships donating $10 from each sale of a new or used vehicle to United Way. All funds raised will help to address food security, mental health, children’s programming, seniors support, and housing assistance, to name a few.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to all of the amazing dealerships who participated this year, and the customers who made it possible, including Campbellford Chrysler Ltd., Cobourg Honda, Cobourg Mazda, JC&DC Motors, JSC Auto Sales, Lauria Hyundai, Lauria Volkswagen, Mallory Auto, Stewart Auto Hub, Thomas Buick GMC LTD, and Vandermeer Toyota. Thank you as well to Bill Spencer Chevrolet for a generous monetary donation.
Day 4: Workplace Campaigns – Continuing strong with the 4th day of our 12 Days of Good News, today we want to celebrate all the wonderful organizations that took part in a United Way Workplace Campaign this year! Through their in-house fundraising efforts, workplace campaigns provide local industries with an opportunity to support their community, build strong team relationships, and boost employee morale.
This year, 24 local industries took the initiative to help their community by running their own workplace campaign. With their hard work, these generous organizations raised funds to help support essential programs and services across Northumberland County and ensure we can continue to serve the needs of our community.
A huge thank you goes out to all organizations, employees, committees, and in-house chairs who took the pledge this year through a workplace campaign!
Day 5: Community Partners – For the 5th day of 12 Days of Good News, we want to recognize the hard work of our amazing Community Partners.
This year, we funded 9 local organizations and the essential services they provide across Northumberland County: The Salvation Army, The Help Centre, Transition House, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Habitat For Humanity, Community Counselling and Resource Centre, Community Care Northumberland, Rebound Child and Youth Services, and WrapAround Northumberland
With positive impact in mind, the funding provided to these organizations ensures that they can continue to help the most vulnerable populations across Northumberland County. Most importantly, we strive to positively impact our community in three focus areas: helping kids be all they can be, building strong communities, and moving people from poverty to possibility.
Day 6: New Website – For the 6th Day of our 12 Days of Good News, we’ve decided to look internally and celebrate the development of the new United Way Northumberland website! After 8 years of serving the community, our old website was desperately in need of a serious makeover.
After months of planning, developing, and refinement, we were finally able to unveil our new website in November. With a sleek and modern design, our website is now easier to use than ever, and is sure to provide a better user experience for everyone.
A huge thank you goes out to Project Lola for all their amazing work on developing this website!
Day 7: Northumberland Rocks Back – For the 7th Day of the 12 Days of Good News we’re still rocking! So, let’s celebrate the sound-tastic Northumberland Rocks Back concert!
Taking place in June, this year’s event featured performances from multi-platinum artist Chris Janson, and electrifying guest performances from Jeremy Macklin, Nickola Magnolia, and Western Avenue.
With the help of these artists and all the wonderful viewers who watched the show, this year’s Northumberland Rocks Back concert raised an amazing $20,000! These funds will make a big difference in our community, addressing important issues like food security, mental health, children’s programs, senior support, and housing assistance.
Thank you to all the organizers, performers, sponsors, volunteers, and community members who made this event a huge success. A special appreciation goes out to Graham Beer and his family for not only making this event happen but also for their ongoing support of United Way and our community. Your dedication and contributions have truly made a difference!
Day 8: Holiday Donation Cards – Tis the season for giving! For the 8th day of the 12 Days of Good News, give your loved ones a gift that truly matters, with our Holiday Donation Cards!
With the purchase of each certificate, you get to honor someone you love, while also supporting your community by sponsoring a heartfelt donation to United Way. So, if you’re looking for a stocking-stuffer that’s sure to be Santa-mental, our holiday cards are the perfect gift to wrap up your holiday shopping!
Gift certificates available now! Contact Chelsea at crankin@nuw.unitedway.ca to make a meaningful impact this holiday season. Let’s spread joy and make a difference!
Day 9: Radiothon – For the 9th day of the 12 Days of Good News, we’re celebrating our 4th annual Radiothon! Due to the wonderful listeners of Northumberland’s own local radio stations, we raised over $7,600 to support our community!
Thanks to the funds raised during the Radiothon, our generous donors have made it possible for us to continue to run essential programs throughout Northumberland County. One program is the Northumberland Eats voucher program, ensuring families and individuals have affordable access to quality food.
A big thank you to all the amazing listeners and donors who dedicated their time and resources to make this event a success! Special appreciation to Classic Rock 107.9, 93.3 myFM, and Oldies 100.9 radio for their hard work and support during the broadcast. Heartfelt thanks to The Market & Smør and Lauria Hyundai for being wonderful hosts!
Day 10: United Way Programs – With the 10th Day of the 12 Days of good news, there is snow time like the present! So, before we wrap up 2023, we wanted to talk about some of the ways United Way has impacted Northumberland County this year.
Northumberland Eats: In 2023, over $73,000 worth of Northumberland Eats vouchers were redeemed at local businesses across Northumberland County.
Period Promise: This year, we reached the milestone of 50,000 menstrual hygiene products being distributed across Northumberland since 2021.
Day of Caring: An astounding 100+ volunteers donated their time and skills to complete 30 jobs across Northumberland County.
Backpacks for Kids: Over 1,200 local students ranging from JK to Grade 12 received backpacks stuffed with school supplies this year alone.
211: This international service connects thousands of Canadians to all forms of essential community support services, including mental health, domestic abuse, youth, and employment services.
However, none of these accomplishments would have been possible without the help of our community. Thank you to all the amazing donors, volunteers, community partners, and local businesses who sacrificed their time and money to help their community this year!
Day 11: United Way Advocacy – On the 11th day of the 12 Days of Good News, we’re excited to highlight the work of United Way Northumberland in advocating for those who need it most. From providing in-house programs to partnering with local community organizations, United Way impacts 1 in 4 people in Northumberland County each year.
However, our impact does not stop there, as we strive to advocate for the most pervasive issues affecting our communities on both a local and provincial level.
By being an active member of Northumberland County’s Homelessness Leadership Table and the Affordable Housing Committee, United Way is committed to supporting those who experience housing challenges.
Through our involvement in Northumberland County’s Community Safety and Wellbeing Committee, we strive to build stronger and brighter communities across Northumberland, driving long lasting social development, and mitigating short-term risk factors affecting our communities.
Furthermore, United Way is a proud advocate for income equality. To match this commitment, we are a certified Living Wage Employer, as we believe everyone deserves to be paid what they need to live in their community.
Finally, through the wonderful work of Period Promise Northumberland, United Way strives to end period poverty in our communities and advocate for menstrual equity.
Day 12: Holiday Message – For the 12th day of the 12 Days of Good News, were unwrapping our final chapter of heartwarming messages! With the holidays quickly approaching, we want to send you our warmest wishes for a happy holiday season and all the best for the New Year.
So, as we prepare to put a bow on 2023, let’s all make sure we take a moment to reflect on all the good things that have happened in our lives and the amazing memories we made with our loved ones this year.
Here’s to a season filled with love, laughter, and the kind of joy that can only be found when surrounded by those who make your heart full.
From everyone here at United Way Northumberland, we wish you a happy holiday and Happy New Year!
