Thank you for making the annual United Way campaign a success once more!
For more than 40 years U of A staff and faculty have supported the United Way in its efforts to build community resilience by strengthening mental health and creating equitable opportunities for education and financial security.
This past year’s United Way campaign raised more than $397,000 from more than 275 donors across U of A campuses. Every dollar stays in the community.
Fundraising efforts included the Daily Grind coffee sale, the Forest Society Christmas tree sale, the Faculty of Business bake sale, the wine survivor challenge and many more. Fundraisers like these increased awareness about the vital work of the United Way, even as they raised money and built community spirit.
More than 250,000 people received support from a United Way initiative or one of its funded programs in 2022, per their most recent Annual Report. Beneficiaries included 51,000 children and youth.
The United Way values education as a way to lift people from poverty. In 2022, its programing gave more than 640 at-risk youth the support needed to stay in school, and distributed more than one million meals in schools throughout the capital region.
At the U of A, the United Way supported the Fyrefly Institute, providing 90 hours of free counselling to more than 20 people last year and these examples represent just a fraction of the organization’s work.
Year after year, the United Way’s grassroots work inspires real change in the lives of people in the capital region. As co-chairs of the United Way campaign, we are reminded of how incredibly caring our University of Alberta team is. More than ever, we are grateful for your continued kindness and generosity.
When you give back to the community, you are supporting the next generation of people who will go on to become leaders and problem solvers. Breaking the cycle of generational poverty and increasing access to housing, mental health resources and education results in a better future for every person in the Alberta capital region. Thank you for being a part of that future.
Peggy Garritty, Brenda Hemmelgarn, Matina Kalcounis-Rueppell and Marvin Washington
Peggy Garritty is chancellor of the University of Alberta and chair of the senate, as well as honorary chair of the U of A’s United Way campaign.
Brenda Hemmelgarn is the college dean and vice provost of the College of Health Sciences, dean of the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry and a co-chair of the U of A’s United Way committee.
Matina Kalcounis-Rueppell is the college dean and vice provost of the College of Natural and Applied Sciences and a co-chair of the U of A’s United Way committee.
Marvin Washington is the college dean of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities and a co-chair of the U of A’s United Way committee.