Members of the York community will be receiving their United Way pledge cards this Thursday. Last year, York exceeded its goal and provided $193,000 of pledges to the United Way. The goal for this year’s campaign is $190,000. Here are a few examples of how a donation helps people in the community:
- $1 per paycheque or $26 – provides one hour of personal care to a frail senior;
- $1.92 per paycheque or $50 – provides a life-skills training program for 16 homeless youth;
- $3.85 per paycheque or $100 – provides breakfast every morning for the school year to a child who would otherwise go hungry;
- $11.54 per paycheque or $300 – provides one night of street outreach to homeless people, delivering food and blankets to keep them alive;
- $21.77 per paycheque or $566 – provides an unemployed youth at risk with three months of employment support, counselling and job placement;
- $38.46 per paycheque or $1,000 – provides 10 hours of support with a rehabilitation specialist, teaching people who are blind how to read braille, and learn social skills.
Those who wish to direct their donation to a particular United Way service area should fill out the back of their pledge card. The earlybird deadline is Nov. 17, the campaign deadline is Nov. 24. All pledge cards received by Nov. 17 will be entered into a draw for a prize. There will also be a draw for a final campaign deadline prize and all cards received by Nov. 24 will be entered into a draw for that prize.
There are a number of events being planned for the 2006 York University United Way campaign, including the President’s Pancake Breakfast on Wed. Nov. 7, from 8:30 to 10am in the Central Square Cafeteria, Keele campus. Watch this section in YFile for more details on each event. Regular updates will be posted.
For more information on York’s United Way Campaign, or to volunteer for this year’s effort, e-mail this year’s campaign co-chairs, Danielle Chateau or Sue Levesque.