Entries by Ashara Meidell
Walking to Learn: GenNext WRC Downtown Kitchener Walk
Waterloo Region is a collection of diverse and dynamic neighbourhoods. In the absence of opportunities to see and experience those neighbourhoods for ourselves, what we know of them is often shaped by what we read on traditional and social media. And it’s hard not to be influenced by those narratives, even when we recognize we […]
One Big Question: Homelessness and shelter in Waterloo Region
Today’s guest blogger is Brian Kamm. In his role as Specialist, Community Investment at United Way Waterloo Region Communities, Brian hears from Partner Agencies and other community stakeholders about the realities of poverty in Waterloo Region. “It’s easy to take sides and point fingers at who is responsible or who is to blame” says Brian, […]
Where’s your happy place?
Wellbeing is a measure of your quality of life. It includes being able to fully participate in your favourite activities, feeling safe, and having a connection to your community. Boiled down to a more basic level, your wellbeing is impacted by such things as your supply of quality food and water, public transit, parks and […]
Seeing is Believing
“I have a better understanding how United Way helps support many programs in the community and how our contributions go a long way.”-Seeing is Believing participant, May 2018 United Way Waterloo Region Communities is dedicated to helping people live better lives in every one of the seven communities we serve. But how does it work? […]
Digging It-Day of Caring with Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada
“It was a great way to spend a day and make a difference”-Day of Caring Participant It wasn’t a normal work day for any of us. A group of Toyota Motor Manfacturing Canada employees and some staff from United Way Waterloo Region Communities traded in their usual employment tools for pitchforks, shovels and gloves […]
Is Technology a Force for Good?
“Tech for Good” That was the theme of the True North conference held last week in Waterloo Region. For many of us, the life changing aspects of technology might only extend as far as the smartphone we carry everywhere. Has that been a force for good? If you look at the issue, every major technological innovation […]
We’re looking for a few good ideas. Forever Fund grant applications now being accepted.
Expressive Arts Therapy for children and their parents. A Friendship Connection program which brings teens together with seniors. Those are two programs being powered by the Forever Fund. The fund, a part of United Way supported by an endowment, looks for innovative programs which touch on two specific issues. Mental health supports for children and […]
June is Seniors’ Month
We’ve heard for years about the impact of the baby boom generation. In Canada,the boom years spanned from 1946 to 1965. During those 20 years more than 8 million babies were born–an average of more than 400 thousand per year. To put that in perspective there were 377 thousand births in 2008, when Canada’s population […]
Paper Chase: Shred for a Cause
“Everything we do in the digital realm – from surfing the Web to sending an e-mail to conducting a credit card transaction to, yes, making a phone call – creates a data trail. And if that trail exists, chances are someone is using it – or will be soon enough.”-Douglas Rushkoff, author of “Throwing Rocks […]