A big thank you to all the participating restaurants in Sarnia and Lambton County in our first annual NOVEMBURGER!
We also want to thank our sponsor, Bluewater Power, and our social media partner Sarnia Nibbles, and everybody who bought burgers in November to support the promotion.
Black Gold Brewery in Petrolia will once again support the United Way.
New this year, purchase a buy three, get three free card right here from the United Way. Purchase a card, for only $25, and stop by Black Gold Brewery on 395 Fletcher Street in Petrolia. All BGB tap beers are eligible. This card has a value off up to $32.00.
This is a great way to get a discount on exceptional local craft beer, AND support the United Way at the same time.
The United Way keeps the full $25!
The United Way will sell only 100 cards per quarter, and if all sold out, the United Way will raise $10,000!
Cards make great gifts for Dad, anniversaries, birthdays, Christmas, etc. Click here to purchase yours.
Visit Black Gold brewery at 395 Fletcher St., Petrolia, Ontario. N0N 1R0 or visit their website at BlackGold.beer to learn more about the Brewery and their line up of excellent beers.
From Poverty To Possibility
United Way is helping people move out of, or avoid, the cycle of poverty with access to nutritious, affordable and appropriate food security and with supports to access emergency shelters and to maintain safe and stable housing.
All That Kids Can Be
Investing in kids so they can succeed in school and develop supportive relationships. Giving children and youth the support they need to make healthy choices and to better handle life’s challenges.
Healthy People, Strong Communities
United Way is creating a strong, inclusive community connecting people of all ages to supports for their personal wellbeing – from addiction and mental health supports to helping seniors live independently.
2024 – 2025 Community Investments
United Way of Sarnia-Lambton volunteer Board of Directors has announced the 2023 campaign achievement of $1,472,000. Thank you to all our volunteers and donors who made this campaign such a success.
United Way Announces 2024-2025 Community Investments
For Immediate Release – January 9, 2024
After a successful 2023 campaign that reached 105% of its needs target or $1,472,000, the United Way of Sarnia-Lambton can increase some program funding as well as fund two new programs.
On the evening of January 8, 2024, the volunteer Board of Directors approved the 2024 – 2025 Community Investments to 29 programs in Sarnia-Lambton, including a recent Critical Services Grant. This funding portfolio maintains 23 existing funded programs, an increase to 2 funded programs, a decrease to 2 funded programs, the elimination of 1 funded program and funding to 3 new programs, 2 through the regular funding stream and the other through the Critical Services Grant Fund.
The volunteer United Way Board of Directors with the assistance of the volunteer Community Investment Committee changed its local Community Impact agenda after Covid 19 struck. “The needs in our community changed during and after the pandemic. As a result, the largest of our three funding priority areas is now ‘Poverty to Possibility’ which funds programs geared to help those living in poverty or homeless,” said Gerry Whitcombe, Community Investment Chair. The other two funding priority areas are ‘All That Kids Can Be’ and ‘Healthy People, Strong Communities’. The current funding portfolios are as follows:
Poverty to Possibility – approximately 47% of available funding
Healthy People, Strong Communities – approximately 23% of available funding
All That Kids Can Be – approximately 30% of available funding
The volunteers identified which programs fit into which priority area and then had to work within the Board approved budget of each priority area. “The volunteers also review the future measures for success of the programs and review the past successes of those programs which received funding during the last funding cycle,” said Whitcombe. “Understanding the root causes of our community issues is the first step in working towards lasting change. Collaboration and partnerships with other service providers is also a key part of our review process, working together not only avoids duplication and inefficiencies but creates more of a possibility of success for the clients. All the volunteers deserve a big thank you for their time and dedication to this process, and we want to thank the thousands of donors as well” Whitcombe added.
Sarnia Lambton Suicide Prevention will not receive funding for 2024-25. The recent roll out of the federally funded 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline along with suicide loss support groups being offered by Rapids Family Health Team led to this decision. The Family Counselling Centre reduced their funding request by $37,800 for their Distress Line/Tel Check. The Family Counselling Centre was chosen as the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline Hub and therefore will receive funding for the Distress Line side of this program. The United Way will continue to fund the Tel Check side of the program $13,000 annually. Funding was also reduced for the Salvation Army Dental program because of the recently announced federally funded Canadian Dental Care Plan which came into effect in December of 2023.
An increase of $13,240 was awarded to the BGC (Boys & Girls Club) Out of School programs and the Inn of the Good Shepherd received an increase of $5,000 for their Income Tax Clinics. The BGC have expanded their programs to 4 new locations to better serve youth in need in more rural areas of Lambton County. The Income Tax Clinic program continues to grow, last year it completed 3280 income tax returns for those who would otherwise not file and generated over $9.5 million in income for these households.
The two new programs receiving funding are the Big Brothers Big Sisters In School Mentoring and River City Vineyard’s Security Guard. In School Mentoring provides one-to-one support to children ages 4-15 for one hour a week at the child’s school, during school hours. River City Vineyard recently expanded their shelter with 40 additional beds: 25 more for men and 15 for women. These beds are for the more difficult to house who have nowhere else to turn, which presents the need for increased safety and security measures for both staff and guests. The Security Guard is highly trained and has experience dealing with unique shelter environments.
The Board of Directors also approved a one-year Critical Services Grant of $26,800 to Sarnia-Lambton Children’s Aid Society for trauma-specific therapies for clients in their Family Support Services program who have unresolved past trauma(s). These traumas left untreated can manifest and surface as symptoms such as having skewed world views, skewed views of themselves, severe anxiety, explosive anger, depression, battling intense mental health, drug misuse, repeating unhealthy parenting cycles within families, etc.
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For further information, please contact:
Dave Brown, Executive Director (519) 336-5452 Ext. 7 or email [email protected]
Gerry Whitcombe, Volunteer Community Investment Chair 519-466-6135
Community Investments 2024 to 2025
Big Brothers Big Sisters Matching Program 80000
Big Brothers Big Sisters Big Bunch 20000
Big Brothers Big Sisters Go Girls & Game On 30000
Big Brothers Big Sisters In School Mentoring 18000
BGC (Boys & Girls Club) Out of School Programs 94907
BGC (Boys & Girls Club) Summer Program 12000
Canadian Red Cross Meals on Wheels 31000
Canadian Red Cross Transportation 58000
Canadian Red Cross Homeward Bound 30000
Family Counselling Centre Counselling 87000
Family Counselling Centre Tel Check 13000
Habitat for Humanity Handyman Program 15000
Inn of the Good Shepherd Income Tax Clinics 33000
John Howard Society Rapid Housing 70000
Lambton Elderly Outreach Transportation 55000
Lambton Elderly Outreach Meals on Wheels 16600
New Beginnings, ABI & Stroke Recovery Community Integration 20000
North Lambton CHC Opening Doors (Sarnia & Forest) 60000
Rebound Early Intervention & Prevention 50000
River City Vineyard Security Guard 71938
Salvation Army Rent/Utility Assistance 40000
Salvation Army Dental Assistance 10000
Salvation Army Medical & RX Assistance 10000
Salvation Army Hearing Aid Assistance 10000
VON School Food Program 16650
Walpole Island First Nation Warming Shelter 55000
YMCA Resource Houses 93600
YMCA Autism Summer Camp 30000
Additional Community Investments
United Way Direct Community Services 170000
Donor Option to Other Agencies 90000
Children’s Aid Society Critical Services Grant 26800
