Pepper Parr
December 20th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
Just who are the people who serve as volunteers with the Halton-Hamilton United Way.
They come from a number of sources. Some are from the corporate sector; a bank or a large corporation will second a staff member to the United Way as an opportunity to widen their experience – and come away with an understand as to how a community works to take care of those who need help.
Jenna Baird – a United Way volunteer sponsored by the City of Hamilton
Jenna Baird, was a volunteer from the City of Hamilton. She saw a posting on the Hamilton city web site asking if there were people who would be interested in being a United Way volunteer.
They would remain on the city payroll but show up for work at whatever task the United Way gave them.
United Way Plane Pull 2023
We first met Jenna at the Airplane Pull – and yes she was on that rope pulling with the others.
We asked Jenna to talk about her experience:
“Working at a non-profit United Way Hamilton Halton, is different than working in the private sector and the public service. Everyone here has a drive to help others and put forth the effort to achieve their goals. Everyone helps one another on different projects or discussing ideas.
“I’ve had a positive experience with my time at UWHH, from attending fundraising events (like the Plane Pull), collecting donations at a municipal compost day or raising awareness at a school or farmer’s market. It’s all very different from my regular position.
“I wish that more people knew about 211 and how much information is available to assist people. If people contact 211 either by phone or online, they can find local resources to assist with a variety of topics regardless where they are in the Province. https://211ontario.ca/
“I’ve enjoyed working at UWHH, and believe in the positive impact that UWHH has, so much so that I’ve volunteered to be on the Community Impact Cabinet https://www.uwhh.ca/investments/
