By Pepper Parr
February 7th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
“We are not there yet – and we are running out of time” was the way Matt Wickham, Chair of United Way Hamilton – Halton for 2023-24.
The $12,500,000 target is the largest the organization has ever worked on to meet. The need is that serious.
Matt Wickham, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Sales & Operations at Cogeco.
Prior to being named Chair, he was a member of the Campaign Cabinet that is made up of vice presidents of Halton – Hamilton corporations; these are people with A level connections and networks.
When he was asked to serve is as the next Campaign chair Wickham said he “felt like a rookie.”
Wickham comes from the private sector where he has staff that are well trained. “They know the processes and they do their jobs.” He is the Senior Vice President and General Manager, Sales & Operations.
Wickham found that the volunteers bring a passion for the United Way to the work they do. “It was both astounding and quite overwhelming at the same time, he said. “They taught me a lot”.
Wickham’s biggest surprise was “how invested I became in what the United Way and the work it does. “They support 57 agencies in the communities they serve. You have no idea just what they do until you meet with and talk to them about what the money is being raised for.”
“Each Campaign Cabinet meeting we have has what is called a ‘Mission Moment’ – someone from one of the agencies United Way serves who speaks to us about what the United Way has done for them. We all come away from that short talk firmly grounded. It is emotionally mesmerising.”
Wickham got started with United Way when he was the chair of the Cogeco in house campaign.
“The target for the United Way this year has yet to be met and we have just six weeks to get everything over the line. We will do it” says Wickham who doesn’t say how the target will be met.
There is one big event before the campaign comes to an end – Sleepless in the City that takes place on February 23, 2024, 10 PM – 8 AM
Wickham points out that the The Community Matching Program is a wasted opportunity if we fail to bring in the donations that will be matched.
The Local Love Community Match means donations have even greater power. For every $4 donated by an individual, an additional $1 will be contributed by a community based organization that is committed to the matching..
Wickham played a bit of hockey, currently does some coaching, is a lifelong Habs fan, which is almost a requirement at Cogeco, Frédéric Perron is the President of Cogeco Connexion overseeing the Ontario and Quebec footprint.
