Show Your Local Love Week

Impact Area: Positive Mental Health

United Way invests in prevention and early intervention programs which provide a wide range of community-based services that help improve social support, self-regulation of emotion and coping skills, as well as increase access to help and support. Find out more about the work United Way is doing in this area here

Tuesday’s activities will focus on the need for positive mental health, how our community is currently coping.  Learn how to better support ourselves and one another as we face increased stress and anxiety as we deal with the impacts of COVID-19.

PARTICIPATE

Gen-Next Event: Lessons with Local Leaders 

United Way GenNext is excited to present Lessons with Local Leaders, our 6^th annual event bringing together community leaders and young professionals. This year’s theme is Mental Health and Resiliency. Join us to learn from our keynote speakers and for a morning full of networking and discussion with local leaders.

Lessons with Local Leaders provides an opportunity to connect with, and learn from, current community leaders and those who will lead change within our community in the future.

We hope you will join us for this engaging morning to better our community and ourselves.  To purchase a $25 ticket, click here

Workshop: Learning Mindfulness

• 12 PM:  Join us for an engaging workshop on mindfulness with Family Counselling and Support Services for Guelph-Welington. Learn how to incorporate simple and effective mindfulness techniques into your everyday life to improve your mental health and wellbeing. 

 REGISTER HERE

Volunteer opportunities:  

• Family Counselling and Distress – Distress Line volunteer 
• Up and Running – Peer Mentor 
• Guelph Community Health Centre – WE Breastfeed & Chestfeed Peer Support Volunteer 
• Bereaved Families – Peer Support Facilitator 

Impact Area: Supports for Seniors

United Way invests in programs which provide a wide range of community-based services that help increase the overall wellbeing of seniors. These programs improve social support, reduce isolation, and increase sense of belonging and connection to the community.  To find out more about United Way’s work in this area, click here

Wednesday will focus on supporting seniors in our community and learning more about how we can support them through a difficult time of uncertainty and isolation.

PARTICIPATE

Workshop: How to Support Seniors During a Pandemic

• 12:30 PM:  Join us for a Lunch & Learn workshop.  Partners of the Waterloo Wellington Older Adult Strategy will present on the impact that COVID-19 has had on seniors in our community and how caregivers and others can best support neighbours and loved ones during this difficult time. Programs and services available to assist will be described.

REGISTER HERE

Write a letter to an isolated senior or veteran in the community. 

• Letters should be mailed to the United Way office at United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin, 85 Westmount Road, Guelph, ON N1H 5J2 

Volunteer opportunities: 

• VON – Volunteer Driver 
• VON – Meals on Wheels 
• VON – Telephone Reassurance 
• PIN – Snow Angels 
• United Way – Shopping for Seniors

Impact Area: Connected Kids

United Way works with partner agencies to put kids on the path to success by investing in their development from early childhood to young adulthood.  To learn more about our work and the agencies we fund under this area, click here 

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Workshop: How to Support Children During the Pandemic

• 12 PM:  Join us for a Lunch & Learn workshop with the Dufferin Parent Support Network and learn how to motivate and better support children through a pandemic. 

REGISTER HERE

Have fun with the kids in your life!

• Download our printable scavenger hunt to do with your kids. 
• Download our Month of Local Love calendar to do with your kids during the month of December. 

Gather & donate items for a children’s gift kit

North End Harvest Market is asking for donations for their Non-Custodial Parent and Grandparent Program. They are looking for warm care packages to be able to provide to children.  

Items do be donated: 

• Gifts for kids and teens (gift cards to Walmart, bookstores, cinema, etc). 

Volunteer opportunities: 

• Big Brothers Big Sisters – Virtual Big Brother 
• Family and Children’s Services – Child Mentor 
• Family and Children’s Services – Youth Mentor 
• Family and Children’s Services – Male Mentor 
• Start2Finish – Virtual Online Child Mentor 
• Career Education Council – Career mentoring Volunteer 

Impact Area: Belonging & Inclusion

United Way supports residents in creating strong neighbourhoods where everyone has a sense of belonging. When people are connected to others, our community is happier and healthier. Your support ensures our funded programs create opportunities for people to get involved, create meaningful relationships and connect people to community services to reduce isolation and improve social support.  Learn more about our work in this area here

PARTICIPATE

Workshop: Diversity and Inclusion

• 12 PM:  Join us for a Lunch & Learn workshop with the Guelph & District Multicultural Festival.  Learn more about our diverse community and how we can all work to be more inclusive in our workplaces and homes. 

REGISTER HERE

Volunteer Opportunities: 

• Up and Running – Peer Mentor 
• Guelph Community Health Centre – WE Breastfeed & Chestfeed Peer Support Volunteer 
• Immigrant Services – Cooking Around The World 
• Immigrant Services – 1:1 Conversation Partner 
• J.O.E – Online Community Mentor