News

Kicking off Local Love Week & Announcing 2021 Fundraising Campaign

Thunder Bay, ON, Tuesday September 14, 2021- The United Way of Thunder Bay is forecasting a lot of local love in the community over the next week. September 14th to 17th has been officially proclaimed Show your Local Love Week by the organization and the City of Thunder Bay, in efforts to inspire individuals, families and businesses to take action to help tackle local issues of poverty.

The United Way of Thunder Bay also kicked off its annual fundraising campaign, Local Love in Action. Says Albert Brulé, CEO of the United Way of Thunder Bay, “There are still so many people experiencing issues of poverty and trying to recover from the pandemic. Over a long period of time, poverty can create permanent scars in our community resulting in malnutrition, isolation, susceptibility to disease, and missed schooling. A little bit of local love in action can go a long way— donations of $50, $25, or even $10 can provide hygiene kits, after-school programming to vulnerable youth, warm socks to someone in need, and provide a nutritious hot meal delivered to a senior living in isolation. It’s up to us to work together as a community to take action and improve local lives.”

Tbaytel was the first to show its local love, announcing the company will match all donations during Local Love Week up to $10,000. Says Dan Topatigh, President and CEO of Tbaytel, “All of us at Tbaytel are always inspired by The United Way Thunder Bay and the work they do to support some of the most vulnerable members of our community. We are proud to once again match Local Love Day donations up to $10,000 and encourage everyone in our community to give back what they can, if they can, to make sure this great work continues.”

There are many ways to participate in Local Love Week. Activities and actions include:

Build a Basic Needs DIY Kit
Drop off a kit of essentials, like toothbrushes, shampoo, soap and socks, to the United Way office at 715 Hewitson Street between September 14th and 17th. The kits will be delivered to Thunder Bay’s most vulnerable people.

Donate
Make your donation to our Local Love in Action Fundraising Campaign and receive a matching contribution for your dollars. Donate here.

Buy an Event Ticket
Purchase a $15 take-home meal ticket for the Dew Drop Inn and United Way ‘Take Me Home Dinner’ event on Tuesday, September 28, 2021. You can buy a meal for yourself, the whole family, or pay it forward by donating a meal to someone in need!

Volunteer for or Request a Mini-Days of Caring Project
Sign up to participate in various community projects that include neighbourhood clean-ups, gardening, meal prep, visiting seniors, and more. If you are a not-for-profit or community group that needs volunteers let United Way of Thunder Bay know about your project.

Says Jodie Wilson, Director, Philanthropy & Community Engagement of the United Way of Thunder Bay, “2021 has brought many changes and the United Way of Thunder Bay’s Annual Fundraising Campaign is no exception. Our team has created new opportunities for people to participate. Local Love in Action is a hybrid of virtual and in-person events, that aim to tackle #UNIGNORABLE local issues of poverty. Get involved by donating, volunteering or participating in a United Way of Thunder Bay initiative or event. With your support we can ensure that people’s basic needs are met.”

Show Your Local Love activities and announcements will continue to be featured throughout the week on the United Way of Thunder Bay social media channels. The organization will share information and videos from community partners and highlight local Champions and donors.