R+T Park: Giving Back This Season

More than ever, the charities and nonprofits that so many in our communities rely on need anyone who can to step up and support

R+T Park Manager, Mike Pereira, sits down with community leaders Rose Greensides from Social Venture Partners Waterloo Region, Olivia Rogalla from the Accelerator Centre, and Laura Galbraith from Vidyard, to talk about the challenges facing the community and local charities; and how people can give back this year to help those most in need.

The Challenges

Here’s a high level look at some of the considerable challenges facing local organizations today:

• 49% of nonprofits report difficulty engaging volunteers in current working conditions.
• 30% of charities report having to lay off staff
• Most organizations anticipate or experienced a 40-50% drop in resources compared to 2019
• Reductions or anticipated losses in donations, with many organizations cancelling or postponing fundraisers
• Leaders are finding it difficult to balance the obligations of delivering vital services, while also providing appropriate flexibility, care, and supports to staff
• Lack of technical skill is impeding a successful move to online for many organizations

RELATED: OpenText builds trust and pride through social responsibility

Ways You Can Support

Time & Talent

• The Volunteer Action Centre provides a list of available volunteer opportunities.
• Capacity Canada offers Board Governance Training and matching services to help people join Boards.
• Reach out to organizations directly and find out how to get involved.

Donating

• Consider becoming a partner with Social Venture Partners Waterloo Region.
• The KW Community Foundation enables companies and individuals to establish endowment funds, providing ongoing, sustainable funding.
• Donate to charities directly. Mentioned during the conversation above are just a few of the many great local organizations you can support:
  
  • Child Witness Centre
  • Community Justice Initiatives
  • Women’s Crisis Services
  • House of Friendship
  • Kitchener-Conestoga Rotary Club Turkey Drive
  • The Food Bank of Waterloo Region
  • Toasty Toes
  • OneROOF
  • KidsAbility

Giving Back in R+T Park

The tenants of R+T Park continue to give back and support their employees and communities in a variety of ways.

Did you know:

• The David Johnston R+T Park Community Impact Fund has raised over $300,000, and disburses more than $12,000 each year to charities in the community? Past recipients of Community Impact funds include KidsAbility, Women’s Crisis Services, KidSport KW, and many others.
• That the Community Impact Fund recently donated $15,000 to Reception House, Community Justice Initiatives, and Kinbridge Community Association as part of the KW Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Emergency Response fund?
• The tenants of R+T Park have been longtime supporter of the Toasty Toes and Let’s Get Personal campaigns, supporting local shelters?
• R+T Park’s 2020 Water Bottle Campaign with Food Bank purchased over 5,000 reusable water bottles for people in the community with limited access to safe, drinking water during the pandemic?