United Way Community Party Celebrates With Purpose and a Proclamation

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Sept. 7, 2011) - United Way of the Lower Mainland will officially launch its 2011 fundraising campaign at Kick-Off at the Cauldron presented by Coast Capital Savings on Wednesday, September 7, from 11:30am to 1:30pm.

Dollars raised help improve lives and strengthen communities specifically by focusing on vulnerable children, families and older people throughout the Lower Mainland. The City of Vancouver proclaimed September 7, United Way Day.

People will gather at Jack Poole Plaza to see the lighting of the cauldron and to renew their commitment to building a healthy, caring and inclusive community. Attendees will join hosts Mark Madryga, Senior Meteorologist at Global News, and Nat & Drew, hosts of Breakfast with Nat & Drew on Virgin Radio, as they all party with a purpose, with music by Dr. Strangelove.

Over the next few months, thousands of donors and volunteers in more than 1,000 workplaces across the Lower Mainland will be supporting the United Way Campaign. Warren Beach, Executive Vice President and CFO of Sierra Systems, and Deb Hewson, President and CEO of Odlum Brown Limited, are leading this year's United Way campaign. United Way of the Lower Mainland's goal is to raise $30.2 million dollars this year to help vulnerable children, families and seniors throughout the region.

"When people come together to help one another, they create change, and as demonstrated by today's Kick-Off event, bringing people together is what United Way does best," said Michael McKnight, President and CEO of United Way of the Lower Mainland. "We work with people from across the community - business, government, unions, academics, agencies and community leaders to prevent future problems by tackling issues such as child poverty, homelessness, and senior's isolation. We want to prevent problems before they become crisis so everyone has a bright future and it's our donors and volunteers that make this all possible."

Meanwhile, a group of visionary citizens - United Way Philanthropists' Circle - has re-launched the Matching Gift program. The goal of the Philanthropists' Circle is to inspire individuals to increase their generosity when it is needed most. For first time leadership donors ($1,000 or more) to United Way, 100 per cent of the donation qualifies to be matched. If current leadership donors increase their gift by 15 per cent or more from the last campaign year, every dollar of that increase is eligible to be matched.

United Way is committed to addressing the underlying conditions of many social issues. The organization ensures more children are ready to learn when they enter school; helps more children age 6 to 12 to be healthy, happy and resilient; and helps the region's growing population of seniors to stay active and independent.

United Way of the Lower Mainland serves 23 communities: Anmore, Belcarra, Bowen Island, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Delta, Langley, Lions Bay, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Pemberton, Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Richmond, Squamish, Sunshine Coast, Surrey, Vancouver, West Vancouver, Whistler and White Rock. Visit www.uwlm.ca for more information. Visit www.uwlm.ca/node/1147 to read the City of Vancouver's United Way Day proclamation.