Knowing the Impact of Your Time on Your Community!
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KNOWING THE IMPACT OF YOUR TIME ON YOUR COMMUNITY! “Some people only see volunteering as just helping someone or some people, but I see it as something different: changing and helping the world grow and strengthening your community and fulfilling your life.” ~Julia Falvo, Beaconsfield High School Gr8 Annual Report 2017-2018 MeSSaGe FroM tHe PreSident On behalf of the Board, we thank you for your support and VWI recruits and is blessed with passionate volunteers. With their presence here today. Our vision at Volunteer West Island is to help we assist non-profift organizations and community groups; continue to GROW volunteerism in our community. provide and support services such as Caring Paws Animal Therapy, the Income Tax Assistance Preparation, Contact, and Handyperson One particular focus this year has been our Meals on Wheels programs; and organize the Young at Heart 55+ Club and the Seniors program. MOW prepares and delivers 819 meals per week - a total Café. of 42, 753 meals per year. Our volunteers are amazing; many have been part of MOW for years, even decades. We have launched the Volunteer West Island has something for everybody! Let’s spread Meals on Wheels “Let’s Do Lunch” Campaign to attract additional the word: in our world of diminishing governmental assistance volunteers because we will be opening new MOW kitchens in a and reduced resources, volunteerism is fulfiflling and essential. proactive response to the growing need for this crucial service. Individual, Youth, and of course Corporate programs make all the difference in our community! Volunteer West Island would not exist if it were not for the volunteers and dedicated staff. For over fifty years, VWI has recruited keen, We thank you for your dedication and enthusiasm. skilled, and committed volunteers to meet the diverse needs of the Montreal West Island community. Volunteerism is a vehicle for skills-development, social inclusion, citizen engagement, and enhancement of democracy. Anne Pertus Our youth volunteer initiatives are inspiring. VWI promotes the President of the VWI Board Youth in Action program at the local high schools and partners with John Abbott’s Community and Communication classes. This younger generation has energy and compassion to assist with various needs in the community. They are our future of volunteerism. This marks the ten- year anniversary of VWI’s Corporate Volunteer Program. Increasing numbers of corporate volunteers lend a hand in the community where their companies are located. Many employees return as individuals and encourage their children to become youth volunteers! Volunteer West island 1, Rue de l’Église, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, (Québec), H9X 1W4 Tel. : (514) 457-5445 www.cabvwi.org 2 MeSSaGe FroM executiVe director Cultivating a culture of openness in information sharing, soliciting can ensure that we mitigate risk when possible and that we put constructive feedback, and promoting the importance of citizen plans in place to ensure the program’s viability. The synergy that engagement are the three major themes addressed in this year’s exists in the Meals on Wheels kitchens is contagious and we need annual report. to continue recruiting and supporting the volunteer leaders to keep these volunteer-driven kitchens viable - and we’re even We started this anniversary year with a community celebration considering opening a new one! that involved recognizing 50 exceptional volunteers to represent the landscape of volunteers across the West Island to Lachine. We still have plenty of work to do in our neighborhoods and Volunteer West Island received several honorable mentions for its VWI has every intention to continue to reach out and promote contribution to an improved quality of life in our neighborhoods. volunteer action to recruit as many volunteers as possible for Today we choose to dedicate to the volunteers, community the 250 groups we support. Volunteer Canada’s Volunteer professionals, and concerned citizens.The true builders in Recognition Study, conducted in 2013 across the country, shaping the places where we live, learn, work and play! When discovered that volunteers are motivated in knowing the impact human compassion is a prominent factor within the culture of their time. With several other volunteer centers across Canada, of a community, the health status of that community is greatly Volunteer West Island will also illustrate how volunteers are increased. contributing to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Goals and our communications in the year to come will demonstrate the We conducted a structured review of our Corporate Volunteering broader reach volunteering actually has! Program. A simple lesson learned is the value of committing to this type of reflective process. Although it began as a question of I wish to thank you, the Board Members, our President, the VWI compliance, the process itself allowed us to think about what we Staff, and every single volunteer —for your advice, counsel, and do, validate our expected results to and in the long-run meet the dedication to Volunteer West Island. challenges head-on to seize all the opportunities to progress in our work. Respectfully, It’s important that we report to you and highlight both the problems we faced this past year and the solutions we implemented. Our 12 Meals on Wheels kitchens are truly successful because of the 850 volunteers who orchestrate this valued and crucial service. Lynda Barrett Although we cannot prevent negative events from occurring, we Executive Director Volunteer West island 1, Rue de l’Église, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, (Québec), H9X 1W4 Tel. : (514) 457-5445 www.cabvwi.org 2017-2018 ANNUAL REPORT 3 Our Mission: Facilitate volunteerism by promoting, recruiting, training, Our and referring volunteers to meet Mission: the many and varied needs Assist seniors to remain Our Vision: of the Montreal West Island autonomous by offering Build healthy community . programs and services communities that break their enriched by isolation volunteers our iMPact: 51 yearS We Want to ceLeBrate oF BuiLdinG HeaLtHy our LaureLS WitH you; coMMunitieS GaGnant concourS accoLadeS 2017 VWI, true to its mission since its founding in 1967, strongly supports and promotes volunteerism, thereby strengthening the fabric of the community and making it a better place to live, work, and play! We know the importance of recruiting volunteers and More than 300 members were on hand at the 2017 Accolades maintaining our connection with the 250 West Island not-for- Gala to celebrate the recipients in 10 categories, chosen from profift organizations to enhance their capacity to meet the needs amongst 127 nominees. Volunteer West Island, shortlisted of their communities. among the three fifnalists in the category of community service, was selected as the recipient of the award by the three-member The second part of VWI’s mission involves offering outreach jury, earning the Partage-Action Community Service Award. programs and services to help seniors and vulnerable individuals remain autonomous and connected to their community. These A special CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE from Prime include the provision of Meals on Wheels, Frozen Meals and Minister Justin Trudeau, a mention in Frank Baylis’s community Purees to seniors and others with reduced mobility; the Contact bulletin, the Montreal Times, Volunteer Canada, The Gazette, La and PAIR Programs; Handyperson Service; Income Tax Presse, The Suburban, Cités Nouvelles and other local media Assistance Service; Caring Paws Animal Therapy; The Young at partners brought glory to Volunteer West Island’s achievements. Heart 55+ Club with a wide variety of classes and activities for seniors; as well as special events such as the popular Seniors’ Volunteer West island receives canada’s 150 award Café. VWI was honored for its dedication and support in providing local community organizations with volunteers, forging stronger bonds within our community, and connecting productive and We recoGnized 50 dynamic individuals with equally astounding organizations in outStandinG FaceS oF tHe order to build healthy and constructive communities. WeSt iSLand For 51 years, not only have we had the mandate and desire to be an organization that is part of the social fabric of our community, but our main achievement has been to reach out to as many citizens as possible to inspire positive action. Volunteer West Island is pleased to have been honoured and recognized for our efforts. 4 2017-2018 ANNUAL REPORT VoLunteer centreS PLay a Volunteer centres offer so many different StrateGic and VitaL roLe opportunities suited to volunteers’ interests and availabilities. in LocaL coMMunitieS Volunteer West Island connects people with volunteer Volunteer Centres are a source of leadership on local trends and opportunities, promoting volunteerism, and provides issues affecting volunteerism and enhance the capacity of non- leadership and assistance to community organizations that profift and community organizations to achieve their missions, are leaders themselves in support and resource facilitation in increasing their impact on the communities they serve. our communities. Volunteer West Island is a not-for-profift organization that was established in 1967 and has recruited There are currently 115 volunteer centres in Quebec, each enthusiastic, skilled, and dedicated volunteers to meet the providing unique programs and services to support local needs of the Montreal West Island community ever since. We’ve organizations. We work closely with this network of members