The annual Mac&Cheese Luncheon celebrates 17 years of outstanding support from Edmonton’s business community!

Edmonton, Alberta – March 20, 2012. The Inner City Agencies Foundation (ICAF) celebrated Inner City Awareness Week by hosting the 17th Annual Mac&Cheese Luncheon. Once again, Edmonton’s business community and governing officials came out to show their support for the work of ICAF in Edmonton’s inner city. Councillor Jane Batty officially proclaimed March 18 – 24, 2012 as Inner City Awareness Week, on behalf of Mayor Mandel and the City of Edmonton.

This year’s luncheon featured keynote speaker Kavis Reed, Head Coach, Edmonton Eskimo Football Club.

“The Mac&Cheese Luncheon is a display of Edmonton’s community spirit,” said Garth Von Hagen, Chair of ICAF. “That spirit continues to support the inner city agencies and continues to support the people in our community that need it the most.”

The Mac&Cheese Luncheon was held at The Westin – Main Ballroom.

Also in attendance at this year’s event were Premier Redford, Hon. Fred Horne, City Councillors Don Iveson, Amarjeet Sohi, Platoon Chief Murray Schill and District Chief John Bower.
This year’s platinum sponsors include Aquila Productions Inc., CTV, Four M Charitable Foundation, Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP, Peggy & Roger Gouin, Pattison Outdoor Advertising, Saville Group and Vision Creative Inc. Additional sponsors include PCL Industrial Management Inc., The Great-West Life Assurance Company, Dr. Eric &ElexisSchloss, the Reynolds/Tkachuk Group at ScotiaMcLeod, the Allard Foundation, Edmonton Journal, Jake’s Framing and Shaw Communications Inc..

About the Inner City Agencies Foundation
The Inner City Agencies Foundation (ICAF) is a joint initiative that combines the efforts of seven inner city agencies to fundraise for and provide a network of services to alleviate poverty-related problems such as housing, addiction, healthcare, nutrition and education in Edmonton.
ICAF initiatives comprise three major events:

• Inner City Awareness Week: March 18 – 24, 2012
• Inner City Roast Beef Dinner: March 18, 2012
• Mac&Cheese Luncheon: March 20, 2012

The Inner City Agencies Foundation is in partnership with United Way of the Alberta Capital Region. The Mac&Cheese Luncheon is possible thanks to the coordination and support of United Way.

Media Contact: Garth D. Von Hagen, Chair, Inner City Agencies Foundation Tel. 780.907.8364 E-mail. gvonhagen@me.com

Inner City Agencies Foundation (ICAF) serves approximately 800 meals to people at Annual Inner City Roast Beef Dinner!

Edmonton, Alberta – March 18, 2012. The Inner City Agencies Foundation (ICAF) kicked off Inner City Awareness Week by serving approximately 800 roast beef dinner meals to Edmonton’s inner city residents. Boyle Street Community Services was crowded with individuals and families who were lined up to be first through the doors when they opened today at 1:30 p.m.

“Our agencies are committed to helping the people in our community who need it most,” said Garth Von Hagen, Chair of ICAF.  One meal in itself doesn’t solve someone’s challenges, but it’s our way of reminding our guests here today that their fellow Edmontonians do care, and that there is hope that their personal situation can improve.”

This is the twelfth consecutive year that ICAF has provided the roast beef dinner to kickoff Inner City Awareness Week. Mayor Mandel officially proclaimed March 18 – 24, 2012 as Inner City Awareness Week; the initiative has been supported by the City of Edmonton since 1995. Celebrity and guest servers at the 2012 Inner City Roast Beef Dinner included Councillor Jane Batty, Edmonton Police Services Superintendent Tony Harder, Acting Fire Chief Dale McLean, Marni Kuhlmann, CTV, Edmonton Eskimo players Mathieu Bertrand and Calvin McCarty.

Great-West Life Assurance Company is the 2012 Inner City Roast Beef Dinner sponsor. Supporters and corporate donors include A.M.J. Photography, Brazilian Canadian Coffee, Edmonton Eskimo Football, Club, Hurley’s Meats, the Italian Bakery, the Italian Centre Shop Ltd., McCallum Printing Group Inc., NAIT – Retail Meat Cutting Program, River City Event Rentals, Ronzoni Foods Canada - makers of Catelli Pasta, Ciné Audio Visual,  Sunfresh Farms Ltd. Tim Hortons, and The Westin Edmonton.

About the Inner City Agencies Foundation
The Inner City Agencies Foundation (ICAF) is a joint initiative that combines the efforts of seven inner city agencies to fundraise for and provide a network of services to alleviate poverty-related problems such as housing, addiction, healthcare, nutrition and education in Edmonton.

ICAF initiatives comprise three major events:
Inner City Awareness Week:    March 18-24, 2012
Inner City Roast Beef Dinner    March 18, 2012
Mac & Cheese Luncheon:         March 20, 2012

The Inner City Agencies Foundation is in partnership with United Way of the Alberta Capital Region. This project is possible thanks to the coordination and support of United Way.

Media Contact: Garth D. Von Hagen, Chair, Inner City Agencies Foundation Tel. 780.907.8364 E-mail.  gvonhagen@me.com

United Way sings praises as COMMUNITY exceeds 2011 fundraising goal

Alberta Capital Region honours supporters and reveals record setting achievement of $22.1 million

EDMONTON, AB – This Thursday evening, more than 550 community leaders and supporters gathered at the Edmonton Expo Centre Ballroom to honour individuals, business, government and labour unions at the 2011 United Way Red Tie Gala, Awards of Distinction, brought to us by Northlands.   The evening also included a special announcement from Dr. Mike Percy, 2011 Campaign Cabinet Chair, about the success of the community fundraising efforts for 2011 campaign.  

“This evening, I had the distinct honour and privilege to reveal that this community achieved a record-breaking fundraising total of $ $22,129,855,” said Mike Percy. “Not only is this the most money ever raised for this community, but it exceeds our 
$21.5 million goal, set back in September, by more than $600,000.”   Assisting Mike Percy with the awards presentation was the incoming 2012 United Way Campaign Chair, ATB Financial CEO, Dave Mowat.  

Along with the presentation of the annual award categories and the fundraising achievement announcement, guests were treated to a re-mix of the very successful song, ‘Change Starts Here’ – performed live by the same local artists who created the original video.  The song was re-written as a thank you to the community and can be found on myunitedway.ca.  The special performance was enhanced by young dance students from Dance Alberta, choreographed by the studio’s Artistic Director, Kathryn Treadwell.
                                       
2011 United Way Awards of Distinction Recipients

United Way Workplace Ambassador of the Year, Public Sector    
Tony Fernandes, Service Alberta

United Way Workplace Ambassador of the Year, Private Sector    
Richard Gora, Metal Fabricators and Welding Ltd.
                
Employee Campaign Chair of the Year, Public Sector            
Alyssa    Moritz, Alberta Housing & Urban Affairs
                
Employee Campaign Chair of the Year, Private Sector (two winners)
Matthew Fellows, Dow Chemical Canada ULC/Dow AgroSciences/MEGlobal Canada
Mike Killick, PepsiCo Beverages Company (PepsiCo Canada ULC)    
            
Kathleen Huber Outstanding Discovery Speaker Award (two winners)        
1.  Tamara Gaudet
2.  Pamela Spurvey
            
George Letki Outstanding Volunteer Award                
Leon Zupan, Enbridge Pipelines Inc.
    
Campaign Special Event of the Year                
Halloween Carnival - Alberta Advanced Education and Technology
                
Outstanding InKind Support
TD Bank Group

Quantum Leap Award
The CAT Rental Store
            
Education and Engagement Award
Spartan Controls Ltd.

Rising Star Award
Conroy Ross Partners

Outstanding Campaign Committee        
Enbridge Pipelines Inc.
            
Outstanding Leaders of the Way Campaign
PCL family of companies
                
Labour Awards of Distinction
Canadian Office & Professional Employees Union Local 458          
International Union of Operating Engineers Local 955                                                                                                                                
International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers Local 1722

Outstanding Employee Support
Provincial Employees' United Way Campaign
                
Outstanding Corporate & Employee Support
$2,000,000+       PCL family of companies
$1,000,000+       Enbridge Pipelines Inc.

Largest Campaign Donation - Under 50 Employees    
Metal Fabricators and Welding Ltd.

ONE-OF-A-KIND FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN EDMONTON

Empower U will help build confident futures for women and their families

EDMONTON, AB. - Thursday, February 12, 2012 marked a day of promise as an innovative and locally
designed initiative - the first of its kind in Canada – was launched right here in our city at EPCOR Tower.

EMPOWER U – Building Confident Futures, was officially kicked off this morning to a crowd of more than
60 people that included program facilitators, sponsors and participants. This unique financial literacy
program combined with a matched savings component will help to positively impact the lives of close to
1,000 women (200 women each year) over the next five years. While financial literacy programs are not
new, Empower U is innovative by bringing together many partners and corporate sponsors, making it a truly
original concept.

Thanks to corporate sponsorship from EPCOR and ATB Financial, Empower U also includes a matched
savings program with a 1:2 ratio, which means every dollar saved by group participants generates two
dollars in matched contributions. Savings may be used only for designated asset purchases related to
improving the quality of life and/or contributing to their self-sufficiency.

“This is a program to be a part of because it offers hope, plain and simple,” says ATB President and CEO
Dave Mowat. “The number that struck me is that almost 65 per cent of low-wage workers in Edmonton are
women. Think about that. And think about the dreams of wanting something better for themselves and their
families that are behind those stats. We want to help with those dreams.”

Program participants are women of diverse backgrounds, many of them who may be vulnerable to financial
inequities. Research has shown that women are at high-risk of experiencing poverty and in fact, 64.6% of
low-wage workers in Edmonton are women. Through the program, participants will have the opportunity to
learn Financial Literacy which includes the ability to make informed judgments and effective decisions about
the wise use and management of money. But the instruction goes beyond budgeting and talks about each
person’s relationship with money.

Mark Wiltzen, Senior Vice-President and CFO, EPCOR, stresses the importance of offering this valuable
program to women in our community. “These women are someone’s mothers, cousins, sisters, nieces,
aunts, grandmothers and friends. It makes sense to focus on this important demographic and give them the
necessary skills and tools to become more financially literate, a necessary element of a successful, stable
household for them and their families.”

To learn more about the program, or to enroll, please contact:

Heather Morrison      or      Joanne Currie
City of Edmonton               United Way of the Alberta Capital Region
780.944.5457                     780.443.8326

About EMPOWER U program partners: All program partners are members of the Alberta Asset Building
Collaborative and include; Candora Society, CEASE, DECSA, Housing Support Services HUB, Elizabeth
Fry Society, Institute for Advancement of Aboriginal Women, WINGS of Providence, Alberta Human
Services, City of Edmonton Community Services, 4 Pillars Consulting, The Family Wealth Academy, United
Way of the Alberta Capital Region.

COATS FOR KIDS & FAMILIES TO EXTEND 2011 COAT DRIVE

6,000 Additional Winter Coats Needed

EDMONTON, AB –United Way and Page the Cleaner have extended the Coats for Kids & Families Campaign until January 31, 2012.  This year’s campaign goal of 15,000 has fallen short by nearly 6,000 coats and organizers are appealing to the generosity of residents to help meet the need.

“We want to collect enough to ensure anyone who needs a coat can receive one,” said Hannes Rodolph, Corporate Manager, Page The Cleaner.  “We know that this milder weather has slowed donations but hope we can count on the ongoing generosity of this community to have a good look through their closets and donate new or gently worn coats to help us with the shortfall.”

The program is coordinated and promoted through United Way of the Alberta Capital Region, with key partner, Page The Cleaner, providing all the locations for collecting coats, as well as conducting the valuable cleaning services.  

Donating your gently used coat costs you absolutely nothing while adding a little room to your closet and warmth to your heart.   

For a complete list of drop off locations, community members can visit www.myunitedway.ca

Media Contact: Nancy Critchley, United Way of the Alberta Capital Region, 780-990-1000 or ncritchley@myunitedway.ca