Volunteers create ripple effects of change through United Way

Every year, thousands of volunteers partner with United Way to give back in ways that are as rich and diverse as our community.

We want to take the time to celebrate and recognize the ripple effects of impact that changemakers create in our region when they volunteer with United Way.

National Volunteer Week, an initiative of Volunteer Canada, is April 27 – May 3, 2025. This year’s theme Volunteers Make Waves highlights the importance of every volunteer’s contribution to create a wave of positive change that ripples out across communities.

United Way volunteer opportunities provide hands-on and high impact experiences for you to make a real impact on the lives of our neighbours.

Whether it’s lending unique expertise through skills-based volunteering, engaging with our community through cabinet, or stepping up to get donations to our agency partners, our volunteers’ commitment and dedication make an extraordinary difference in our region.

Engineering Day of Caring volunteer Adam Firth (third from left) went above and beyond to ensure the planned climbing wall at Fort Saskatchewan Families First was completed in time to support families. (Supplied)

Adam Firth is a long-time volunteer with United Way’s Engineering Day of Caring (EDoC), and unlike most EDoC committee members, he isn’t backed by a participating company. Instead, Adam believes so deeply in the mission of EDoC that he finds a way to contribute entirely on his own.

“Volunteering with EDoC has become such a natural fit. I am a project manager (which helps on the planning side), and I love woodworking, construction, and giving back to the community. Every year I look forward to the planning and working with such wonderful people to help the community in need,” he describes.

“This volunteering has an incredible positive impact on these agencies, improving their efficiency of operations and the quality of life for the individuals which use their services. The transformation of these spaces, gratitude, and appreciation from everyone involved leaves my heart feeling full!”

One of Adam’s standout contributions this year was his custom climbing wall for the Fort Saskatchewan Families First Society. Initially, he had sourced the necessary components from the U.S., but when shipping delays threatened the timeline, Adam didn’t miss a beat. He quickly pivoted, designed his own climbing wall, sourced grips, and connected with experts to ensure proper placement—resulting in a high-quality, functional climbing wall. Adam’s custom climbing wall is one of the unique touches that enhances the adaptive space at Families First that will benefit families for years to come.

“United Way’s Engineering Day of Caring project has enabled us to bring some new infrastructure into this space as our programs have grown,” shares Darryl Burry, executive director for Fort Saskatchewan Families First Society.

“As participants come into the building following the Engineering Day of Caring, they have been absolutely blown away by the improvements that have been made — the addition of the climbing wall is a feature that a lot of people have been really excited about.”

As a child, Erin McIntyre was shocked to learn that a friend was routinely missing school because she lacked access to menstrual products.

“The realization that something so basic could disrupt her education deeply affected me. That moment opened my eyes to the harsh reality of period poverty,” she describes.

That moment stuck with Erin, spurring her to act when presented with the opportunity to help others. When she came across a Period Promise donation box years later, she thought of her friend and eagerly donated.

“Months later, when my workplace sent an email about United Way’s GenNEXT Cabinet and their initiatives, I noticed Period Promise on the list. I knew this was my chance to take my commitment even further. I was proud to be a part of the team that organized the 2024 Period Promise drive and can’t wait to participate again in 2025,” she adds.

Many of us don’t realize the impacts of period poverty until we hear stories like this. United Way’s Period Promise initiative partners with donors and volunteers like Erin to raise awareness of period poverty, while also collecting menstrual products to distribute to local agencies that support people who struggle to afford or access these basic necessities.

The donations of period products from United Way and Period Promise have made a meaningful impact. Your contributions have helped to ease this burden for many of our clients,” explains Lisa Rayman, Labour Market Coordinator with the Empower program at Lifemark Vocational Services, which supports single mothers as they navigate career development while managing significant personal and financial challenges.

“Our clients often express their gratitude for having one less cost to worry about. They’ve shared how relieved they feel knowing they can care for themselves and their children without sacrificing comfort or confidence during their cycles. Access to these products allows them to maintain proper hygiene while reducing the stress of affording something so basic yet vital.”

Volunteer drivers like Neil Kucharski help Coats for Kids and Families flourish by providing consistent collection of coats and other warm winter gear. (Supplied)

Volunteer drivers like Neil Kucharski help our Coats for Kids and Families program flourish by providing consistent collection of coats and other warm winter gear.

“It’s rewarding to see how small efforts—like transporting coats—can make a big difference in someone’s life. Giving my time is just one way I can contribute to a stronger, more caring community,” he shares.

“Everyone deserves warmth and support, especially during our harsh Edmonton winters. By driving the van and picking up community donations throughout the City, I am incredibly proud to be part of this team knowing we are helping to connect generous donors with families who need a little extra help.”

Because of this, our United Way team was better able to plan volunteer opportunities and predict when coats would be available. Neil’s efforts have a big impact on agencies like Jasper Place Family Resource Centre, who receive donations from Coats for Kids and Families to distribute to their participants.

“It was so valuable to our community to be able to count on warm clothing, especially during the extreme weather we experienced this winter. We had such heartwarming feedback from participants and served over 1,000 adults and children this winter,” explains Pam Gudmundson, Program Director with the Jasper Place Family Resource Centre.

“We could not do this alone. Our partnerships with community agencies — especially United Way and their committed volunteers — are what make this happen!”

Volunteers, like water in motion, create waves of change. Every act of kindness ripples outward to build a stronger, more connected community.

Changemakers who share their time, passion, and dedication are the foundation of United Way’s impact. You make it possible to lift people up and drive meaningful change.

To the thousands of United Way supporters who share their valuable time and talent with our movement: Thank you for making waves, and for believing in a community where everyone matters.