CommunityGenerosity happens throughout the year, but the passing of autumn ushers in ‘the giving season.’ During this time, our vibrant charitable sector will be inviting you to give from the heart through promotions and annual campaigns. November 15 is National Philanthropy Day, which invites us all to honour our love of community by volunteering and giving.
Did you know that, along with the amazing work charities do in our community, they also contribute on a large scale to the overall well-being of our province? Manitoba’s diverse non-profits and charities have a critical impact on the economy and health of our province, offering valuable programs and services to all.
The non-profit sector in Manitoba contributes more than 10% to the province’s GDP, constituting $7.1 billion in economic impact, according to the latest numbers from Statistics Canada (2021). Community non-profits contribute $1.3 billion – almost 2% of our province’s over-all GDP. And if that’s not reason enough to support your local charitable sector, did you know that 114,000 Manitobans are employed by a non-profit? And almost half of Manitobans (49.1%) volunteer, contributing 63 million volunteer hours annually (Statistics Canada, 2018).
Manitoba remains the most generous province in the country, and at The Winnipeg Foundation we have the privilege of seeing your love of community in action every day.
It is the generosity of our donors that support a community of well-being. The impact of your giving reaches far beyond an individual gift – your support changes lives every day. And collectively, we are more effective and can have greater impact when we work together.
For example, we are currently wrapping up our intake for Major Capital Grants, which supports large-scale capital projects in our community. Thanks to the generosity of donors throughout the years, we have helped bring to life crucial projects such as the creation of the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre, an expansion for Ka Ni Kanichihk, and a new home for Ronald McDonald House.
The current cohort of projects reflects a range of exciting initiatives; housing for youth aging out of care, innovative approaches to addressing security, and accessibility upgrades to beloved performing arts spaces. We look forward to announcing the full list of projects very soon.
How ever you plan to support our community this year, we thank you for your generosity and the impact it has in our community, and for helping ensure ‘a Winnipeg where community life flourishes for all’ – we couldn’t do it without you.