NEWS RELEASE
YMCA OF SIMCOE/MUSKOKA
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On Nov. 28, 2017, #GivingTuesdayCA was trending across Canada as 21.7 billion twitter impressions were made globally, and over 6,000 Canadian partners and millions of participants across Canada took part in the day of giving.
According to CanadaHelps, since GivingTuesday was officially brought to Canada in 2013, there has been a 468 per cent growth in donations on GivingTuesday.
“The statistics in Canada around GivingTuesday are truly astonishing, and we see that same goodwill and generosity being celebrated locally,” said Brian Shelley, Vice President of Philanthropy, Brand and Community Development, YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka. “We are in the final stretch of our year-end fundraising campaign, and GivingTuesday was a great way to kick it off. We owe a big thank you to our community and donors for supporting us so the Y can continue to offer programs and services that build healthy communities.”
The YMCA believes everyone deserves the opportunity to lead healthy lives. Last year the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka provided over $1,000,000 in financial assistance to 15,000 children, youth, adults and seniors to access to YMCA programs.
Donations to the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka ensure access to these quality programs and services including – health, fitness and recreation programs, education, child care, employment and training programs, camp and outdoor skills, leadership and volunteer development.
For Dawn Knuff, mother of three, the YMCA is a vital part of her family’s every day life. “My husband and I and our triplets joined the YMCA about five years ago and we have been receiving financial assistance since we joined. This has allowed us to keep our membership and access all the Y programs for our family to stay healthy and active. Our children love going to the Y and have created strong bonds with the volunteers and staff that run the programs. It makes me feel great that our local community is helping families stay healthy and active and gain access to amazing programs for children and families, regardless of their ability to pay.”
The giving season is officially launched
Since its inception in 2013, GivingTuesday has offered charities a strong start to the holiday giving season - but the generosity has only just begun! The YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka’s year-end campaign launched on Nov. 28 and will continue to run for the entire month of December.
To learn more about how to support the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka, please visit www.GiveToTheY.ca.
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