Posted on

#BuildBackBetter with the Ontario Volunteer Centre Network

We are grateful for Ontario’s 5.08 million volunteers!  As part of the network of Volunteer Centres here in Ontario, we are advocating and celebrating this season.  During the Thanksgiving Holiday we shared our gratitude for the 3.3 million volunteer seekers and the 4,300 nonprofits we engaged with and we are not stopping here!  Help us spread the word, read our Open Letter here, and let’s celebrate:

November 5th – National Volunteer Managers Day

December 5th – International Volunteer Day (IVD)

WE SEE YOU!

Posted on

Behind the Scenes Journey to Community Recovery through Volunteerism

TOGETHER WE CAN!
Our Community Behind the Scenes
with The Ontario Volunteer Centre Network (OVCN)

Volunteer Markham proudly represents York Region on the OVCN.  We join our Volunteer Centre partners across Ontario as seen here to build a stronger, caring community through volunteerism.  This past Thanksgiving, we worked together in publishing a co-authored, open letter to acknowledge the essential and ongoing contributions of volunteer managers and our province’s 5.08 million volunteers.  Read excerpts from this letter below:

“The reality is that the pandemic has impacted the volunteer infrastructure in Ontario.  To recover from COVID-19, we need to invest in people.  Ontario volunteers contribute $2.07B to Canada’s GDP as volunteerism plays a critical role in delivering essential programs, building personal opportunity (skills and employment) and fostering inclusion”

“You may be surprised to know that 1 in 2 organizations have laid-off or permanently re-deployed their volunteer leaders.  This trend has significantly disrupted volunteer engagement across Ontario as volunteer demand outstrips the supply of available positions.”

 

“Over the past 18 months OVCN members have build connections with 4,300 nonprofits and 3.3 million volunteer seekers from every demographic and we’re here to work with community partners and the provincial government to ensure we harness the Ontario Spirit as we #BuildBackBetter because every Ontarian benefits from the contribution of volunteers.”

 

Across Ontario and on behalf of Volunteer Markham and the OVCN, we are grateful for:  Ontario’s 5.08 million volunteers.  We are here for you!  #VolunteerYorkRegion #VolunteerMarkham #VolunteerCentres #StrongerTogether #BuildBackBetter

Posted on

Behind the Scenes Journey to Community Recovery through Volunteerism

TOGETHER WE CAN!
Our Community Behind the Scenes
with
The Cross Cultural Community Services Association -Community Connections Team

As a Volunteer Centre servicing the broader York Region, our goal is to to connect volunteers to organizations that need them.  In doing so, our doors have remained open! We work through a team of passionate volunteers reaching out to engage our community and build bridges to help us all recover from the pandemic.  Behind the scenes there is a great deal of effort to meet the needs in our community and ensure that those that need us know we are here.

Introducing Alison Cheng and Rizette Catarroja, working with the Community Connections team at TCCSA  focused on Youth.

“Our mission is to assist newcomers in adapting to Canadian life in their neighbourhood and to provide support to Canadians in building a stronger community. We offer settlement services such as one-on-one counseling and workshops, as well as education and language training to enhance English literacy skills.” shared Rizette.

We recently met to brainstorm on how we could work together given our aligned mission and vision as it relates to youth.  The conversation was engaging and exciting as we explored the potential of various initiatives to get youth engaged.  A second meeting was planned.

 

TCCSA has a strong, dedicated team and exciting programs to offer youth.  Each month they have a calendar of their programs (see below).  They are also building more opportunities for youth.

Given Volunteer Markham has an established team of youth leaders on their “Change the World” youth platform and are focused on engaging more newcomer youth;  the opportunity to work together couldn’t have happened at a better time.

Our community is highly supportive of our youth and our youth are wanting to get engaged.  With the  combined experiences and expertise of both Volunteer Markham and TCCSA we are excited to explore how best to meet this need.   

Stay tuned and watch out for our collaborative work to engage youth.

To learn more about TCCSA check out their website and social media links: Instagram handle: @tccsa.ontario and Facebook handle: @tccsa.on.ca

Together we can make a difference.   

Posted on

Join Team VM!

Volunteer Markham Goes for Gold!

Volunteer Markham is an official charity partner for the Scotiabank Marathon

This October, we go for GOLD and we want you on our team! During the month of October, TEAM VM will be meeting personal goals and raising money to support the over 300 organizational members and all volunteers in our community. If you are reading this, this is YOU!

Join us, share the event with your family and friends, raise funds and let’s go for GOLD!

You can register for this event, set your own personal goal and raise money for Volunteer Markham and your community and/or you could host a fundraiser, pledge our team or donate to show your support.

Every single dollar raised makes an impact! Why not set your goal for Volunteer Hours!!!

You can follow this link to register to the event

You can follow this link to donate to Volunteer Markham

If you would like to partner with us and have your own ideas, email mirja.raita@volunteerconnect.ca

Enjoy our promo video:  Watch Now

Posted on

Behind the Scenes Journey to Community Recovery through Volunteerism

TOGETHER WE CAN!
Our Community Behind the Scenes
with
The Shoebox Project

As a Volunteer Centre servicing the broader York Region, our goal is to to connect volunteers to organizations that need them.  In doing so, our doors have remained open! We work through a team of passionate volunteers reaching out to engage our community and build bridges to help us all recover from the pandemic.  Behind the scenes there is a great deal of effort to meet the needs in our community and ensure that those that need us know we are here.

This week we met with Karen Robertson Paget and Lesley Hendry from the Shoebox Project.

It’s hard to think that it is already time to start planning for the holidays.  It takes a lot of work “behind the scenes” to help meet the needs in our community as the weather gets more challenging, community needs increase and the holiday season approaches.

During the holiday season and continuing year round, the Shoebox project aims to have decorated Shoeboxes filled with $50 worth of gifts and essentials that any woman might enjoy, and include a warm greeting or message of support.  The volunteers distribute these gifts to local women’s shelters and community agencies serving women impacted by homelessness across Canada (and right here in York Region).  The Shoebox Project has been helping women for over 10 years and they cannot do this without our support!

Take a minute to watch this meaningful video.

 

 

The Shoebox Project for Women is a registered charity that collects and distributes gift-filled Shoeboxes to local women impacted by homelessness across Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

They aim to foster safe, supportive and inclusive communities by facilitating compassionate gestures of kindness between our supporters and local women experiencing homelessness.

Here in York Region, we need strong, compassionate Volunteer Leaders to take on the impactful role of Local Chapter Coordinator.

Together we can make a difference.   Volunteer Markham is reaching out to members that align with this need,  creating posts and writing articles to help raise awareness of this initiative and connecting directly with individuals that may be able to help us identify those strong leaders in our community that will lead us all in helping women who may need it the most at this time.  Our Youth Team (CTW Markham) is also ready to help and can assist in creating and packaging shoeboxes.

Whether you donate a Shoebox virtually or in-person, it is more than just a gift. It is a rare and powerful reminder that we all matter.  

Together We Can

To volunteer as a Local Chapter Coordinator click here 

To learn more about the project click to email Karen

To chat with Volunteer Markham click to email Mirja

Posted on

Volunteer Markham receives $83,800 Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant

Media Release

MEDIA RELEASE                                                          May 14, 2021

Markham – On Friday, Markham-Unionville MPP Billy Pang held a virtual meeting with members of Volunteer Markham to officially congratulate them on receiving an $83,800 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). Joining the call with MPP Pang was Nalin De Silva, an OTF volunteer, to hear more about how the grant will broaden its programs and services and funding sources. The project will be completed in early 2022 and will give people in the community a wider range of volunteering opportunities while helping other charities, groups and nonprofits find the resources they need.

“This investment by the Ontario Trillium Foundation to help Volunteer Markham grow is great news for both volunteers and nonprofits in our community,” said Billy Pang, MPP for Markham-Unionville. “Volunteerism is so important to Markham. It provides critical resources to organizations in need, and excellent opportunities for residents to develop new skills while giving back to the community.”

Volunteer Markham helps build a stronger community through innovative programs that inspire, inform, and connect volunteers with the organizations that need them. The Resilient Communities Fund was developed to help non-profit organizations recover and rebuild from the impacts of COVID-19 to continue meeting the needs of Ontario communities. And thanks to the grant, the Centre can expand the breadth of its programs, volunteers, and organizations it supports.

“The impact of this Ontario Trillium Foundation grant is significant,” said George Sheen, Chair of Volunteer Markham’s Fundraising Committee. “This grant will allow us to strengthen our operations, deepen our service offerings, and provide more value to the community.”

Volunteer Markham provides excellent volunteering opportunities to youth, residents, seniors, newcomers and others in our community. If you would like to explore volunteering opportunities, please visit the website at: https://volunteerconnect.ca/.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations. OTF awarded $115 million to 644 projects last year to build healthy and vibrant communities in Ontario. www.otf.ca

Posted on

Volunteer Markham’s Annual General Meeting

Volunteer Markham AGM Registration

In accordance to the bylaws of Volunteer Markham (Information Markham), a charitable organization operating in the City of Markham, the Annual General Meeting will be held on June 21, 2021 at 6pm via Google web cast.

Interested members of the community are invited to attend. Please register via this form in order to receive the meeting link.

Posted on

ORIENTATION TO VOLUNTEERING

FREE ONLINE COURSE! 

Wanting to give back during these times but unsure of what to expect? Sign up for this free course online.  

This course is a wonderful way to orientate new volunteers including newcomers, youth and/or to use to educate others in learning more about volunteering.  Please feel free to share!

Sign up at: bit.ly/orientationtovolunteerism

Posted on

Volunteers at Volunteer Markham

The Value of One, The Power of Many!

The value of one person who desires to help another inspires others and has the power to create positive change!  Volunteer Markham is a small organization run largely through the efforts of many volunteers.  Learn a little more about why they do what they do.

Judy Zon, Board Chair:  “Volunteering has always been a part of my life, from helping out at my kids’ school, working with health charities to more formal volunteer work on non-profit boards.  I can’t imaging not volunteering because I know that volunteers contribute so much to our community.  Sometimes my volunteering efforts are small and time-limited and other times I have been part of large projects or long term efforts.  It doesn’t really matter because I know that without volunteers many things would not happen.  The obvious personal impact is the satisfaction I have from knowing that I am giving back, but I gain so much more.

My experiences in volunteering have provided me with the opportunity to expand my horizons, learn  new skills, be a leader and meet some awesome people.  Volunteering can be fun but sometimes it is hard work.  Overall, the rewards clearly outweigh the challenges.  I am grateful for the opportunity to volunteer.”

Aakash Talreja, Marketing Committee:  “Volunteering has always given me the opportunity to be part of a larger cause and think bigger than myself.  

I’ve always had a hard time making friends and volunteering continues to give me the opportunity to connect with like minded people from all walks of life and forge relationships worth a lifetime.”

Pooja Parmar, Change the World Youth Ambassador:  “I volunteer because I want to know that I am able to make a change in my community with my actions.  Every step I take leads to the making of something important.  I enjoy helping out within  my community to make it a better place.  Volunteering is something that is important to me because it brings me closer to my community!”