Media Release
Windsor, ON – United Way’s second annual youth mental health fundraising event – iMove for United Way presented by St. Clair College and St. Clair College Alumni Association – raised $40,320 (and counting) throughout February and March. Funds raised through the event help local children and youth access mental health and preventative wellness supports they couldn’t otherwise afford.
iMove for United Way engaged 1,184 community members to move for 440,887 minutes as part of the virtual fundraiser. Whether participants ran, walked their dog, practiced yoga, or danced in their living room, the goal was to get moving for mental health.
“It is heartwarming to see the incredible enthusiasm and support of students, educators, and the community for youth mental health programs in Windsor-Essex County,” says Lorraine Goddard, CEO of United Way/Centraide Windsor-Essex County. “We invest in programs that put prevention and wellness first for youth.”
iMove for United Way focuses on the importance of physical activity and mental health for youth and community members at large. Individual participants were encouraged to engage in any physical activity of their choosing for 200 minutes or more, while collecting pledges to support the Windsor-Essex County community.
To view pictures of some of the incredible people who joined the #iMove4UnitedWay challenge, visit iMove photo gallery or check out the #iMove4UnitedWay hashtag on Instagram and Twitter. Congratulations to the Top Individual Fundraiser, Deanna Santos who raised $1,690 for United Way before the March 6 deadline. She won an Urban Sole 8 Hybrid Bike. The Top Fundraising Team was the Retired Members of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation, which raised $4,370.
Additional iMove prize winners include Sandra Sahli, who won a Fitbit Versa 2 and Wireless Earbuds, Sanjay Jacob and Bruce Awad who were each awarded a Yeti and $100 SportChek gift card, Jessica Connelly who won a Yeti and $100 Keg gift card, and Karen Gill-Gore, who won a $50 Spago South Windsor gift card. An anonymous donor claimed the prize of a Yeti and a $100 Running Factory gift card. Visit the Leaderboard to see all the top participants and teams.
Mental health supports are delivered through United Way’s delivered through United Way’s On Track to Success, mentoring, out-of-school supports and family counselling programs. All these programs have adapted their services to support children and youth ages 7-25 during the pandemic. Your donation stays 100% local.
WATCH THIS VIDEO to learn more about the impact of the On Track to Success program or visit the event site to learn more about the impact of a gift to these programs.
Media Contact:
Karen Brady, Marketing & Communications Manager (she/her)
kbrady@weareunited.com | W: 519-259-6192 | M :519-564-8554
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