Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign March 2025 – Wrap-up edition
Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign (GCWCC) Newsletter: March 2025 – Wrap-up edition
Colleagues,
Your collective dedication and generosity have helped raise more than 27.3 million dollars to date through the 2024 Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign (GCWCC).
We are so grateful for the way you all came together to give back to our communities. You donated time and contributed funds to make an impact for thousands of charities across the country.
We are inspired by your efforts and very thankful.
- 2024 GCWCC Team
2024 National Awards, Recognition and Closing Ceremony
The GCWCC Awards, Recognition and Closing Ceremony was held in-person and virtually on March 5.
Hosted by Deputy Minister (DM) Chair and Co-Chair of GCWCC 2024 – Paul Thompson and Nancy Hamzawi – special guests for the event included:
- The GCWCC’s Elder in Residence – Elder Verna McGregor;
- Cabinet members – Ross Ermel and Fraser Valentine;
- Senior leadership from our Named Recipients organizations – United Way Centraide and HealthPartners;
- GCWCC Youth Council members – Raphaëlle Robidoux, Brian Lee and Thessa Negre.
It was a wonderful opportunity to close off the campaign in style and in celebration – as a community and for our communities!
The recipients of the 2024 Chair's Cup's Awards were recognized at the event for their excellence and achievements in supporting local communities and improving the lives of Canadians.
Congratulations to the 2024 Chair’s Cup award recipients:
- Chair’s Cup – Large Organizations: Natural Resources Canada
Text description - Chair’s Cup – Large Organizations: Natural Resources Canada
Left to right: Photo of Co-Chair Nancy Hamzawi, members of Natural Resources Canada’s GCWCC Team holding their award and Chair Paul Thompson.
- Chair’s Cup – Small Organizations: Canada Energy Regulator
Text description - Chair’s Cup – Small Organizations: Canada Energy Regulator
Photo of the Canada Energy Regulator Campaign leader’s acceptance speech, standing at the podium.
- Chair’s Regional Cup: Service Canada – Ontario Region
Text description - Chair’s Regional Cup: Service Canada – Ontario Region
Left to right: Photo of Co-Chair Nancy Hamzawi, members of Service Ontario’s GCWCC Team holding their award and Chair Paul Thompson.
- Chair’s Youth Cup: Julianne Zinniger, from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Text description - Chair’s Youth Cup: Julianne Zinniger, from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Left to right: Photo of Chair Paul Thompson, Julianne holding their award and Co-Chair Nancy Hamzawi.
- With a special recognition to: Global Affairs Canada’s Young Professionals Network (GAC YPN)
Text description - Special recognition to: Global Affairs Canada’s Young Professionals Network (GAC YPN)
Left to right: Photo of Co-Chair Nancy Hamzawi, members of GAC YPN holding their award and Chair Paul Thompson.
- Robert Morin Long Service Award: Master Warrant Officer Donald Neville
Text description - Robert Morin Long Service Award:Master Warrant Officer Donald Neville
Photo of MWO Donald Neville (centre) accepting the Robert Morin Long Service Award. Photographed with RAdm Luciano Carosielli (COS ADM(DS)) with LGen Lise Bourgon (Comd MILPERSCOM).
Every year, the campaign Chair passes a symbolic torch to the incoming Chair. In a lot of cultures around the world, passing dishes symbolizes respect, forging connections, and transferring knowledge. Accordingly, the current Chair Paul Thompson passed some symbolic dishes to the incoming 2025 Campaign Chair, Nancy Hamzawi.
Text description - Campaign Chair passes a symbolic torch to the incoming Chair
Left to right: Photo of Co-Chair Nancy Hamzawi accepting the ‘dish’ from Chair Paul Thompson.
The ceremony wrapped up with an engaging fireside chat between Nancy Hamzawi, Elder Verna and Thessa Negre, to highlight how we have helped strengthen community connections through the GCWCC this year. It was a wonderful way to hear firsthand about the positive impacts we make by getting involved in the campaign.
Text description - Engaging fireside chat
Left to right: Photo of Co-Chair Nancy Hamzawi, Elder Verna McGregor and Thessa Negre (GAC YPN).
Recognizing Unsung Heroes
We would also like to recognize the tremendous contributions of the many unsung heroes across campaign teams, including:
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Javed Syed, Cathy Coutu, Helen Lui, Angela Walters, Annette Worton, Vinti Kumari
- Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency: Chantal Saucier-Young
- Canada Border Services Agency: Cindy Proulx, Derek Watson, Doug Mossey, Felix Monpetit, Jesse Fleming, Joel Crawford, Louis Sauve, Maria Terehoff, Nuvin Runghen, Sonia Margarita Funes
- Department of Justice Canada: Joelle Fong, Josée Filion
- Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario: Mike Pisarchuk
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada: Catherine Dickie, Chris Wilmot, Marc Ross, Neil Davis
- Health Canada: Mariana Sklepowich, Mariana Comtois-Arnaldo
- Indigenous Services Canada: Jonathan Allen
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada: Linda Bennett
- Public Health Agency of Canada: Jerrie Mlongecha, Natalie Archambault, Paige Janssen, Patrick Byrne, Seonaid Strutt
- Public Services and Procurement Canada: Andrea Knight, Catherine Blais, Christel Fredette, Eric Antoine, Estera Stoica, Francoys Bernier, Genevieve Poirier, Joanie Boudreau, Lori Stratychuk, Paula Folkes-Dallaire, Rodolphe Abou Hamad, Stephanie Simard, Tracey Fitzpatrick
- Shared Services Canada: Danielle Smith, Glenda Dunn-O'Brien, Hamid Sanjari, William Mahoney
- Statistics Canada: David Albert, Ian Bale, Kayla Wright, Natasha Nandlall, Nathalie Prévost, Nisrene Darwiche
- Transport Canada: Nora Billingsley
- Privy Council Office: Ahmed Eliwa, Alicia Martin, Cynthia Harrigan, Heather Normore, Denis Régimbald, Irawati Khedar, Julie Green, Amanda Jamieson, Erin Fagan, Julie McDermott, Arimathea Rajesh, Evelyne Chagnon, Jean-Sebastien Langelier, Arnaud Sicard, Fritzlande Legrand, Jessamine Le, Karine Marcoux, Arnaud Tremblay-Cotnoir, Gagan Gil, Jessica Ly, Katie Abbott, Kerri Manning, Marion Thompson, Rachel Perrault, Kristen Bassett, Maxine Claire Pilon, Rebecca Martin, Lana Gauthuer, Michael Iliopoulos, Rhys Carrier-Webster, Lindsay Hitchcock, Nancy Dicaire-Fortin, Ross McGhie, Lorna Bonvie, Nathalie Sexton, Scholastique Ngo, Lynne Chevrier, Noel Dubois, Sean Jorgensen, Marie-Merci Uwase, Olivier Carrier-Leclerc, Sim Purewal, Stephane Shank, Tania Monette, Tina Mahdavi-Nader, Wendy Fong.
Thank you for generously donating your time and talents to support your communities. Through your generous efforts, you contribute to giving hope to those who need it most.
You can still donate!
- There is still time to give through the 2024 campaign by making a one-time donation
- All donations made until March 31 will go towards this year’s campaign.
- Every amount counts and even small contributions can make a difference in our communities
GCWCC Youth Council
Text description - GCWCC Youth Council
Left to right: Photo of Co-Chair Nancy Hamzawi, members of various Young Professionals Networks, including the GCWCC Youth Council, Cabinet member Fraser Valentine and Chair Paul Thompson.
As we wrap up the 2024 campaign, the GCWCC Youth Council would like to thank all volunteers and those who donated; whether in funds, time, or other forms of giving, your generosity matters. We are especially grateful for the invaluable engagement of young and new professionals.
The Youth Council is also pleased to announce the launch of its podcast, Catalyst for Change, to highlight the contributions of young and new professionals. Tune in for our inaugural discussion with the 2024 Youth Council Chair, Raphaëlle Robidoux.
Finally, we are excited to share that time tracking will be formally introduced for the 2025 campaign. More information will be shared over the summer – stay tuned! Your organization could become one of the first to implement this innovative engagement approach.
GCWCC National Survey: Share your feedback!
Before launching Campaign 2024, we engaged with various employees (including young and new professionals as well as federal diversity and inclusion network members) and incorporated all feedback into the 2024 GCWCC.
We are now seeking feedback through the 2024 GCWCC national survey distributed to champions, leaders and treasurers. Your responses will help us continuously improve and better support campaign teams.
Looking to Make a Bigger Impact? Become a Loaned Representative!
The Loaned Representative (LR) Program is an incredible opportunity for public servants to develop leadership skills, expand their networks, and directly contribute to the success of the GCWCC through temporary work assignments with United Way Centraides. LRs play a key role in supporting campaign efforts, helping to drive engagement, and increasing charitable giving across departments.
Encourage your department to participate by providing a Loaned Representative or consider applying yourself!
Learn more about how this program strengthens both our workplaces and our communities: gcwcc-ccmtgc.org/en/loaned-representative-program/
Named Recipients messages
United Way Centraide
On behalf of the United Way Centraide network, we extend our profound gratitude to the thousands of donors and hundreds of volunteers who help ensure the success of Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign (GCWCC) year after year by engaging their colleagues to support communities nationwide. Every dollar and every act of generosity makes a big difference.
As we reflect on the past year, it’s hard to ignore the myriad of issues that have impacted our communities, particularly those experiencing vulnerability. From the housing affordability crisis to rising cost of living, our friends and neighbours across Canada are confronting unprecedented challenges and those from equity deserving groups are disproportionately affected.
In particular, the housing crisis has reached a critical juncture, exacerbating inequalities that were already leaving too many behind. For countless individuals and families, the dream of secure, affordable housing remains out of reach. This has forced people into precarious living situations, perpetuating cycles of instability and uncertainty.
At these times, this campaign matters more than ever. Our national network of United Way Centraides supports basic needs within 5,000 communities annually by working in partnership with more than 4,770 unique community service organizations delivering essential services helping to create an equitable future for all. Your contributions support over 8 million people across the country.
With you as an important partner, we continue to be deeply invested in the well-being of communities across Canada, combatting poverty in all its forms and addressing the root causes of inequities. Thank you for standing with us to build a better future for everyone who calls this country home.
Together, we are making social change possible.HealthPartners
Dear GCWCC Champions and Campaign Leaders,
Thank you for your dedication to the GCWCC campaign. Your leadership directly supports millions of Canadians facing serious illnesses.
Every dollar you raise through workplace giving funds critical research, support programs, and services for those affected by diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
For example:
- $5 per pay provides a child with arthritis an ergonomic backpack filled with resources and a comforting plushie.
- $20 per pay eases the burden of cancer on one family for six months by helping them get to and from their child’s cancer treatment.
- $50 per pay sends two children with kidney disease to camp, giving them care and their parents respite.
Your efforts ensure that individuals across Canada receive the support they need. Because of you, families facing illness have more hope and better care.
We see the impact of your work every day. Thank you for making a difference in your workplace and communities nationwide.
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