Get to Know the GCWCC

The GCWCC is the largest workplace charitable campaign in Canada. The campaign engages federal public service employees and retirees in a combined effort to raise funds and donate time to those in need.

In 2024, our theme is “The GCWCC connects us to our communities", including the ones we live in, belong to, and support. As public servants, we can come together through the GCWCC to build team spirit, create a sense of belonging, and give back to Canadians.

You can support HealthPartners, United Way Centraide or any other registered Canadian charity of your choice. In 2023, the GCWCC raised $28.9 million to help communities across the country.

Why does it matter?

In 2023, the GCWCC helped nearly 6,900 charities to improve lives by building stronger communities and healthier people nationwide. The generosity of donors has helped deliver critical care and services – when and where they were needed most – to make a difference in the lives of Canadians.

The Named Recipients – HealthPartners and United Way Centraide - use research, local knowledge, and community partnerships to make informed investment decisions, maximizing the impact of donations. You can also support other charities you care about by selecting any registered Canadian charity when completing your pledge.

HealthPartners:

• HealthPartners harnesses the power of workplace giving to raise funds for 17 of Canada's most respected health charities, including the Canadian Cancer Society, Heart & Stroke, and Diabetes Canada.
• At some point in their lives, 9 out of 10 Canadians are likely to be affected by one or more of the major illnesses HealthPartners charities are working to eradicate.
• A donation to HealthPartners helps fuel:
  • RESEARCH: keeping researchers on the cutting edge of fighting disease by discovering treatments and cures.
  • EDUCATION: giving Canadians trusted information on all aspects of managing and coping with chronic disease and acute health conditions.
  • PROGRAMS & SERVICES: enhancing the quality of life for Canadians affected by chronic and acute health conditions.
  • ADVOCACY: reducing barriers by improving health policy and access to care.

HealthPartners’ charities serve Canadians from coast to coast to coast. Your donation will help save lives and will contribute to better health outcomes for all people in Canada.

Together with donors and volunteers, HealthPartners are creating a healthier Canada.

United Way Centraide:

• United Way Centraides (UWC) serve more than 7.3 million people in 5,000 community agencies across Canada every year, helping to improve lives from coast to coast to coast. Locally and nationally, the goal is the same – to create a more equitable future for all.
• UWC brings people and organizations together to meet immediate needs and tackle the complex social issues at the root of those needs.
• UWC's work focuses on three key strategies to improve lives locally and build a brighter future for everyone:
  • Moving people from poverty to possibility
  • Helping kids be all they can be
  • Building strong and healthy communities

With your support, opportunities are created for everyone in our communities to live a better life. Donations stay in your community, creating lasting, positive change in the very place where you live and work.

Leading the Charge: The GCWCC National Cabinet

The GCWCC National Cabinet provides leadership to the campaign.

The National Cabinet includes an Elder-in Residence and senior leaders from every region across Canada, a youth council representing all regions across the country, and a representative for federal retirees.

The National Cabinet's goal is to create a campaign in which all public servants and retirees can participate, no matter where they are.

National Chair's Office

The National Chair's Office supports the GCWCC Chair and Co-Chair to ensure a successful execution of the campaign.

The Chair’s office is responsible for implementing the National Chair’s vision and objectives as well as providing support and guidance to GCWCC departmental teams across the government.

If you have questions about the national campaign and vision, are looking for best practices or want to share  your departmental successes, contact the Chair’s Office team at presidentCCMTGC2024-chair2024GCWCC@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca.

Director

Suzanne Noonan

Manager, Communications

Sylvia Boyadjian

Manager, Governance and Stakeholder Relations

Nathalie Tieleman

Communications Officer

Mackenzie Walsh

Project Officer

Gilbert Diab

The Future of the GCWCC: The Youth Council

The Youth Council includes representatives of every region across Canada who serve to engage and inspire new and young (or young at heart) public servants in the campaign.

The Youth Council leads ProjectBe, which has grown from raising $35,000 in its inaugural year in 2016 to raising nearly $2.6 million in 2023.

ProjectBe has three pillars:
Youth, mental health and addiction
Supporting Indigenous causes
Addressing homelessness.

The Named Recipients: HealthPartners and United Way Centraide

The GCWCC has two named recipients: HealthPartners and United Way Centraide. They are charitable partners that have been chosen because of their ability to create impact in communities, and their reputation within the Canadian charitable sector.

The Named Recipients have complementary roles in serving Canadians in need. Together, they're building stronger communities and healthier people across Canada, which allows them to have a major impact on improving the lives of Canadians.

Each are experts in their respective impact areas. They use research, local knowledge, and community partnerships to make informed investment decisions, maximizing the impact of donor dollars.

HealthPartners:

HealthPartners harnesses the power of workplace giving to raise funds for 17 of Canada's most respected health charities, including the Canadian Cancer Society, Heart & Stroke, and Diabetes Canada.

At some point in their lives, 9 out of 10 Canadians are likely to be affected by one or more of the major illnesses HealthPartners charities are working to eradicate.

• A donation to HealthPartners helps fuel:
  • RESEARCH: keeping researchers on the cutting edge of fighting disease by discovering treatments and cures.
  • EDUCATION: giving Canadians trusted information on all aspects of managing and coping with chronic disease and acute health conditions.
  • PROGRAMS & SERVICES: enhancing the quality of life for Canadians affected by chronic and acute health conditions.
  • ADVOCACY: reducing barriers by improving health policy and access to care.

HealthPartners’ charities serve Canadians from coast to coast to coast.  Your donation will help save lives and will contribute to better health outcomes for all people in Canada.

Together with donors and volunteers, HealthPartners are creating a healthier Canada.

United Way Centraide:

United Way Centraides (UWC) serve more than 7.3 million people in 5,000 community agencies across Canada every year, helping to improve lives from coast to coast to coast. Locally and nationally, the goal is the same – to create a more equitable future for all.

UWC brings people and organizations together to meet immediate needs and tackle the complex social issues at the root of those needs.

UWC's work focuses on three key strategies to improve lives locally and build a brighter future for everyone:

• Moving people from poverty to possibility
• Helping kids be all they can be
• Building strong and healthy communities

With your support, opportunities are created for everyone in our communities to live a better life. Donations stay in your community, creating lasting, positive change in the very place where you live and work.

Visit https://gcwcc-ccmtgc.org/en/communication-tools/names-recipients/ to find out more about each of the Named Recipients.

Volunteer Impact

Volunteers are the most critical part of the campaign. Without volunteers, there would be no campaign. They work closely with the departmental chairs by campaigning, hosting events and raising awareness. They can also donate their time to charities of their choice.

Volunteers can promote the GCWCC through colleagues, family, and friends as well as amplify social media posts from the campaign, to increase the visibility of the campaign.

Volunteering through the GCWCC is an opportunity for young professionals and new public servants to elevate their leadership skills, develop event planning skills, as well as expand their professional and social networks.

Volunteer for your departmental campaign today! To find out more, reach out to the Chair's Office at presidentCCMTGC2024-chair2024GCWCC@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca.