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2 1 COMMUNITY 'APUC, UNITED WAY HELP TO FEED HALTON'S HUNGRY RESIDENTS With approximately 3 31,000 Halton residents liv 5 Ing without proper access = to healthy meals, children Milton Canadian Champion and their families struggle now more than ever to break the cycle of poverty Food insecurity 1s a common barrier that often goes unnoticed. It can be missed meals or a decision between paying the heat ttmbits (WAY 1.13 ing bill and buying grocer 18S When Halton resident Melanie was 15, she was liv ing on her own with no in come. To put some food on Bringing communities together one game at a time. When making friends is the goal, everyone wins. With over 275,000 kids playing Timbits Soccer every season, Tim Hortons Restaurant Owners are proudly helping communities come together across Canada one game at a time. Timbits Soccer, where the first goal is having fun.™ insidehalton.com the shelves, Melanie visit ed a United Way-supported food program. After using its services for a couple of years, Melanie chose to give back to her communi- ty and began volunteering at the same food bank. Now, Melanie has the re- sources she needs to have a healthy meal and tackle the day, and also reaps the benefits of giving back to her community. For years, United Way Halton & Hamilton (UWHH) has linked corpo- rate resources and social responsibility with local need. Last month Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp (APUC) staff rallied to sup- port food insecure house- holds across Halton Re- gion. Currently, one in 10 peo- ple living 'in Halton are food insecure. On behalf of gracious donors, UWHH invests in six local agencies addressing hunger. To- gether, these programs support the distribution of more than six million meals annually. APUC hosted a compet- itive food drive for its em- ployees in July, donating skids of food for the cause and gathering at Sheridan Conference Centre to cre- ate food sculptures that re- presented sustainability out: of the donations as a part of a corporate team building event. More than 180 APUC staff participated. "We know that students who eat healthy food dur- ing the school day are bet- ter prepared to focus on -their studies and to achieve higher grades," Brad Park, president and CEO of Unit- ed Way Halton & Hamilton, said during the event. "We also know that food insecu- rity can be a factor in driv- ing mental illness and iso- lation." Companies and employ- ers. often seek meaningful engagement and volunteer opportunities that align with corporate social re- sponsibility and team building objectives. UWHH provides a solu- tion that connects local company resources with local ' need, resulting. in 55,951 volunteer hours cre- ated last year at a value of over $1.3 million. - "It's always been impor- tant to us that we are good corporate citizens, espe- : cially for the communities in which we operate," Da vid Pasieka, Chief Tran: formation Officer, APU( said during the event. "W are always excited to work with the United Way and find meaningful ways to give back to the communi ty." Many households are one circumstance away from battling hunger, as simple as a job loss, disabil- ity or mental illness. Com- bined with the cost of hous- ing and a weaker Canadian dollar, residents can find themselves requiring more disposable income to meet basic needs. In particular, the grow- ing senior population is of great concern as more than 30 percent live below the poverty line in Halton. With seniors now re- presenting a larger per- centage of the population than youth, it is imperative the community rally to- Ye + gether to support this at- risk group. There has also been a spike in the working poor as precarious employment continues to skyrocket, with permanent, full-time work unavailable. This .year, more than 212,000 people will rely on a United Way-supported pro- gram and receive the op- portunities they need to live a healthy, prosperous life. United Way has a histo- ry of community collabora- tion and convening ability to bring together govern- ment, private, non-profit, labour and volunteers to mobilize community change. . By working alongside community partners, Unit- ed Way is able to under- stand root causes, thus leading theavay to develop- ing strategies to address them by bringing together the right resources to get the job done and measure results. United Way Halton & : Hamilton funds nine pro- ~ grams dedicated to provid- ing access to healthy food for families "and residents of all agess When food 8ecurity is achieved, families are able to focus on school and work - while mental wellbeing is improved. - 4 7