The unveiling of the Donor Recognition Wall is scheduled to occur at the Donor Recognition Event, an annual celebration of donors to the Community Foundation of Mississauga. Festivities kick off at 7:00 pm and include greetings from special guests such as Mayor Hazel McCallion.
“I am honoured to help pay tribute our city’s caring philanthropists,” said Mayor McCallion. “Through their investment in this great city, many important charitable programs and services are made possible. We thank them for helping to build a better future for so many.”
The Donor Recognition Wall is unique in both its location and the scope of donors who will be acknowledged. “To our knowledge, this is a first across Canada and it is perhaps no surprise that Mississauga should be home to such a leading edge initiative.” said Eileen MacKenzie, Executive Director of the Community Foundation of Mississauga. “Mississauga is also home to many wonderful people who have and continue to give generously to build a truly caring community. Funds established by our donors support a broad range of charitable activities including arts, culture and heritage, education, the environment, children’s programs, human services, health and healthy living and so much more. Their powerful legacy will grow and continue each year making grants for good, forever.”
This is the third year that the Community Foundation of Mississauga has held the annual celebration of donors. This year marks a significant milestone as the Foundation is able to honour donors and tell their story to the broader community. Stories like that of resident Winston Meyer who made a gift to create the Meyer Family Fund. Since this fund was started just two short years ago, it has already made grants to the Peel Lunch and After School Program, Boys and Girls Club of Peel, Community Living Mississauga, Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Peel, the Blackwood Gallery and more. Further, the capital of the Meyer FamilyFund continues to grow and grantmaking increases each year.
Key Note Speaker for the evening is Ken Wyman. Ken Wyman has been called "one of the world's best fundraisers". For more than 30 years Wyman has invented and adapted techniques to help non-profit groups learn the secrets of growth. He has helped hundreds of organizations raise millions of dollars. He has published seven books and is a professor in the Fundraising and Volunteer Management postgraduate program at Humber College. Ken has created and taught academic credit courses on fund raising for Grant MacEwan College, Ryerson Polytechnic University, York University, and the University of West Virginia Graduate School.
The Donor Recognition Wall will be located on a south west wall of the Great Hall of the Mississauga Civic Centre. More information about the project is available from the Community Foundation of Mississauga by calling 905-897-8880.
Community Foundation of Mississauga
The Community Foundation of Mississauga is a registered charitable public foundation that seeks to match acts of caring with community needs by providing efficient, flexible donor services, grants to a broad range of community needs and leadership in understanding and responding to current and emergent community needs. Incorporated and registered in 2001, the Foundation has experienced significant growth in endowed funds and made the first grants from these funds in 2006. The Community Foundation of Mississauga is now managing in excess of $9.5 million in endowed assets and has granted approximately $500,000 in its first two years of grant making.
Media Contact:
Eileen MacKenzie, Executive Director
905-897-8880
[email protected]