‘We have to hear from people’
Inaugural Community Impact Summit kicks off Wednesday
The challenge of making more of an impact with charitable dollars will be one of the topics of discussion at a twoday Sydney conference.
The inaugural Community Impact Summit, co-sponsored by the United Way Cape Breton and the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, kicks off Wednesday when business, government and non-profit sector leaders gather at Centre 200 to discuss social issues such as transportation, food security, youth programs and early years development.
For Lynne McCarron, executive director of the United Way’s Cape Breton chapter, it all comes down to ensuring that funds raised for charities are used in the most effective ways possible.
“We’re trying to get a voice for the people, who, while comfortable with a living that most of us would be uncomfortable with, settle for less, so we need to hear what the challenges are and we need to hear and understand what we can do to help make things better,” she said, adding that the local chapter raised $50,000 more from its recent annual gala than it did the previous year.
“The goal is to determine what is achievable locally through collaboration and improved use of our existing resources.” Cecil Clarke, mayor, Cape Breton Regional Municipality
“We want our community’s input on how to invest these funds — let’s be honest, some of the people who were at the gala don’t have a really clear understanding of what it means to have to say ‘OK, I can pay half my power bill, but I have to buy less groceries,’ so we have to hear from people about what they do to make ends meet.
“It’s a big, big problem, but if we don’t stop it somewhere, we’re never going to improve things.”
Cape Breton Regional Municipality Mayor Cecil Clarke said one of the goals of the conference is to develop an action plan to help people living in poverty.
“The goal is to determine what is achievable locally through collaboration and improved use of our existing resources,” he said.
The conference features a number of guest speakers including Celeste Licorish, a single mom from Hamilton, Ont., who is a driving force behind the drive to reduce poverty in her community; Dan Pallotta, author of “Uncharitable: How Restraints on Non-profits Undermine Their Potential”; and Savannah (Savvy) Simon, known for creating the hashtag #SpeakMikman, who was named one of Canadian Living’s Top 40 Female Change Makers.
For more information or to register, call the United Way Cape Breton office at 902-5625226.