Happy National Volunteer Week!

2017 was a record year for volunteering at the Humber River Hospital Foundation. We had an unprecedented number of people helping us at McHappy Day (a total of 126!), new volunteers came out to our events, and amazing patients openly shared their health journeys with our community of donors. On top of this, some of our most consistent and reliable long-term supporters continued to help in any way they could.

Overall, our amazing volunteers—from members of our Board of Directors to our ever-so-dependable office volunteers—collectively contributed over 3,700 hours of their time in 2017. This is an incredible feat and we are immensely grateful.

In honour of National Volunteer Week, we’re proud to highlight a few of the many individuals who support Humber River Hospital Foundation with their time and energy.

 

Grateful Patients

We are very lucky to have a number of Grateful Patients who share their personal health journeys with us, putting a face to our cause. We sometimes feature their stories in our newsletters, blog posts like this one, social media posts and even at our events. Shaniza, a former patient in Humber’s Cancer Care Program, told us why she continues to make appearances on behalf of Humber and share her story at events:

“It feels so good to be on the other side. Returning to Humber to speak at Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day is not about being a cheerleader for me…I want to be of service! Breast cancer doesn’t define me, but if I hear about someone needing chemo, I’ll be at their side. I want to give support like the support I got.”

 

Event Committees

The volunteers who make up our incredible Event Committees are creative thinkers, ticket sellers and so much more! These teams work tirelessly to keep our signature events fresh and ensure they are sold out year after year. Rose Leto was a brand new volunteer on our Humber Heels Committee in 2017. We were so happy with the surge of energy she brought to this year’s event. Rose told us:

“Volunteering is important because it strengthens community and builds longstanding relationships. Growing up, my family and I benefited from the amazing services and supports available at the Hospital. As an adult, I felt compelled to contribute to Humber so that others could experience the same sense of community. I joined the Humber Heels committee two years ago and feel fortunate to have connected with a group of amazing women working together for a great cause. It is especially rewarding to support a hospital that the community can rely on throughout the various stages of their lives.”

 

Volunteer Fundraisers

Our job as fundraisers is to connect philanthropists with our cause and show them why they should be investing in Humber River Hospital. This is not always easy, and we are so grateful to the volunteers who help open doors, connect us to new people and introduce generous donors to our Hospital.

“It’s an honour to volunteer my time to help raise money and awareness for Humber River Hospital’s Child & Adolescent Mental Health Program,” says Enza Tiberi-Checchia , right, “They are making a true difference for so many patients. There is still much work to be done, and together we can realize our dreams of a better future for mental health. My call to change the way we see and treat mental illness aligns with the values, goals and efforts of HRH and it is my pleasure and my joy to contribute to those shared goals.” 

“I’m committed to volunteering and serving my community because it’s the right thing to do,” adds Paul Golini Jr., left, “Like Enza, I’m passionate about mental health causes and I’ve also been a supporter of Humber River Hospital for many years. The work we’ve done to support their Mental Health Program has been a labour of love. I’m grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to give back to such a great organization.”

 

Office Volunteers

Our Office Volunteers help us tackle day-to-day work that would otherwise bog us down and slow our progress. Because of these dedicated people, we can tackle so many more projects and meet deadlines faster than ever. Our beloved team member Marcella helps us with everything from organizing donor mailings to filling pamphlet boxes around the Hospital. Marcela told us why she shows up without fail every week:

“Why do I volunteer? This is my community! I grew up in the area. After I retired I wanted to give back. The Foundation office makes me feel like I’m part of the team. The more I do, the more I enjoy it.”

 

 

Leadership Volunteers

Leadership Volunteers, like the men and women who serve on our Board of Directors, lend their time to help us make tough decisions and operate responsibly so that we can do our best possible work on behalf of Humber River Hospital and its patients. Tony Malfara, above, who joined our board in June 2014, explained why he lends his time to fundraising for Humber’s Healthy Living Program:

“What I love most about volunteering on the HRH Foundation Board of Directors is the opportunity to give back to the community in a way that aligns with my passions. When you’re passionate about something – as I am about seniors care – it’s much easier to work at it, fundraise for it and encourage your networks to get involved too. The Healthy Living Program at Humber is doing some truly amazing work and I am thrilled to align my volunteer efforts in the service of this area of care.”

Another one of our board members, Frank Klemenchuk, above, told us why he continues to volunteer as a board member:

“It’s a pleasure to be part of the Humber family helping to fundraise and also work on the Foundation Board to provide guidance and oversight.  It’s been quite a journey over the past decade.  We have a fantastic team and a facility to be proud of supporting.  The work is far from over, but the momentum is there and together we will continue the success.”

 

Physicians, Hospital Admin and Staff

Whether it’s connecting us to grateful patients, speaking at our events to give donors an inside look at healthcare at Humber or endlessly providing tours to groups of donors – many physicians, hospital administrators and staff go beyond their job descriptions to help the Foundation achieve our goal of raising money for the Hospital. Bhupinder Nijjer, Humber’s Pharmacy Automation Supervisor, has helped us spotlight the Pharmacy Department in Foundation videos and on Hospital tours. Bhupinder told us:

“The end result can be a packaged pill; but to see how that whole process is unveiled and the look of amazement in people’s eyes when they see the robots work is what makes it a joy to give tours.”

 

 

At-Event Volunteers

Humber’s signature events are some of the most beautiful, well-thought-out and FUN parties to attend. We pride ourselves on making sure all of our guests have the best time and that lots of money is raised for Humber in the process. If you’ve ever planned even a small event, you know they are not easy. The many moving parts and details are made possible thanks to – you guessed it – VOLUNTEERS. We are so grateful to have a number of people volunteer at our events year after year to make sure they go smoothly. This past year, a group of 10 bankers from our local CIBC branch, led by Ejvis Cani, rallied to make volunteering at our Humber Heels event a fun, team-building night out with their colleagues. We are so grateful for their collective support!

“Strengthening our communities and supporting local organizations like Humber is really important to CIBC,” says Rayan, who volunteered at Humber Heels in 2017.

“As a community hospital, Humber cares for our clients, friends, and neighbours, which is really meaningful,” says Ejvis, “We were happy to be a part of Humber Heels and look forward to being more involved in the coming years!”

 

 

Interested in becoming a volunteer? Click here, so we can get in touch.