National Volunteer Week 2025
National Volunteer Week is two weeks away, and we’re celebrating alongside Volunteer Canada.
The National Volunteer Week theme for 2025 is “Volunteers Make Waves”. It highlights the power, impact and importance of individual and collective volunteer efforts across Canada. Like a wave, volunteering is movement building.
We could not do what we do across our community without our volunteers who support Waterloo Region Community Foundation (WRCF) and wanted to take this opportunity to recognize our dedicated volunteers who help ensure our communities are equitable, connected, and sustainable; and people are thriving.
At WRCF, our volunteers make waves, bringing their time, skills, empathy, creativity, expertise, and insights to help us support people and organizations across Waterloo Region on a daily basis.
We asked two of our past volunteers, Patricia Mighton, former member of WRCF’s Community Grants Committee, and V. Tiwari, former member of WRCF’s Racial Equity Grants Committee, to share their thoughts on their experience volunteering with WRCF.
Why did you volunteer with WRCF?
“I volunteered with WRCF because I was invited to do so. A few years ago Blessing asked another volunteer, a friend of ours, if she knew anyone in Wilmot Township who might be interested in serving on the Community Grants Committee. Our friend suggested me. It’s a simple concept, but asking someone to help makes them feel wanted, needed, and potentially useful.
When Blessing called there was no arm-twisting necessary. I had no previous direct involvement with WRCF but knew a little about the organization and the valuable philanthropic work Community Foundations do across the country. When you are approaching 80 and offered a completely new opportunity to participate in your home community, to meet new people, learn about unfamiliar local organizations, and perhaps make a useful contribution, you would be foolish not to jump at the chance. And besides that, Blessing’s friendly charm would be difficult to resist.
I am so glad I accepted Blessing’s invitation. What an eye-opener! The grant applicant organizations serve a huge variety of needs in Waterloo Region. There are so many different ways in which they act to improve life for members of our community. I thought I knew about this community but I learned how much was happening that I knew nothing about.”
-- Patricia Mighton
“My time volunteering with WRCF has provided a sense of benevolence and philanthropy. As a person of colour, giving back to the community is not only a demonstration of altruism and compassion, but also a display of leadership and responsibility. By actively participating in service to our community, we help to build a social infrastructure to inspire positive change within society. As leaders, our actions have the power to mobilize and unify individuals from all backgrounds towards a common goal of uplifting and supporting one another.”
-- V. Tiwari
How do you benefit from your volunteer participation?
“My husband and I moved to Wilmot Township in 1968. We have learned that Waterloo Region is an amazingly generous, philanthropic community. Local media do a great job of reporting on the many acts of generosity – big and small – and telling the inspirational stories of ordinary and extraordinary individuals who give their time, talents, and money to improve the lives of others. When you are surrounded by and read about individuals and organizations whose efforts make this a good place to live and raise a family, you realize the importance of getting involved.
Volunteering allows you to meet and make friends with members of your community who share a common interest or purpose. Volunteering takes you beyond your immediate personal or family circle and introduces you to the broader community. It enhances a feeling of belonging and provides the satisfaction of making a useful contribution to society. It helps to generate a sense of pride in your community. At the same time, you are exposed to the gaps, to the individuals who are left out, whose basic needs are unmet. When you are given an opportunity to use your particular, individual skills to serve others you feel that your life has greater value. Life is richer.
My thanks to WRCF for the work you do in our community, and for inviting me to participate.”
-- Patricia Mighton
“Giving back provides connection with and support for those in our region. This connection and social support creates a network of care that transcends boundaries. This sense of unity and collective action can serve as a source of empowerment and resilience, enabling us to navigate challenges together. Through our dedication to service, we can empower and uplift our community, create opportunities for growth and development, and foster a sense of belonging and unity. It is through our leadership in giving back that we can pave the way for a more inclusive, equitable, and thriving society for all.”
-- V. Tiwari
Click here to view our current list of volunteers.
If you are interested in learning more about future volunteer opportunities with WRCF, you can submit an Expression of Interest form, and we will reach out if a volunteer position becomes available.