Heating up the Holidays is Back!
Dec. 10, 2009
(Moncton, NB – Dec. 10, 2009) – The United Way in partnership with Co Op fuels, RBC Royal Bank, In Color, Hudson Design and YMCA of Greater Moncton are pleased to announce that they will be launching the Heating up the Holidays fundraising campaign. The funds collected will be used to help area residents who are struggling to pay their oil bills and who risk being left in the cold.
Donations to the Heating up the Holidays program can be made at any RBC Royal Bank branch in Southeastern New Brunswick or at YMCA of Greater Moncton from Dec. 10 to Jan. 16. Last year the Heating up the Holidays fundraiser helped 34 families in need heat their homes. “Christmas time can be an expensive time, but no one should have to make the decision between buying food for their families and heating their homes” says Angelique Reddy, Manager of Community Development for the YMCA of Greater Moncton.
While the bank is collecting the donations, staff with YMCA of Greater Moncton’s Reconnect program will actually coordinate applications from those interested in receiving assistance through the program. (Interested citizens in need can phone Reconnect at 856-4362.)
The Heating up the Holidays program stems from a concept developed two years ago by Matt Eagles of Moncton, an employee with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts’ Global Reservation Centre in Moncton.
While on leave from Fairmont to work as a loaned representative with the United Way of Greater Moncton and Southeastern New Brunswick Region, Eagles fielded a phone call from a woman who was ill and having trouble paying for her home heating oil. To help the lady and others like her, Eagles came up with the idea of challenging Metro Monctonians to take money they might spend on hostess gifts for Christmas parties and instead make a donation to an oil fund for those experiencing financial difficulties.
Zane Korytko, CEO of the YMCA of Greater Moncton, says that while there is no specific financial goal for Heating up the Holidays, the hope is that everyone will be kept warm over the coming months and connected to the supports they need.
“This is a grassroots opportunity for the community to get involved in providing extra support to help vulnerable individuals and families,” said Korytko.
For more information, contact Angelique Reddy Manager of Community Development, YMCA of Greater Moncton, 857-0606, angeliquej.reddy@nb.aibn.com, or Darrell Vautour, Director of the YMCA’s Reconnect Street Intervention Program, at 856-4362, darrell.vautour@nb.aibn.com.







