After 15 years of operations and being supported by this community, SWR celebrated by giving back through 15 meaningful acts of service and kindness, one for each year of our history. We are excited to honour the support we’ve received by making a positive impact, one act at a time. Here’s to 15 years of service – and many more to come! Each act reflects our commitment to giving back and highlights how we’re working together to create a stronger, more sustainable community.
Card Writing – In January, our team made and wrote cards for seniors in long-term care facilities through a program called Sending Sunshine. Together we were able to make over 25 homemade cards with friendly messages that were delivered to people across the country.
SHORE Office Painting – In February, the SWR office team helped to paint SHORE’S new clinic space before their grand opening.
Food4Kids Food Portioning – In March, we teamed up with Food4Kids Waterloo Region to pack snacks for school children in need.
KW Orchestra Ushering – In April, a few of our team members volunteered as ushers at the KW Chamber Orchestra’s Concerto Competition Gala, greeting guests and accepting tickets at the door. They were also lucky enough to enjoy the incredible performances of these talented young musicians.
Learn more about the KW Chamber Orchestra: https://kwchamberorchestra.ca/concerto-competition-gala/
Earth Day Cleanup – In celebration of Earth Day in April, we organized a community cleanup around the Research and Technology Park, to give back to the environment surrounding our office space. We extended the invitation to members, partners, and the community and had a great turnout. We made it fun by having discussions about the most interesting things we found, with AirPods being the winner. We ensured to sort the waste and dispose of it properly.
Microforest Planting: Blue Heron – As one of our givebacks in May, we thought we would put our feet on the ground and shovels in the earth as we planted around 100 trees at Blue Heron P.S., as a part of our Microforest Program. Typically we gather volunteers from sponsor organizations or the community, but this time we thought it was a perfect opportunity for our staff to get their hands dirty and give back to the earth and our community.
Clay & Glass Invasive Species Removal – In July, we volunteered with the Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery to help with upkeep of their Community Garden. We assisted with clearing under the trees, taking down invasive plants and planting lots of hostas.
More details on their garden: https://www.theclayandglass.ca/garden/
Shelter Movers – As another giveback in July, we volunteered with Shelter Movers, offering our time and muscles to spend the afternoon lifting and loading boxes and furniture. For those who don’t know. Shelter Movers is a national, volunteer-powered charitable organization providing moving and storage services at no cost to individuals and families fleeing abuse. It was wonderful to support such a wonderful cause.
rare Food Bank Gardening – rare Charitable Research Reserve has always been a close partner of SWR’s, and we were more than happy to join them on a gorgeous day in August to harvest potatoes, garlic, tomatoes and more from their food garden. In a few hours we helped rare bring 128 lbs of produce to the Cambridge Food Bank.
YWKW Drive – In October, the team organized a donation drive to support YW Kitchener-Waterloo’s services, providing items on their wishlist. Over the course of the month, YWKW received a total of 2 boxes and 40 bags of donations through the drive.
Movember – In November, Sustainable Waterloo Region participated in Movember to support men’s health. Movember is a global initiative addressing critical issues like mental health, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer. Our team approached the challenge creatively. While one team member grew a moustache, the rest of the team, all women, participated in the “Move” aspect of Movember. Together, we collectively moved over 100 kilometers, promoting physical well-being and raising awareness for men’s health. This effort was deeply personal for our team. Knowing the challenges many men face with mental health and cancer, we were motivated to make a difference. Through our participation, we raised $1,250 to support life-changing research and initiatives. Movember allowed us to give back meaningfully, aligning with our mission to create a positive impact in our community.
Butterfly Garden Clean Up – The SWR team was at Laurelwood Public School on November 1st to help clean up their learning circle and butterfly garden. The overgrown and dead plants and bushes were removed from the learning circle and paths in the garden. From this community giveback, the students and community can enjoy this space again and connect with nature!
House of Friendship Hamper Delivery – As one of the final givebacks, some of the SWR staff team (and their partners and children) delivered food hampers for House of Friendship. Three teams collectively delivered 30 hampers to those needing a little support this upcoming holiday season. So nice to collaborate on this giveback with a close community partner and friend!
Make the Holiday SWEETER – Going out into the community and spreading some holiday cheer capped off our 15 givebacks for 2024. The SWR team, including some of our kids, created 500 custom gift tags, which were stapled to chocolates from Esta chocolates and handed out to people as they commuted home using active and public transportation in Kitchener, Waterloo, and Guelph. Thank you to members of the volunteer team, board of directors and staff for helping to make the holidays sweeter in our community!
Blood Donations – As a year-long give-back, we created a group with Canadian Blood Services to track donations that SWR team members made throughout the year. Many team members selflessly donated blood to help make a difference for those who need it.
As we reflect on SWR’s 15 Givebacks, it’s clear that these acts of service and kindness were more than just opportunities to give back — they were a chance for us to engage meaningfully with our community, support important causes, and create positive change. Each initiative, whether it was planting trees, supporting local food banks, or volunteering with meaningful organizations, helped us deepen our connection to the community that has supported us over the years.
Through these 15 acts, we honoured our past, while making a lasting impact for the future. We’re proud of the work we’ve done together, and we look forward to continuing this tradition of giving back in the years to come. Here’s to many more opportunities to serve, connect, and grow with our incredible community!