TORONTO, May 14, 2024
/CNW/ - United Way Greater Toronto (UWGT) is thrilled to welcome
CIBC President and CEO Victor Dodig
as the 2024 Community Campaign Chair. UWGT is also pleased to
announce Monique Jilesen, Managing
Partner at Lenczner Slaght, as this year's Major Individual Giving
Cabinet Chair.
With a proven track record of leadership and a passion for
UWGT's mission, Victor brings a wealth of experience and insights
that will undoubtedly take this year's Campaign to new heights.
"Strong communities are critical to a strong nation, and with
many in our communities experiencing hardship, it's never been more
important to invest in the fabric of the neighbourhoods where
we live and work. I have seen firsthand the incredible work United
Way Greater Toronto does to empower and enable the most vulnerable
members of our communities throughout Peel, Toronto and York regions, and I am honoured to lend my
support to this year's campaign."
- Victor Dodig, CIBC President
and CEO, and United Way 2024 Community Campaign Chair
Over the past 25 years, Monique
Jilesen has increasingly dedicated her time, resources, and
influence to support United Way, particularly its programs
empowering and supporting women and children.
"A long time ago, someone told me that they saw United Way as a
'giving concierge' for what's most important in the community and I
like to think of it that way, too. I have confidence in the work
that United Way does, the research they do, and the support they
offer to their community partners. As this year's Chair of United
Way's Major Individual Giving Cabinet, I'm honoured to take their
mission and message forward, and give back to the community in
which I live."
- Monique Jilesen, Managing
Partner, Lenczner Slaght and United Way 2024 Major Individual
Giving Cabinet Chair
"I am truly grateful that two United Way long-time champions are
joining us to play a crucial role in leading this year's Campaign,
by cultivating partnerships and mobilizing resources that will
support our mission. United Way's priority will always be to meet
the basic, urgent needs of our communities across the GTA –
building more inclusive communities where everyone has access to
the building blocks they need for a good life: safe housing; stable
income and employment; local services, recreation and opportunities
for engagement."
- Daniele Zanotti, President
& CEO, United Way Greater Toronto
Last year's campaign, amid a challenging economic climate,
raised an extraordinary $111 million,
which was the result of 800 workplaces, a network of over 300
agencies, 80,000 donors and 2,000 volunteers driving the GTA's
largest movement of volunteerism and philanthropy.
United Way Greater Toronto extends beyond providing essential
services such as food and shelter through a network of nonprofit
agencies. Our approach combines cutting-edge research, local
advocacy, and cross-sector collaboration to drive meaningful
change. UWGT builds partnerships with corporate, government, and
community organizations to launch innovative initiatives designed
to build resilient neighborhoods where prosperity is accessible to
all.
To join United Way and help communities across the GTA meet
basic needs and improve social conditions, click here to
contribute to this year's campaign.
About Victor Dodig, United Way 2024 Community Campaign
Chair: Victor Dodig leads a team of over 47,000 team
members globally who live CIBC's purpose every day – helping
make ambitions a reality. Under Victor's tenure, CIBC has
transformed into a modern relationship-oriented bank,
with a North American platform for growth and a commitment to
enable a more sustainable future for all stakeholders. Victor is a
strong advocate for Canada on the
world stage, and a proponent of creating a more prosperous and
inclusive future. He serves as the current Chair of the Business
Council of Canada. Victor is
committed to inclusion, both to strengthen our social fabric and as
an economic imperative. He serves as Chair of CIBC's Inclusion
Leadership council and is Past Co-Chair of the Black
North Initiative. He is a recipient of the 2017 Catalyst Canada
Honours (Company Leader) Champion award, is Past Chair of the
Catalyst Canada Advisory Board and Past Chair of
the 30% Club Canada. Victor resides in Toronto with his wife, Maureen. They are the
proud parents of four children.
About Monique Jilesen, United
Way Major Individual Giving Cabinet Chair: Monique Jilesen is Managing Partner at Lenczner
Slaght and one of Canada's leading
litigators who clients turn to for their most complex commercial
disputes. She is known as a powerful and fearless advocate,
unafraid to take on tough, notable, and high-profile cases, even at
a moment's notice. Her recent cases are a particularly noteworthy
example of her practice. Highlights include acting as counsel to
the Ukrainian World Congress in an application for judicial review
of Canada's decision to allow the
delivery of turbines to Germany
for use by a sanctioned Russian company, and successfully securing
an unprecedented Mareva order freezing up to $20 million of assets and
cryptocurrency of Freedom Convoy leaders in Li v
Barber. She has also previously represented Douglas Cardinal in an injunction to restrain
the use in Canada of the
Cleveland baseball team's racist
name and logo on human rights grounds. Consistently recognized for
her exceptional work, Monique was awarded The Advocates' Society's
prestigious Douglas K. Laidlaw Award
for Excellence in Advocacy, named Litigator of the Year at the
Canadian Law Awards, and recognized as "Canada's top litigator" in Toronto Life's
prestigious Top 50 Most Influential of 2023 list, an exclusive
ranking of the people who represent Toronto on a world stage and whose bravery,
smarts and influence are changing the world.
About United Way: As the largest non-government funder of
community services in the GTA, United Way Greater Toronto
reinforces a crucial community safety net to support people living
in poverty. United Way's network of agencies and initiatives in
neighbourhoods across Peel, Toronto and York Region works to ensure that
everyone has access to the programs and services they need to
thrive today. Mobilizing community support, United Way's work is
rooted in ground-breaking research, strategic leadership, local
advocacy and cross-sectoral partnerships committed to building a
more equitable region and lasting solutions to the GTA's greatest
challenges.
SOURCE United Way Greater Toronto