Tackling poverty is a team effort. That’s why the Edmonton Elks partnered with United Way to host Momentum 2022, during the Green and Gold’s game against the Toronto Argonauts, Oct. 15 at The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium.
“Our donors, volunteers, and partners are an integral part of United Way’s work to build a better, stronger community,” says Rob Yager, President & CEO of United Way of the Alberta Capital Region. “Momentum was a chance to reconnect after time apart and remind ourselves that change is possible when we work together.”
For more than 80 years, United Way of the Alberta Capital Region has been partnering with area agencies to help people in the greater Edmonton area meet their most pressing needs, while also addressing the root causes of poverty.
Over the past few years, the pandemic, rising inflation, food insecurity, global conflict, mental illness, and other social issues have also exposed just how complicated poverty is to solve.
“Poverty is complex,” Yager says. “It looks different for everyone who experiences it, which means there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. And we must work together to address it.”
Thanks to unique partnerships, collaborations with frontline agencies, and the support of donors, United Way takes a systems-wide approach to addressing the needs of individuals, children, and families. From distributing backpacks full of school supplies to kids in need to offering financial literacy programs to those wanting to improve their economic well-being, United Way helps hundreds of thousands of people in the Capital Region every year.
Attending #Momentum2022 tomorrow? Don't forget your #PeriodPromise donation of menstrual products!
Join @GoElks linebacker @nylesmorgan_5 in tackling the stigma around menstruation today! 💥🏈
Learn more about Period Promise: https://t.co/JHQYWaImgc#yeg #EndPeriodPoverty pic.twitter.com/2C1Oc1rDFc
— United Way ACR (@myunitedway) October 14, 2022
At the Oct. 15 game, Momentum guests and Elks fans alike showed their support for Period Promise, one of United Way’s newest initiatives aimed at improving access to period products to those in the community who may not be able to afford them. Nearly one hundred packages of menstrual products were donated to the Period Promise collection drive at the game and will be distributed to vulnerable people across the community via local frontline agencies.
“We’ve seen, time and time again, how the Edmonton region is a place where we all want to roll up our sleeves to change things for the better. This was one of those times,” says Yager. “Thank you to our supporters and Elks fans who showed their support for United Way and Period Promise. And thank you to the Edmonton Elks, for partnering with us on Project $2 Million, for hosting a great experience here at Commonwealth, and for raising awareness of poverty in our community. We’re so grateful.”
Visit the United Way website to find out more about its work or to donate.