This past Wednesday, Niagara College hosted its annual holiday celebration at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The NC community gathered in the courtyard, indulging in the festive spirit, enjoying delicious food, and reflecting on this year’s amazing accomplishments of the College and its employees.
Despite the cold weather, “the incredible warmth of our Niagara College culture shines through,” said Niagara College President Sean Kennedy during his welcoming remarks.
A long-cherished tradition at the holiday celebration is the reveal of the total funds raised for NC’s annual United Way Workplace Campaign. Since October, the College community has worked together to support the campaign and help those in need in our local community.
President Kennedy excitedly announced that $58,782 was raised this year, bringing the cumulative total of donations raised by the College over the past thirty years to over one million dollars. The NC community didn’t just meet its campaign goal of $50,000–it exceeded it, with additional funds raised through payroll deduction donations since the announcement, bringing the total to $59,932, surpassing the goal by 120 percent.
NC Cares Campaign Co-Chairs Ali Weir and Becky Sciliberto took the podium to thank everyone in the NC community who supported the campaign through promotion, event hosting, and donations.
All NC Cares committee members, ambassadors, and co-chairs from this year and previous years joined together on stage to reveal and celebrate the cumulative total of $1,014,782.
“It’s truly heartwarming to see the kindness and generosity of our College community in action,” said NC Cares Co-Chair Ali Weir, Manager of Student Engagement at Niagara College. “This year’s incredible success in our workplace campaign wouldn’t have been possible without the amazing teamwork and support of so many of you.” Weir co-chaired the NC Cares in a Million Ways Campaign alongside Becky Sciliberto, Manager of Global Compliance & Reporting at Niagara College.
Weir and Sciliberto expressed heartfelt thanks to all the teams that helped elevate the campaign and make it such a success, including Community Relations and Events (CRE), Corporate Communications, Finance, Marketing, and ITS. They also acknowledged the College departments that hosted fundraisers this year: Athletics and Student Engagement, Culinary, Tourism and Beverage division, Niagara College Student Administrative Council (NCSAC), NC Greenhouse, and School of Trades (Hairstyling program).
A special thank you was extended to the NC Cares committee and the new ambassador squad, whose dedication and hard work were instrumental in this year’s campaign success and expanded reach. The NC Cares Committee includes Co-Chairs Becky Sciliberto and Ali Weir, Lindsey Hendriks (Employee Campaign Coordinator), Jennifer Murphy, Leah Neamtu, and Nimisha Sumanthi.
“Last but not least, thanks to all of you, our NC community,” said Sciliberto. “Whether you donated a prize, participated in an event, or made a donation, each contribution, no matter the size, has made a significant impact.”
United Way Niagara representatives, including CEO Frances Hallworth and Development Officer Ryan Michaels, also joined the holiday celebration to thank everyone for their support.
“What an honour it is to be a part of the NC holiday celebration and what a great tradition you’ve started in inviting us here to reveal your fundraising total,” said Hallworth. “United Way and Niagara College share very similar goals: ensuring that everyone is taken care of, no one goes hungry, and everyone has a safe place to call home. You’ve made it clear that it’s not just college students that you want to reach their full potential, it’s everyone right here in Niagara.”
United Way Niagara CEO Frances Hallworth thanked the College community for their continued support of the campaign and accepted this year’s donation.
“I am so proud of Niagara College for hitting the milestone of raising over $1 million dollars for United Way,” she added.
About United Way:
United Way Niagara exists to support the most vulnerable people, when and where they need it, by investing in life-changing programs that strengthen the social safety net and build capacity in Niagara.
Thank you to all who supported this year’s NC United Way Workplace Campaign and helped spread joy to those who need it most this holiday season. Stay tuned for details on the College’s continued support for United Way in 2025 via the NC Cares website here.
For more information on United Way Niagara, visit unitedwayniagara.org.
