Spotlight on United Way of NL & Shallaway

Executive Director, Jennifer Neary, accepts cheque from United Way NL on behalf of Shallaway Youth Choir.

Shallaway has been the voice of young choral enthusiasts, and their mentors, in the province for the past 25 years. By fostering an appreciation for choral music, the organization has also been helping youth to develop creative expression, independence, confidence and leadership skills, just to name a few. Now, Shallaway will be able to reach even more youth thanks to a recent donation from the United Way of Newfoundland & Labrador.

The $7,000 donation was made under the United Way of NL’s Community Fund grant to help Shallaway provide financial scholarships and bursaries to youth who would not be able to participate otherwise.

"One of United Way’s three priority focus areas is helping kids be all that they can be. One of the goals of investments in youth-serving organizations such as Shallaway is to work to ensure that we can put kids on the path to success...ensuring they have the opportunities they need to thrive," says Tammy Davis, Executive Director of United Way of NL.

The information received from recipient organizations through the funding agreement, Davis says, allows them to communicate the outcomes of support, and the impact on lives, back to their donors - “the very people that made the grant possible."

"In efforts to increase the awareness of the general population, we also, as much as we can, spread the word about the work that is being done in the community by the organizations that we support,” she adds.

The goal of the Community Fund grants, Davis says, is to support programs and projects that help improve the lives of those most vulnerable in the community - something which pairs perfectly with Shallaway’s Equal Opportunity Bursary program.

"When United Way partners with arts groups, we do it with the knowledge that arts education helps children develop higher-level skills such as critical thinking and problem solving; that the arts can have a positive impact on the development of local communities and social networks; that arts and culture help to engage new immigrants with social institutions and that culture builds stronger communities,” Davis says.

"We are proud to help improve these outcomes.”

Jennifer Neary, Executive Director of Shallaway Youth Choir, says the organization is dedicated to making their programs accessible to all.

“We are delighted to be able to offer a bursary program to choristers who may benefit from financial assistance. Organizations like United Way Newfoundland and Labrador make it possible for funding programs such as this to exist, and we are very grateful for their support,” she says.

"This funding ensures that youth, regardless of circumstance, are able to participate in our programs and be exposed to the arts.”