National Volunteer Week, April 15 to 21, is an opportunity to reflect on and recognize the contribution of Ontario’s 2.9 million volunteers.

Our volunteers are the backbone of communities -- small and large, urban and rural.  Their dedication, their diversity, their knowledge of local needs and their ability to apply those attributes to the betterment of their communities merit more than a mention. They deserve a standing ovation.

Volunteers are vital enablers and animators of civil society.  Their contribution is sizable, but not always measurable.  They don’t make headlines, but they do make a difference. 

As Chair of the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), I see first-hand the tremendous difference volunteers make across the province.  The volunteer members of our 16 Grant Review Teams around the province often travel over large distances and put in long hours to attend meetings, visit organizations and assess proposals from the more than 3,000 registered charities and not-for-profit groups that submit applications to OTF every year. 

OTF Grant Review Team members contribute countless hours under the leadership of their Chairs to review applications and recommend grants. Organizations that received OTF funding in the last 12 months had the support of approximately 200,000 volunteers, who contributed more than 4.8 million hours of time.

That’s a staggering contribution.  And the reward for all this unpaid work, our volunteers tell us, is the satisfaction of knowing they are doing good and helping organizations in their communities do well. 

This year, as our Foundation celebrates its 25th anniversary, we look forward to doing even more for Ontario communities and the volunteer sector, thanks to a recent Provincial Budget in which the government increased our annual funding by 20 per cent over the next three years.

Most volunteers do not expect to be recognized -- making a difference has its own rewards for them.  But showing our gratitude during Volunteer Week will confirm to them that their contributions count in their communities. And remember, the best way to thank a volunteer is to become one.

Helen Burstyn
Chair, Ontario Trillium Foundation