The excitement in Hazel BraithwaiteB次元官网网址檚 voice when she speaks about her work with United Way Greater Victoria is infectious.

Braithwaite, winner of the Black Press Community Initiative Award, canB次元官网网址檛 believe that day after day, she has the opportunity to be involved with an organization such as United Way that supports roughly 100 local organizations.

B次元官网网址淚 almost have to pinch myself everyday in that I get to do a job that helps the community and it just warms my heart. I sit there and go B次元官网网址榳ow, I helped to do thatB次元官网网址�,B次元官网网址� said Braithwaite, who has worked with United Way in various capacities since 2006.

As the current director, donor and partner relations with United Way Greater Victoria, Braithwaite oversees the workplace campaign, which brings more than 200 employee teams from Sooke to Sidney and the Gulf Islands, closer together with fun and meaningful events, creative team-building and leadership development, among other things.

United Way and its campaigns have made a difference in peopleB次元官网网址檚 lives.

Braithwaite has had many conversations with countless people around Greater Victoria who have benefited from the network of services that United Way funds, such as the Therapeutic Riding Association and the Boys and Girls Club.

B次元官网网址淲alking down the street, I would run into someone who inevitably had been helped by that network of services that United Way helped fund,B次元官网网址� said Braithwaite, adding she worked with someone whose child had autism and went to the Therapeutic Riding Association.

B次元官网网址淲hen youB次元官网网址檙e funding over 100 organizations within the community, itB次元官网网址檚 not hard to find someone who has utilized one of those organizations B次元官网网址� all of the money that was raised here. Stayed here. That makes a huge difference in our community.B次元官网网址�