It's an old adage that "history repeats itself". If that's the case for your Federated Health Charities campaign, I couldn't be happier.

That's because Fed Health has 27 years of glorious history—culminating in last year's 2009 campaign, which shattered records and expectations to raise over $2-million for the first time. Your outpouring of generosity in the midst of the worst economy in years is nothing short of miraculous, and I can't thank you enough.

Last year's $2.17-million means that since 1983, members of the Ontario Public Service (OPS) have raised over $29.8-million for Ontario's major health charities through your Federated Health campaigns—an unprecedented achievement for a charity that exists within a single workplace.

Thanks to success like that, 16 Ontario-based health charities have come to depend on your Federated Health donations as a major source of funding for their services.

What you may not know is just how vital your donations are to their ability to help people affected by these life-altering illnesses.

In the charities' descriptions, you'll see how much each charity spent on its services last year, and how much each received from our campaign.

Look at those figures and you'll discover that for 13 of our 16 charities, we contribute between 1% and 33% of their budget for services. That means our donations supply up to one-third of the support services and education so vital to many thousands of our fellow Ontarians affected by or at risk for these illnesses. And you fund research towards more effective treatments that will benefit tens of thousands more.

This is an immense accomplishment for a charity created by and for the OPS, and something of which we can be extremely proud.

I urge you to continue your support during this year's campaign. Let's prove that our remarkable history of generosity and compassion can repeat itself.

Virginia West, Honourary Chair
honourary.chair@federatedhealth.ca

Virginia West is Deputy Minister,
Ministry of Natural Resources