A Message From Our President: Kelly Gilson Announces Retirement
As the President of the United Way Oxford Board, I would like to share some important news. After 23 years as our Executive Director, and a total of 35 years as an Executive Director in the not-for-profit/charitable sector here in Oxford County, Kelly Gilson will be retiring at the end of September. She will be greatly missed at the helm of our United Way as she has been an inspirational leader, a tireless champion for those who are marginalized, a strong community ambassador and deeply committed to building community awareness on social challenges and advocating for systems change. Kelly has been an inspiring leader for our United Way, along with a respected leader across our community and an active participant within the United Way Movement provincially and nationally. We have benefited greatly from her passion, commitment, vision and integrity along with her ability to mobilize volunteers and corporate partners for good. She has built a strong and impactful organization from which we can continue to build upon as we address current and emerging social needs. During Kelly’s tenure, United Way Oxford has raised over $28,500,000 in revenues to benefit citizens across our community. Through her deep knowledge of local needs, strong relationships, and pragmatic approach, those dollars have been invested in agencies, programs, and services that have positively changed people’s lives.
Kelly led our journey from a fundraiser to a community impact organization that prioritizes the importance of investing in immediate needs as well as upstream supports that pave the way for new opportunities and better futures. Kelly’s passion and creativity brought many new opportunities for our United Way that have become cornerstones of our work. She launched the Student Stairclimb in 2004, Day of Caring in 2006, 211 in 2010, Oxford’s Supplies4Students in 2016, and Tampon Tuesday in 2018 – all activities that bring community together to benefit others. Her strong financial management led us through the recession of 2008 and the recent global pandemic, where United Way Oxford dug deep to support our community partners while also delivering federal dollars to organizations that were on the ground doing vital work during those challenging times. And more recently, Kelly challenged our Board to reimagine our role in the current housing crisis and how we could do more to meet local needs; the result is our unique investment in the recent purchases and openings of the Tillsonburg and Ingersoll Light Houses – homes that now provide safe and affordable housing with supports people need to get back on their feet. The Board is grateful for Kelly’s 23 years of service and leadership and we wish her all the best as she embraces this exciting new chapter. We have a strong succession plan and are currently working to ensure a smooth transition process. An announcement as to the next steps will be made in the coming weeks.
From Kelly: Every day at United Way has been a joy. The work has been energizing and the impact so rewarding. I have had the pleasure of collaborating with some of the best humans ever – staff, volunteers, donors and community partners who are all committed to helping others and building a better Oxford County for everyone. All of this has been made possible thanks to the incredible generosity of individuals, workplaces, businesses, and labour groups who care deeply about this community. My heart is here in Oxford and United Way has allowed me to be fiercely focused on helping our local neighbours. It has been a privilege to be a part of the organization that community members trust and believe in. I will forever be grateful for being a part of the United Way Oxford family.