Ignite - Empower - Innovate
For our 11th year, the IWD Guelph-Wellington committee is excited to honour women from all ages and stages at our annual celebration of International Women’s Day at Victoria Park East Golf Club in Guelph.
The 2023 IWD Guelph-Wellington event features dinner, a marketplace of women entrepreneurs and a keynote address from Indigenous French-Canadian Entrepreneur Jennifer Ménard-Shand.
We believe the importance on supporting and giving back to our community. This year event proceeds will be donated to United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin’s Home for Good campaign.
Interested in being a vendor at IWD Guelph-Wellington? Fill out a Vendor Application
Agenda
5:00pm Doors Open & Vendor Marketplace Open
6:00pm Dinner & Announcements
7:30pm Keynote Speaker
8:45pm Closing Remarks & Vendor Marketplace
Proceeds - United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin’s Home for Good campaign- A bold call-to-action to solve homelessness in our community.
What is Home for Good?
Through the generosity of our community, we will raise $5 million to build homes for people experiencing homelessness in Guelph and Wellington. The immediate focus is to raise the capital investment required to complete three projects that will contribute 72 supportive housing units in Guelph over the next year. This solution will provide people experiencing chronic homelessness with consistent social and emotional support. Called ‘Permanent Supporting Housing (PSH)’ this can include programs supporting mental health, wellness, and food security. While not the only solution, PSH is life and system changing. Funds raised through the Home for Good campaign will support three PSH projects, including Kindle Communities, Stepping Stone, and Wyndham House, and will move our community toward a 50% reduction in homelessness.
The Home for Good Campaign is a public commitment and invitation to solve homelessness in our community. Guelph and Wellington County have been working hard on this issue for many years and we have the data to show these three projects will go a long way in reaching our goal.
To find out more visit www.homeforgoodgw.ca
Special Event
Indigenous French-Canadian Entrepreneur As an Indigenous French-Canadian entrepreneur, Jennifer Ménard-Shand always dreamed of leading a purpose-driven organization. Today, she lives that dream as the founder and CEO of Staff Shop, an award-winning certified diverse staffing and recruitment firm. Through sharing her inspirational entrepreneurial journey as well as insight into truth and reconciliation in the workplace; equity, diversity, and inclusion; and the labour market, she inspires leaders and their teams to reach their full potential both at home and work. Ménard-Shand began her career in 2008 at one of Toronto’s most trusted full-service recruitment agencies, The Bagg Group (now TalentWorld). In 2013, she created Bagg @Your Service, the organization’s first hospitality and events division, before purchasing her creation in 2018 and evolving it into Staff Shop. Today, her company services hundreds of clients across North America and deploys thousands of employees across Canada as a full-service staffing and resource firm with eight service lines and a focus on global expansion. A First Nations Ojibwe, Ménard-Shand’s entrepreneurial story celebrates the triumph of resiliency. She is a survivor of oppression having faced alcoholism, abuse, neglect, trauma, abandonment, and imposter syndrome throughout her life. She is committed to breaking the silence and putting an end to generational trauma and unhealthy cycles. There is no limit to the positive impact Staff Shop and Ménard-Shand can have on humanity. This is what drives her to do her best and inspire others to reach their full potential and leave a legacy worth following for future generations.