Frequently Asked Questions
Click on the questions below to reveal the answers.
- First, the charities that receive funds from Federated Health are health-related charities—the United Way funds social-service agencies. The 17 Federated Health member charities are not agencies of the United Way;
- Second, Federated Health’s campaign only takes place inside the Ontario Public Service. Unlike the United Way, the campaign is not conducted in the general public;
- Third, in addition to raising money, Federated Health is also a workplace health awareness campaign dedicated to helping members of the OPS live healthier lives.
These area offices receive funding from the Ontario offices of the charities so they can provide local services. A large portion of the money raised by Federated Health goes to medical research.
The charities award research grants to scientists they believe to be doing the most promising work towards treatments and cures. Those scientists are located throughout Canada. It is important to remember that a scientist’s work benefits everyone, not just those in the city in which the work actually takes place.
Unfortunately, people affected by these 17 health conditions have needs that range far beyond government’s ability to meet them. That’s why they depend on Federated Health’s charities for services government doesn’t supply—emotional support, telephone hotlines, practical assistance, education programmes, counselling—along with a substantial investment in the search for treatments and cures.
- they must operate province-wide, fund medical research, support health education and awareness, and offer client and patient services;
- they must address a health condition not currently represented in the federation;
- they cannot receive funding from the United Way.
When the campaign grows enough to support the addition of a new charity, organizations recommended by our donors, and other charities, are invited to apply.
If you give by cash, cheque, or credit card the Federated Health office will mail a tax receipt to your home address. (Canada Revenue Agency requires that your home address appear on the receipt.) You should receive that receipt by mid fall.
This information is kept in a strictly confidential manner and is never traded, rented, sold or otherwise revealed to any organization in whole or in part—including the charities that benefit from the campaign.
All of the 17 Federated Health charities conduct campaigns in the general public, so it’s possible that some of those programs may reach your home.
You can simply choose simply to ignore those requests, or to contact the charity and ask it to not send requests because you prefer to give through the OPS Health Charities Campaign.
The family, or the individual, will be told which charity (or group of charities) was designated to receive the donation (though not the amount of the donation).
These donations can be made at any time throughout the year through the Federated Health Charities Office at 647-278-9861.
Did You Know?
Federated Health Charities began in 1983, when members of the OPS created their own campaign to allow them to contribute to health charities in the same way they were able to contribute to social service agencies through the United Way campaign – chiefly through payroll deduction, but also by cash, cheque, Visa or MasterCard, as well as through participation in special events. Since the United Way campaign ran in the fall, Federated Health became a spring campaign, currently running from the beginning of April to the end of June.