FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oakville, Ont., September 17, 2026 – The Oakville Community Foundation has announced its GIVEOakville Leadership Council for 2026 ahead of the annual campaign.
Andy Aicklen and Jen Zhou are returning as Co-Leads of the GIVEOakville Leadership Council. Both currently serve as Board Members of the Oakville Community Foundation and will be leading the charge to meet their $1 million+ fundraising goal.
“It’s been wonderful to call Oakville my home for the past 40 years. Having enjoyed living here and growing our family during this time, my wife and I are always looking at ways we can give back. The best way I know is GIVEOakville, the annual fall giving campaign that supports a variety of 71 charities in our community. I love all the different choices we have to contribute and know that our financial donations can make a real difference not only to the charities themselves but to the people they serve.”
– Andy Aicklen, Co-Lead GIVEOakville Leadership Council
“As I grew up, I was fortunate to experience so many unexpected blessings—people offered me encouragement, opportunities, and support that helped shape who I am today. Those experiences inspired me to give back to the community. That is what I love about GIVEOakville: it brings people together through a shared commitment to give where we live. By connecting generous donors with more than 70 local charities, we can make a meaningful difference close to home. After three years of working alongside the Foundation’s dedicated staff and volunteers, I am excited to serve on the Leadership Council again and help make this year’s campaign our strongest yet.”
– Jen Zhou, Co-Lead GIVEOakville Leadership Council
The Council is made up of a diverse group of community volunteers that also includes:
- Josh Engelbrecht
- Megan Ip
- Gwen Liu
- Glory Kabila
- Kyle McGill
- Victoria Mida
- Faiza Sandhu
- Sarah Vidic
- Jeff Zhu
“Council members are ambassadors of the GIVEOakville campaign and a great representation of the Oakville community. We’re grateful for their experience and hard work in supporting the local charitable sector and encouraging generosity in our community,” said Wendy Rinella, CEO of The Foundation. “If anyone else is interested in helping us reach this important community goal please contact us at giving@theocf.org.”
GIVEOakville brings local Oakville charities onto one platform. Donors can support as many charities as they like in a single transaction without transaction fees, meaning 100% of the donation goes directly to the charity.
The campaign officially launches November 13 and runs until December 7th. Everyone is invited to attend our in-person event, GIVEOakville LIVE!, on November 15 at Appleby College. This is a great opportunity for members of the public to meet the local charities and connect with others who are passionate about Oakville.
Those interested in helping to promote the GIVEOakville campaign can sign up to receive a lawn sign here. Local businesses can also sign up to receive GIVEOakville Guides and other promotional materials for their in-person or online businesses, here.
Over $5 million has been donated through GIVEOakville since 2019. Donations can be made year-round to the GIVEOakville Fund that are then distributed to the charities during the campaign.
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GIVEOakville
GIVEOakville is Oakville’s premier annual charity fundraising campaign. With more than 70 charities, all donations go directly to the charities, receive a tax receipt and make a difference here in Oakville. The campaign runs from November 13 to December 7 but donations can be made year-round to the GIVEOakville Fund.
Oakville Community Foundation
The Oakville Community Foundation is for people, businesses & organizations who love Oakville and want to see it thrive. As a public charitable organization that invests and stewards more than $100 million in charitable assets, we encourage generosity and build community wellbeing. We are a community of philanthropists that has granted over $80 million to charities and into the community since 1994. You can see our impact in the local trails, public gardens, trees, affordable housing, bursaries & scholarships, charitable organizations and social infrastructure throughout the community. We bring the community together to research urgent needs and fund lasting solutions to the biggest challenges facing Oakville.
Media Contact
Taline McPhedran
Senior Manager, Communications
taline@theocf.org
