Rooted is all about the people and the places that make us proud to call our community home.
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For the past twelve years Kate Merritt-Dupelle has led the way for many charitable organizations and not-for-profits in North Bay and the area to receive funding for their efforts. As Executive Director of the North Bay and Area Community Foundation, it was Merritt-Dupelle’s job to find ways to help those organizations meet their goals.
“At the core of my work at the Community Foundation was a love for this area, a desire to drive positive change, and a goal to help those who provide front-line services,” she says. “Aside from getting to know many incredible people, it was wildly inspiring to learn about all of the organizations, projects, and people who are working to serve our community. I was blown away by how our community is so interconnected. What I loved most about my time at the NBACF were the relationships I built with those who are deeply passionate about our area and working with those individuals to support the community in meaningful ways.”
Merrit-Dupelle says those are the principals she will now take with her over to her new role at the North Bay Regional Health Centre Foundation (NBRHCF) as the Development Officer, Major Gifts.
“My colleagues and I work with our community to inspire investment in exceptional healthcare, close to home. Funding medical equipment is a partnership between our government, our hospital, and our community. It is truly an honour to be a part of our community partnership.”
Born and raised in North Bay, Merritt-Dupelle says she was drawn to this line of work because her parents nurtured the value of giving back to the community.
“Volunteer work and charitable giving were part of our family activities. I spent time working at the Salvation Army Christmas Kettles, volunteering at the Dragon Boat Festival, cleaning up Camp Tillicum after the summer season and so much more; I was always one step behind my dad,” she says. “I was lucky enough to grow up with a shining example of what it means to be a principled and caring human. My parents valued kindness and honesty and demonstrated through their example what it means to show up for people. I think working in philanthropy is my way of carrying on this tradition. I can remember sitting in my interview for the Community Foundation with Jack Burrows and telling him I just wanted to do work I could be proud of – I got the job”
Merritt-Dupelle holds an Honours B.A. with a Major in Humanities from York University. More recently, she completed the ‘Indigenous Canada’ course at the University of Alberta and ‘Love as a Force for Social Justice’ Course at Stanford University. She says over the last few years access to healthcare has been a key determinant of overall community health and adds, “We know quality healthcare goes beyond helping individuals – it strengthens communities.”
That’s why a job with the NBRHCF was something that felt right for Merritt-Dupelle.
“I feel strongly about advocacy for smaller-sized and northern communities. The fact that these two elements are central to my work here at the Foundation makes this a perfect fit for me. Like most people, I have experienced some of the best moments of my life at our hospital and incredibly difficult ones as well,” she says.
“Our hospital is a place we are all tied to, and I want to do what I can to ensure our medical professionals have the tools they require, and we have access to care and programs to serve our area well. I am thrilled to be part of not only the Foundation team, but the Health Centre team that I am so inspired by.”
And there have been a lot of inspiring moments for Merritt-Dupelle to reflect on during her tenure at the Community Foundation.
“The first thing that comes to mind is when we established the Keera Daniel Memorial Scholarship. I think this was a defining moment for me and clearly illustrated what an honour it is to do this work. Learning about a young woman who inspired her peers and community through conversations with her incredibly resilient mother, and getting to build something that will endlessly celebrate her warmth and strength is something I will forever hold close to my heart,” she says.
“More recently, I think stepping back and looking at the overall impact that the Community Foundation has made over the past decade was breathtaking. In the early days, I was so thrilled to be disbursing five grants of $1,000 and what that meant for our community. Flash forward 12 years, and the NBACF has provided more than $5,000,000 in regional grants. While it is just a number, it translates to backpacks filled with essential supplies for children, access to vital programming, equipment to aid first responders in finding clients with Alzheimer’s who have become lost and so much more.”
Merritt-Dupelle says it is a privilege to work in this sector.
“We have incredible opportunities to connect our community with impactful causes. We facilitate the desire of people to make a difference in the lives of others. It is an incredibly meaningful and rewarding career.”
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