Originally Posted by: Waterloo Region Record

WATERLOO — Reep Green Solutions was awarded $8,000 at the first Perfect Pitch competition hosted by Social Venture Partners Waterloo Region.

Six local charities were chosen to participate in the organization's workshop earlier this year, and then brought their pitches to the Centre For International Governance Innovation in Waterloo on Tuesday.

Reep got the judges' choice award. But all the charities that participated — Extend-A-Family Waterloo Region, House of Friendship, Kitchener-Waterloo Humane Society, Sadie's Place for Innovative Inclusion, and Waterloo Region Family Network — received money as each audience member directed their ticket proceeds to the charity of their choice. That raised more than $5,000 that was divided according to the votes each charity received.

As part of the pitch workshop and competition, charities received guidance from coaches in the business and tech/startup worlds to boost their skill at telling their organization's story.

Social Venture Partners builds relationships between people who want to give back and the charities that make change possible. Since launching in 2010, it has turned $425,000 of cash awards into more than $2.97 million of support for eight charities, and has connected more than 100 professionals and community builders.