Building a GTA for all. Any way we can

Soaring rent. Rising food costs. Skyrocketing living costs.  

At United Way, we wake up to a different alarm. We start each day ready to roll-up-our-sleeves and fight local poverty with all that we’ve got.  

And together, with the power of community, we are working tirelessly to connect 1.8 million people across Peel, Toronto and York Region to the support they need. Rising up to meet emerging challenges with smart and scalable solutions. Protecting community spaces, ensuring lights are on and doors open when people need them. 

The challenges of today are demanding a bigger, bolder United Way — and we’re here for it.  

Courageous. Tenacious. Unapologetic. We are doing everything we can to build stronger neighbourhoods across the GTA, where everyone has what they need to thrive.  

Want to know what that work looks like? We’ve put together just a few examples of the many ways we are working to build a GTA for all. Any way we can.  

United Way Greater Toronto’s 10 Community Hubs are a cornerstone of our neighbourhood work across the GTA, strengthening communities across our region. With more than 500,000 visits last year alone, these accessible one-stop shops offer vital community services: after-school programs for youth, social clubs and community kitchens for residents to connect, settlement services for newcomers, child and family drop-in centres, activity programs for seniors, health clinics, employment programs, spaces for community engagement and so much more! 

And as our region is set to face unprecedented growth in the years to come, we are looking to do more of what we know works to meet growing and changing community needs. There have been 4.5 million visits to our Hubs since they opened their doors and we want to bring that access to more residents. Our aim is to build and bring 10 more Community Hubs in the next decade across Peel, Toronto and York Region — ensuring everyone can access the programs and services they need to thrive.

Serpil was 15 years old and about to enter the shelter system before finding a United Way-funded agency that gave her the housing and support she needed to thrive. United Way funds more than 40 housing programs, including wraparound supports that go beyond providing shelter. Through supporting agencies like 360°kids, Our Place – Peel and Street Haven, we are aiming to connect people to the programs and services they need to become financially independent and stay housed in the long term.  

Last year alone, our work was able to provide support to more than 52,250 people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness to improve their condition, provide nutritional meals, basic health and personal supplies to more than 36,300 people, and help more than 20,000 people maintain their housing. 

As our region grows, we are determined that gentrification and soaring rental costs do not lead to the displacement of the people and places that we love across the GTA and to ensure our neighbourhoods feel like home. To ensure programs and services can continue to stay open, we are working to strengthen our social safety net, protect community spaces for our network of 300 agencies and build their capacity to meet urgent and emerging needs now and for years to come. 

As we look to ensure everyone across our region has what they need to thrive, United Way is proud to be a founding partner of 211. By dialing 2-1-1 (or reaching out by text or chat), this free, confidential service connects people to information on community-based health, social and government services in their community. Each year, 1.2 million people are served by 211 in the GTA.  

Any way we can — four small words, but here at United Way, they mean a whole lot. It means all of us, doing everything we can, using every tool in our toolbox to fight local poverty. It represents our vision for the GTA ahead: strong neighbourhoods where residents have access to all the things they need to build a good life.  

Food, housing, good jobs, mental health supports. Innovative community-first solutions. Partnerships and collaboration. Research and advocacy. It takes a whole lot to make real, lasting change — but we’re all in. 

We love this place we call home and we hope you will show your love for it, too. Because building community takes community. Shoulder to shoulder, we will build a GTA where everyone can thrive. Any way we can.