A bigger, bolder United Way

Dear Friend,

Any way we can. Four small words that pack a lot of meaning.

For us here at United Way, it’s a rallying cry. A commitment to community. A promise to fight local poverty and do everything possible to ensure everyone, in every neighbourhood, has everything they need to thrive.

But the challenges our community faces today are far from ordinary. Skyrocketing rents. High cost of living. Rising food insecurity. One in four families in the GTA live in poverty.

And as our region is projected to grow to over 9 million people in the next decade, the need for a strong social safety net will only intensify — yet soaring operating costs are forcing essential community agencies to close their doors when they are needed more than ever.

But with more conviction than ever — backed by decades of experience working in, and with, community — we embark on a multi-year effort to build a stronger GTA for the future, where no one is left behind.

Over the next decade, we will strengthen and expand vital services and help community organizations secure long-term space to make sure they are there when people need them, close to home. We will build upon our tried-and-true Community Hubs and add 10 more. We will scale innovative initiatives to drive even greater impact.

This work will not happen overnight. It will take relentless determination and the collective efforts of all of us to get there. Which is why we are so grateful to community champions like you that show your unwavering support and stand united to fight local poverty.

Building community takes community, and together, we will build stronger neighbourhoods for everyone who calls the GTA home — today and for the years to come. Any way we can.

Fighting poverty is hard work but with tenacity, determination and conviction, we are working to build strong communities where everyone has what they need to thrive. Any way we can. 

Fighting poverty is hard work but with tenacity, determination and conviction, we are working to build strong communities where everyone has what they need to thrive. Any way we can. 

How? By investing in community and not giving up until we build a GTA for all. Together, we are: 

Protecting and expanding vital services and fortifying our social safety net — our network of 300 social service agencies — through ongoing investment and capacity building to empower our agencies to reach more people and become stronger for the long term. 

1.2M people served each year by the United Way founded and supported 211 helpline, where residents can access non-emergency social services and supports in their community. 

Future-proofing our neighbourhoods to ensure those vital organizations and community spaces remain firmly rooted in our neighbourhoods and are accessible to people in need as soaring rents and costs threaten their existence.

We are also launching a Community Real Estate Fund, providing grants and support to organizations to secure sustainable community spaces, so they are there for years to come. As we dig in on this long-term initiative, we look forward to sharing on progress and community impact.

Empowering communities and enabling innovative solutions through partnerships that expand community-led initiatives providing wraparound supports, revolutionizing how we tackle our most pressing issues by ensuring people can move forward and build strong foundations for the future.