Child and Youth Success
Every child deserves
the chance to succeed.
But many kids don’t have access to after-school activities or summer programs to keep them from falling behind when they aren’t in the classroom.
These vulnerable youth need places they can go to just be kids. When they have a strong support system, kids feel safe to open up when life gets hard.
Your donation keeps kids inspired and learning, no matter where they grow up.
Child and Youth Success
Every child deserves the chance to succeed.
But many kids don’t have access to after-school activities or summer programs to keep them from falling behind when they aren’t in the classroom.
These vulnerable youth need places they can go to just be kids. When they have a strong support system, kids feel safe to open up when life gets hard.
Your donation keeps kids inspired and learning, no matter where they grow up.
“I want people to know there’s no judgement here, and it’s a fun place to hang out and express your creativity.”
Charlotte is a regular at the Mississippi Mills Youth Centre (MMYC)—a place where she can nurture her leadership skills. She has been coming to the centre for years and now serves as a role model for younger kids.
Unlike school, where the primary focus is on academic work, kids at the MMYC can be with friends in a secure environment that encourages spending time in meaningful ways. The centre offers a diverse range of programs and opportunities to empower youth to grow as individuals.
“The youth build meaningful connections between each other, as well as with caring adults. It’s important as they’re more likely to have higher self-confidence and do well in school.”
Youth are fiercely resilient, but at what cost?
Every day, local kids struggle with isolation and anxiety.
Many are having a hard time keeping up in school. In low-income and rural communities, it can be hard to get stable internet or reliable transportation—causing a sharp divide between youth in different communities. As the cost of living rises, so does the pressure on caregivers to provide for their children.
Every kid needs a place to learn, play, and grow.
37%
of food bank clients were children and youth in 2023.
1 in 11
students reported feeling discriminated against at school because of their race or ethnicity in 2023.
43%
of students, Grades 7-12, in rural East Ontario reported being bullied about their weight or body shape.
1%
is the drop in lifetime earnings for each month of skill loss from being out of class.
How we help
Every kid deserves the support they need to reach their full potential.
United Way East Ontario believes every child and youth across Prescott-Russell, Ottawa, Lanark County, and Renfrew County has the right to a good life, and a safe place to grow up, learn, and make good friends—no matter their personal circumstances.
-
Giving young people a safe place to go
We make sure kids in low-income neighbourhoods and rural communities have a fun, safe, and supportive place to spend their after-school hours that’s close to home.
-
Making crisis more manageable
We invest in parent, child, and youth mental health and substance use counselling, information, and support. This includes leading project step: a community-wide initiative to ensure young people and their families have access to support, treatment, education, and prevention of harms related to substance and technology use.
-
Setting the youngest kids up for success
We invest in school readiness and early years programming and lead research to improve graduation rates, mental health, and school performance for vulnerable infants and children.
-
Helping kids catch up
We invest in summer achievement gap and STEM after-school programs to help kids get back on track with their peers—at low or no cost to their families.
-
Meeting basic needs
We convene working groups and advocate for increased affordable housing for children, youth, and families who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness. We also invest in counselling, education, life, and work skills programs to support youth at-risk of, or experiencing homelessness.
-
Supporting the most marginalized youth
We know we’re better when we work together: we participate in and lead networks that help every kid reach their full potential by coordinating advocacy efforts, enhancing programs, and promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion.
What impact looks like
What impact looks like
When you give to United Way East Ontario, your support means kids will always have somewhere to turn when they’re in need. From after-school programs to mental health counselling, your donation provides the vital services youth need in their lives.
With opportunities like these, kids are more likely to graduate high school—setting them up for stable employment, healthy relationships, and a brighter future.
We take accountability seriously.
You should feel confident when supporting a charity, and we’re committed to full transparency, accountability, and cost-efficiency. We invest your gift in smart, strategic ways, to ultimately move the needle.
100% LOCAL IMPACT
Every donation is put to work in the community where it is raised to tackle the causes you care about.
TOP 100 CANADIAN CHARITY
Charity Intelligence, MoneySense & Maclean’s named United Way East Ontario a top-100 Canadian charity.
Learn more about United Way’s charity ratings and how your gift is managed here.
Need help?
If you or someone you know is seeking mental health help, here are some immediate resources you can use:
CALL 9-1-1
If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 9-1-1.
DISTRESS CENTRE OF OTTAWA AND REGION
24/7 access to a mental health support hub.
Visit dcottawa.on.ca
Call the Distress Line at 613-238-3311
Text 343-306-5550
211 EASTERN ONTARIO
Find community, social, government, and health services closest to you.
Visit 211ontario.ca or call 2-1-1
