The tough work
is far from over
We care about our communities, and we know you do too.
The needs that were here long before the pandemic are still with us today. Kids are trying to catch up in school. Many isolated seniors have been left to fend for themselves. There are countless people struggling with their mental health looking for somewhere to turn. And the cost of living just keeps rising.
With your help, we can make a difference for thousands of residents who depend on United Way East Ontario. Your support today could help your neighbour, friend, or family member.
United Way continues to listen, learn, and collaborate with leaders, while working with local partners to identify and address the ever-changing needs of our communities.
As the pandemic continues to affect our region, the most vulnerable people still need critical supports.
Our goal is always to make sure no one is left behind.
By putting more kids on track to succeed, we can help all youth in our communities reach their full potential.
By helping people achieve financial independence and stability, we can give them a sense of purpose and belonging.
By improving equity, connections, and wellbeing for vulnerable people, our communities can be great for everyone.
You show us every day that local love lives here. We're so grateful for the acts of kindness—big and small—that we see across our region.
See how your support helps people all across East Ontario.
Kids
With support from United Way, community houses like Banff Avenue and Confederation Court quickly pivoted in the pandemic to ensure essential services were still there for kids and their families.
“It’s really nice to see how kids are happiest after helping them with homework or with anything they need. Creating new activities in a safe environment for them, it’s really important and that makes me happy every day.”
– Noor, Banff Avenue Youth Council member
Newcomers
Local social enterprise EcoEquitable helps isolated newcomer women build job skills and networks. With United Way’s support, their Sewing for Jobs program provides training opportunities and a sense of belonging.
“EcoEquitable is a place for creatives to develop their craft and find inspiration while connecting within their community.”
– Vanessa, EcoEquitable volunteer
FAMILIES
Living in a rural community, Jennifer had limited options close to home when she went looking for mental health support for her son. With support from United Way and Counselling Connect, Jennifer’s family got immediate mental health counselling.
“I didn’t have a panic attack feeling like I had in the past, feeling like there was no one out there to help me and my son. It helped my mental health as a parent trying to support their kids because I wasn’t hitting that level of anxiety.”
– Jennifer, Counselling Connect client
Vulnerable people still need us—and you.
We’re getting back into familiar routines: going into the office, packing our kids’ lunches, spending time with family and friends. But the pandemic is still affecting our region in big ways.
There’s so much work to be done to address the needs in our communities.
You can keep your community strong now, and over the long term.
Please make your donation today.
Your donation is in good hands.
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.
Top 100 Canadian Charity
Charity Intelligence, MoneySense & Maclean’s named us a top-100 Canadian charity.
Issues You Care About
Poverty. Isolation. Homelessness. Together, we can tackle the issues that seem impossible to solve.
With you by our side, we can forge ahead into yet another year of uncertainty.
At United Way, we address the chronic challenges facing our region 365 days a year. And when crisis strikes, we take action.
Throughout the first year of the pandemic, our COVID-19 Community Response Table meetings were a constant fixture to uncover urgent needs and quickly deliver solutions, featuring more than 100+ partners and 80+ subject matter experts from across East Ontario. Bolstered by this group, we launched Local Love in a Global Crisis—United Way’s COVID-19 response.
Along with our partners, we pooled resources, shared data, gathered input from people with lived experiences, and spoke with one voice to tackle the social challenges and inequities made worse by the pandemic. Through this work, we continue to identify the most pressing needs that require our attention now to keep our communities strong.
Your support for Local Love in a Global Crisis goes to:
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Basic needs
People living on a low income, seniors, people with disabilities, and many others are still having difficulty meeting their basic needs. We continue to provide food, PPE, hygiene products, and other basic resources to people in need.
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Help for seniors and caregivers
We continue to invest in safe social activities for seniors and their caregivers like virtual programming, telephone check-ins, low-risk in-person activities, transportation, and access to personal care for those who are self-isolating.
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Capacity for the community sector
We continue to support organizations to work better together, recruit volunteers, and reach vulnerable people. Our investments also scale up and diversify important services and programs to reach the most at-risk populations.
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Mental health and crisis supports
We continue to target programs that better serve people who are shouldering the greatest burden from the pandemic: Indigenous people; Black, African, and Caribbean communities; people living in poverty; people with disabilities; and women and children experiencing violence.
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Addressing learning loss for vulnerable children and youth
We support critical hours programming that provides a safe place—both in-person and online—for at-risk kids to improve their literacy, STEAM skills (science, technology, engineering, arts, math), and healthy relationship building, so they can reach their full potential.
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An equitable economic recovery
We invest in and advocate for equitable economic development and social enterprises that benefit people facing the greatest financial hardships. We are building a more prosperous future for people who have been sidelined by the pandemic.
Thanks to our donors and community partners, we’re making a difference in people’s lives every day.
Discover real stories of impact:
Let’s tackle the tough problems. Together.
We’ve come so far, but COVID-19 continues to challenge the efforts we’ve made to ensure no one falls through the cracks.
You will help us build a brighter future for everyone in Prescott-Russell, Ottawa, Lanark and Renfrew Counties.
