Hundreds of thousands of people, every year, are helped by United Way Toronto. These are just a few of the real stories that illustrate how the impact of your donation to United Way, strengthens lives and builds stronger neighbourhoods across the city.
At-risk youth glimpse life on Bay Street
"It's very cool. These are the kinds of experiences Pathways lines up for us that give us confidence..."
Jennifer Bach credits the program for giving her the confidence to apply to University. Pathways to Education is a successful stay-in-school program responsible for reducing high school dropout rates at Toronto's Regent Park to 10 per cent from 56 per cent in eight years.
The Spot
Imagine growing up in a community where there isn’t a safe place to go after school to just hang out, to just be a kid.
The Spot not only gives youth a place to go, but also makes their neighbourhood a better place to live.
Quick Start Fund success story
At the Mid-Scarborough Sewing Club, Quick Start Funds helped provide valuable training, offered an opportunity to save money and practice English, brought people together to reduce isolation, and created vital social networks that continue to benefit the community.
Read how the Quick Start Grants are making a difference in ANC neighbourhoods.
'I dream of a future that could exist.'
Poetic in their simplicity, these words speak volumes about hope—about daring to hope—and the sheer possibility of a better life. They are the words of a young person who works at the Phoenix Print Shop, a social purpose enterprise funded by the Toronto Enterprise Fund.
These social purpose enterprises offer a highly focused opportunity for some of Toronto’s most vulnerable young people.
Tapping potential and building knowledge
"I’m a real people person and when I moved to Toronto, I wanted very much to help people in my new community. This program helped me to do that, and to find the right direction to further my career."
Program gives newcomers a springboard for life in their new home
Celebrating 50 years in the community
In the late 1950s, the neighbourhood around Ossington and Bloor was rife with gang activity and youth crime. Key community stakeholders agreed on the root of the problem: kids had nothing to do.
Fifty years later, the need for youth engagement programs is still acute.
'You do good by doing good'
"If you care about the community you live in, you also want to make that community a better place. As citizens, we have a great responsibility to each other. It’s a moral issue, a personal issue and a social issue."
Read more about United Way's 2008 campaign chair, Bill MacKinnon.
'It’s a fun thing to do'
"United Way has had a tremendous impact on people’s lives across the city."
Read more about Patrick Vianna's long time volunteer contribution as an allocations panel chair, overseeing the community investment process for 11 United Way agencies.
"It’s very important for senior executives to get involved"
Richard believes that supporting United Way is one of the most important charitable initiatives that CIBC World Markets is involved in.
Volunteer Richard Nesbitt takes on the new role of United Way account executive, in charge of making calls to help corporations get their United Way campaigns rolling.
Youths taking the lead in uphill challenge
"United Way is an organization that helps so many in Toronto – kids, youth, seniors, those living in priority neighbourhoods. It's important for youth to be aware of the issues in their city ... and to give back to their community."
Read about the Youthunited cabinet taking the lead.
A New Days of Caring Pilot Initiative
This "new" approach [to volunteering] was driven by United Way's Community Impact Strategy, which recognizes that we can only make neighbourhoods better by partnering with all community stakeholders—including our member agencies, schools, government, business, labour, voluntary associations and other local groups.
This Davis + Henderson experience sums it up well.
