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.
Graduating to a great future
Having graduated as cohort representative of the 2011 CITY Leaders class, Agapi Gessesse is now setting her sights on a bright future in community building and municipal politics.
Becoming a community leader
Having graduated as cohort representative of the 2011 CITY Leaders class, Alex Vaghar is completing his first documentary film and preparing for post-secondary education.
Crescent Town: Businesswomen launch Bangladeshi couture
In the Priority Neighbourhood of Crescent Town, the women behind Dunia Design Collective are designing and producing their own products inspired by “back home and the West.”
As Times Change, there’s help for women looking for work
Member agency and downtown employment service, Times Change Women’s Employment Service, is offering assistance to women looking to get into — or get back into — the job market.
Dorset Park: Kick-starting a community
An area of Scarborough that lacked services and community meeting places is being transformed thanks to the work of dedicated volunteers.
Central Neighbourhood House marks 100 years of helping
Toronto's Central Neighbourhood House, a United Way Toronto member agency, turned 100 this year. A look at present and past.
Victoria Village: From lasagna to conversation
This hidden hive of activity on the second floor of a strip mall just north of Eglinton Ave. at 1527 Victoria Park Ave. is one of four community hubs funded in part by United Way Toronto.
Lotherton Heights: An urban village on the path to change
With a range of projects, from a community garden to making videos to renewed basketball courts, residents of Lotherton Pathway in Lawrence Heights are giving their community a boost.
An agent of social change
United Way Toronto has set a record fundraising goal of $116-million that president and CEO Susan McIsaac acknowledges is a challenge, but necessary because needs in the city are so great.
Speed mentoring: Getting in the fast lane to employment
United Way agency ACCESS Employment’s innovative Speed Mentoring program is matching job seekers like Bhavita Panchal with a number of mentors.
Sowing the seeds of community change
Granville Foger eagerly anticipates the arrival of spring in Rexdale. A member of Action for Neighbourhood Change, he’s been working with his neighbours to plant a community garden—now he can’t wait to see the bulbs bloom.
Club Summer Camp: Making summer more than just fun
Summers for Imisi Oragesin and Kwaku Agyemang didn’t used to be all that exciting. But things changed when the two friends began attending the Albion Boys & Girls Club Summer Camp.
Friends Catering: Work and life lessons in the kitchen
Supported by United Way’s Toronto Enterprise Fund, Friends is helping individuals who are living under the poverty line and facing challenges entering the job market access new work opportunities.
Single mother of three living in one of Toronto’s inner suburbs makes financial strides
Maria struggled to know where to turn to understand and manage her finances—then she was introduced to a series of Financial Literacy workshops offered in her community.
University Settlement gears up for its centennial celebrations
University Settlement sees almost 30,000 people come through its doors every year. The centre's capacity to provide services to those clients is in large part owing to the funding provided by United Way donors.
