Get in the Way of Poverty
It’s easy to look the other way.
Cross the street. Put your headphones on. Keep moving.
But we can’t.
Across the GTA, people are doing everything they can to get ahead. Yet rising costs, housing insecurity, hunger and financial stress are making it harder to build a good life.
We have to Get in the Way.
For 70 years, United Way Greater Toronto has brought people together to tackle poverty — connecting people to essential supports today while working to address the barriers that hold them back tomorrow.
Stand with us. Get in the Way.
SERVING
1.8 MILLION PEOPLE
SUPPORTING
300+ SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES
PROVIDING
700 PROGRAMS
Bringing vital services closer to home
We invest in a strong social safety net connecting people to food, shelter, good jobs, mental health support and more.
And we’re bringing these services under one roof through our Community Hubs, with plans to build 10 new Hubs across the GTA in the next decade. Because people thrive when support and connection is built into the neighbourhood.
Working together on local solutions
We convene frontline agencies, residents, governments and partners to move fast and solve complex problems — like housing, food insecurity and mental health.
Through innovations like Community Coordination Tables and the Social Medicine Initiative in Parkdale, we’re proving what’s possible when we break silos and build solutions — together.
Investing in a stronger future for our GTA
Community agencies are being priced out of the very neighbourhoods they serve. We’re stepping in to change that.
Through our Community Real Estate Initiative, we’re supporting 100 organizations with the space, funding and tools they need — and laying the groundwork for a stronger, more equitable region for generations to come.
Dig deeper. See the impact. Join the movement.
Our Annual Report
Real progress. Bold direction.
See how we’re building a stronger, more inclusive GTA.
Our research and reports
The story behind the stats.
Data-driven solutions to local poverty — and what comes next.
United Way ClimbUP
1,776 steps. One epic challenge.
Step up to climb the CN Tower and help fight local poverty.
What you need to know right now
August 14, 2026
Good First Jobs. Stronger Communities.
The Toronto Youth Employment Table, co-chaired by United Way Greater Toronto (UWGT) and the City of Toronto, is launching the Toronto Youth Employment Charter at a press conference. The Charter is an invitation for employers to take the lead in tackling the crisis in job opportunities faced by young Torontonians. The press conference will also celebrate 2,000+ youth gaining employment this summer through United Way-funded and partner agencies.
Fewer than one in three eligible voters cast a ballot in Ontario’s last municipal election. Today, United Way Greater Toronto and the Democratic Engagement Exchange at Toronto Metropolitan University launched Voice the Vote, a non-partisan, community-led campaign working to change that ahead of the October 26 municipal election.
This week, we reflect on growing financial anxiety and the programs and partners that help people meet urgent needs in times of crisis.
Registration is now open for the 2026 United Way Greater Toronto CN Tower climb which will be held on November 14 and 15. United Way is inviting people from all walks of life, and every fitness level to step up and be connected to a bigger movement – all in support of communities across Peel, Toronto and York region. Last year’s ClimbUP raised a record-breaking $2 million, helping 1.8 million people across the GTA access vital services through our network of over 300 agencies.
June 20, 2026
June Newsletter: Everyone deserves a place to belong
This week, we reflect on welcoming spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ people, creating local solutions to local challenges and supporting jobs for youth.
June 11, 2026
Working with communities: on the ground in Peel Region
When United Way Greater Toronto’s President & CEO Heather McDonald appeared before the Council of the Regional Municipality of Peel, she spoke about the challenges facing residents. Her answer was collaboration.
This week, we reflect on how our Community Real Estate Capital Grants are helping to add new community spaces and upgrade existing facilities. We’re also exploring employment programs for people with disabilities, our work in Thorncliffe Park and an award-winning participant from the ILEO Storefront Starter program.
Everyone deserves opportunities and access to the things they need to build a good life, including a living wage. United Way Greater Toronto is proud to be a certified Living Wage employer and champion, and a funder of the Ontario Living Wage Network.
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