Helping a father find housing and a healthy future

When Boafo received his prostate cancer diagnosis, he was in disbelief. 

With his wife still in Ghana and no close connections nearby, he grappled with the news alone, unsure of what to do next. “It was very, very difficult for me at that time,” he says. 

But one thought kept him moving forward — his daughters, Amaofi and Asantewaa. He needed treatment and support to face the road ahead. 

That support came through a United Way-funded agency, African Community Services of Peel (ACS), which provides culturally responsive services to Black and African communities.  

A fellow Ghanaian introduced Boafo to ACS, and from that moment on, he was no longer alone. He found the wraparound services he needed to face his illness and move forward. 

Systemic barriers and discrimination mean Black communities face higher rates of poverty, unemployment, homelessness and poor health. But United Way is working with fierce determination to break those barriers by investing in Black-led agencies like ACS, which are grounded in cultural understanding and lived experience.  

ACS is one of 14 agencies led by and serving Indigenous, Black and other equity-deserving groups included in the expansion of United Way’s five-year Anchor Agency funding — just one part of our multi-pronged approach to building a stronger GTA.  

This kind of stable funding means agencies can adapt to evolving community needs and build lasting solutions. It’s how we’re helping to ensure agencies are there, with doors open and lights on, when people need them.  

“To get this kind of continuous funding is incredible because I know where we came from,” says Kwaku, Program Coordinator at ACS, remembering when sudden federal cuts forced them to halt vital services. 

And without that support, Boafo’s experience might have been very different. 

Kwaku helped Boafo coordinate medical appointments and radiation. He invited Boafo to the agency’s men’s social group, where he has been able to speak about his illness and get encouragement. “I’m coping with their help all the time,” Boafo says. 

When Boafo’s doctors recommended organic foods, ACS reached out to local soup kitchens to ensure he could access the healthy meals he needed. And when his unfinished, noisy basement apartment became unbearable, they stepped in again — finding a safer, more comfortable two-bedroom home for him and his daughters. 

The move brought relief and allowed Boafo to focus on his health, but skyrocketing rent remains a burden. “At times, I feel like I’m begging people to help me pay my rent,” Boafo admits.  

He’s worried about another increase coming soon — one his income won’t be enough to cover. And soon, his small apartment won’t be enough either. Thanks to ACS’s support, Boafo’s wife has now joined him in Canada, and their two other children will arrive soon. 

To keep the family housed, Kwaku and the ACS team are doing everything possible — searching for affordable rentals, securing Boafo’s place on Peel Region’s subsidized housing waitlist and contacting landlords. “We are trying any way we can,” says Kwaku. 

Across the GTA, rising rents are pushing families to the brink. But with partners like ACS and the 40+ housing programs we fund, United Way helped 20,000 people stay housed last year. And with 25% of United Way-funded agencies led by and serving equity-deserving communities, we’re making sure support reaches those facing the greatest barriers. 

For Boafo, a stable home means more than just security — it’s a way to build community, especially for other newcomers. He doesn’t have much but tries to share what he can and hopes that with a bigger apartment, he can do even more to help others in need. 

Boafo has always believed in giving back. He once surprised refugees sheltering in a church with warm jackets and boots. And today, he mentors youth through ACS’s Bridging the Gap program. “As I am a senior, I know a lot about life,” says Boafo. “I want their futures to be bright, so I advise them to go to school and work hard.” 

That same hope for his daughters’ future kept him going through his toughest moments. 

Amaofi has seen firsthand how finding care and connection through ACS made a difference in her father’s cancer journey. “If he didn’t get the help he got through these United Way-funded programs, we may not be with him right now,” she says. 

Racialized seniors are at greater risk of falling through the cracks in the health and social service system. But United Way’s support for Black-led agencies is helping to close those gaps while strengthening Black communities.  

“Suppose United Way isn’t there,” says Kwaku. “All the programming we do couldn’t be done. Without United Way, there will be no way.”   

The challenges people across the GTA face are complex, but solutions start with equity. That’s why we’re digging in more than ever, using every tool in our toolbox to ensure equal access to housing, health care and opportunity. In times of both stability and uncertainty, we’re doing whatever it takes so that everyone has what they need to thrive. Any way we can.  

For Boafo, that support means hope — not just for his recovery, but for the life he’s building for his family and the community he’s creating.