Poverty is rarely just one challenge at a time. Through wraparound supports, United Way Greater Toronto helps address housing, employment, well-being and more for people across the GTA.
Carleen celebrated her 60th birthday not with speeches or gifts, but by gathering people who are working — just like she once did — toward security and a fresh start.
The group came together through Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin’-By World, a United Way-supported program that helps people navigating housing insecurity build stability and self-sufficiency.
As a volunteer facilitator who once went through the program herself, she chose to mark this milestone not with a traditional party, but by bringing people together in a space filled with connection and dignity.
“Dignity matters — and how we support people matters,” she says.
Carleen understands that when you’re struggling with housing insecurity, it’s not just about having four walls. Care, community and a sense of belonging can make a world of difference.
She knows this because she has lived it.
After leaving an abusive relationship and starting over in a new country, Carleen faced housing instability, financial strain and the challenge of rebuilding a life for herself and her family when she arrived in Canada.
“Housing insecurity isn’t just about homelessness — it’s living month to month in a constant deficit.”
Carleen joined Inn From the Cold’s Getting Ahead, an eight-week program supported by United Way. It helps people build stability, including support with job searches and housing, while creating space for personal growth.
“This program gave me structure, social inclusion and something to look forward to,” she says. “I appreciated the opportunity to get out of the house — even if it was just a few hours. That connection meant everything.”
That sense of belonging matters — especially when challenges are interconnected. It’s hard to find or keep a job without stable housing, and just as hard to secure housing without steady income. Programs like this one are part of our broader network of wraparound supports that recognize these realities and meet people where they are.
“The same comfort I received allows me to comfort others,” she says.
For Carleen, support didn’t just change her circumstances — it sparked something deeper. An artist, writer, photographer and poet, she began transforming her experiences into meaning and purpose.
“There was purpose in my pain,” she says. “I can be an instrument of peace.”
Today, she gives back through the same program, offering encouragement, creating welcoming spaces and celebrating every milestone, big or small. At her birthday gathering, there was music, shared food and thoughtful touches that made the space feel warm and joyful — an intentional reminder that everyone deserves to feel seen and included.
“When someone secures housing, we celebrate. When someone stays sober, we celebrate,” she says.
“When I see lives changing, my own life is changing too.”
Carleen’s journey is a powerful reminder that poverty — and the path out of it — is never one-dimensional. It’s shaped by housing, income, mental health and community.
That’s why wraparound supports matter. Through programs like Getting Ahead, United Way Greater Toronto ensures people have the tools, connections and stability they need to move forward.
Because when we support the whole person, we create stronger, more resilient communities — for everyone in GTA.