Dear Friend,
As temperatures drop and winter approaches, the reality of the housing crisis becomes even more urgent. In York Region, the 2024 iCount report revealed homelessness has more than doubled since 2021. And increasingly across the GTA, families and individuals are facing mounting barriers to stable housing, highlighting the need for coordinated action.
Last week, I had the privilege of speaking at the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association Conference — following remarks from Housing Minister Rob Flack, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and Build Homes Canada CEO Ana Bailão — to discuss how new housing investments can translate into real homes and community supports to keep people housed. The conversation reinforced that lasting change takes all of us — governments, non-profits, builders and communities — working together.
At United Way Greater Toronto, that collaboration is our strength. Through our network of agencies, we invest in 92 housing programs that help people find stability. And our Built for Good report and the Social Medicine Initiative show how we partner across sectors to shape policy, deliver innovative housing solutions and create lasting change.
Together with you, we’ll continue fighting for a GTA where everyone has a safe place to call home. Any way we can.
Heather McDonald
President & CEO
United Way Greater Toronto
Your support in action
Tracking the rise of homelessness in York Region
We partnered with the Region of York to produce the I Count 2024 Report, revealing sobering findings about homelessness in the region. The report found that homelessness has more than doubled since the last count, with nearly 880 individuals counted in 2024 compared to under 330 in 2021. These results highlight the urgent need for coordinated, community-wide action — the kind your support makes possible — to address the growing barriers and inequities and ensure everyone has a safe, stable place to call home.
Opening pathways to food, community and purpose
When Anna arrived in Canada fleeing 2SLGBTQIA+ persecution, she faced an undiagnosed mental illness, isolation, addiction and poverty. She had hope for a safer future — but not much else. Housing was a concern, but then so was food, with less than $50 left over each month after rent. Your support means we can fund agencies like York Region Food Network (YRFN), where Anna found more than a meal — she found belonging and purpose. Anna accessed a community garden and food literacy and cooking programs. Today, Anna tends her own garden plot and volunteers at YRFN, a place where she found healing and hope.
Shining a light on the real cost of living
Next Week is Ontario Living Wage Week — a reminder that minimum wage isn’t enough to live on in the GTA. United Way Greater Toronto is proud to fund the Ontario Living Wage Network and be one of nearly 600 certified Living Wage employers, modelling the change we want to see and supporting fair pay. We know that earning a living wage to cover one’s basic necessities is essential to financial stability, a foundation for building equitable, thriving communities. Stay tuned for our blog on the real cost of living coming next week.
IN COMMUNITY, WITH COMMUNITY
Join us for a free online lunch-hour panel to explore food insecurity in the GTA, what it takes to achieve food justice and how your support is fuelling this work. Register now for Diving Deeper: Let’s Talk Food Security on Nov. 19.
Climb 1,776 steps of the CN Tower on Nov. 15 or 16 for the 45th United Way ClimbUP and help fight poverty across the GTA. Saturday has sold out but there’s still time to register for Sunday!
Want your gift to go twice as far? From Nov. 16 until the end of the year, all donations made to United Way Greater Toronto will be matched dollar-for-dollar. Double your impact connecting even more individuals and families to the opportunities they need to thrive*.
| *The match applies to one-time gifts made to United Way Greater Toronto before Dec. 31, 2025, up to a total of $350,000. It does not apply to gifts made to other registered charities. |
Building community takes community.
With your support, we will build a GTA where everyone has what they need to thrive. Any way we can.
Learn more about our work. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive regular updates about how your local love is making a difference across the GTA.