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Videos & Stories

Share the impact that donations have on real lives with stories and videos from our community.

Use these videos and stories at campaign events, to inspire others to give, to thank donors and to learn more about the difference you make possible.

Stand United with Community

Father helping child on playground on a sunnny day.
Overview of United Way’s work in community. (30 seconds)

Syed’s Story

Syed Jafri smiling at camera
Syed struggled to find a full-time job when he first arrived in the GTA. Then a United Way initiative connected him to the training and experience he needed to start a career in the trades. 

Inclusive employment | Settlement

Nafisa’s Story

Nafisa Nezam smiling at camera
When Nafisa first arrived in Canada, she was isolated and struggling to make ends meet. Then a United Way-funded community hub connected her to food support, a welcoming community and so much more.

Food security | Mental health

Sam’s Story

Man smiling at camera
After getting support from a United Way agency, Sam started raising awareness around people with different abilities.

Living Independently

Jenifer’s Story

Jenifer smiling at camera
For years, Jenifer volunteered at a United Way-supported women’s employment agency, helping others get ready for new careers. When her family faced their own financial crisis, she turned to that same agency to help her find a job.

Employment

Randee’s Story

A woman with gray hair wearing a green and white shirt looking directly at the camera and standing in front of a brick wall.
After receiving support for her lifelong mental health challenges, a United Way-funded program allowed Randee to offer support to her peers.

Mental health | Employment

Simran and Mina’s story

Simran, a United Way funded agency client
Simran and her family got the support they needed thanks to United Way agencies dedicated to helping refugees arriving in the GTA.

Settlement | Mental health

Adrian and Bella’s story

Adrian and Bella at the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto
During a difficult time, Adrian was connected to housing and mental health support through the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto, a United Way-supported agency. Today, he’s giving back by helping other young Indigenous people share their art.

Mental health | Housing and homelessness | Youth development

Paul’s Story

Paul Taylor, Executive Director of FoodShare Toronto
Food insecurity is an issue here at home. There are a shocking number of people who have to make the tough choice between paying rent or putting food on the table. Hear from Paul Taylor—Excutive Director of FoodShare and someone who faced food insecurity as a child about how United Way and our network of agencies are tackling the issue head-on.

Food security

Chad & Travis’s story

Chad working at the foodbank
Travis partnered with United Way to distribute food to his neighbours during the pandemic, including Chad. Now, he and Chad both give back by making regular food deliveries.

Food security

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Cindy & Lucie’s story

Cindy wears a striped t-shirt and sits on a couch in a rec room.
Cindy has gained confidence and community thanks to a United Way program. She says these programs have only become more important during the pandemic.

Living independently

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Colette & Rudy’s story

Colette wears a black dress with a white bow and sits in an armchair looking out a window.
A United Way program helped Colette and her neighbours stay active and connected during the pandemic. Rudy is proud to support seniors’ programs in his community through United Way.

Aging in community

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Laura & Bertha’s story

Laura stands in front of a field of sunflowers wearing sunglasses and a patterned shirt.
United Way’s mental health resources helped Laura see how powerful it could be to navigate the challenges she faced—and find a new outlook on life.

Mental health

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Mariya & Yannick’s story

Mariya stands in front of a stand of bushes.
After immigrating to Canada, Mariya found connection and community by volunteering with a United Way program. Yannick supports United Way because he knows it funds effective programs like the one that helped Mariya.

Settlement

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Michele & Bridget’s story

Michele wearing a white dress sitting in front of a green house in a garden.
Michele benefitted from United Way-supported programs while experiencing homelessness. Now she and Bridget both give back by volunteering in their community.

Food security | Housing and homelessness | Mental health

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Premji & Shanta story

Premji holding a photo of his wife Shanta
Premji and Sumant share how United Way provides vital programs for seniors—like the ones that helped Premji and his wife Shanta—and helps people envision bright futures for themselves.

Aging in Community | Mental health

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Sylvanna & Marge’s story

A United Way youth program helped Sylvanna come out of her shell and apply for university. It’s this kind of wraparound support that makes Marge a proud United Way supporter.

Youth development

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Eli’s Story

Eli Fleischmann UWGT Speakers Bureau volunteer and Mental Health Advocate with the Canadian Mental Health Association
Eli shares the story of his son who succumbed to the challenges of mental illness and the support he received through a United Way funded agency. He hopes that one day we’ll be able to eliminate the stigma that surrounds mental illness so agencies can better provide support to those who are suffering.

Mental health

Cat’s Story

Cat Padmore UWGT Speakers Bureau volunteer
Like so many, Cat experienced housing insecurity in many forms throughout her life. After experiencing street life as a young adult, she accessed a United Way funded agency on her journey to stable housing.

Housing and homelessness

Alexia’s Story

Alexia Schell UWGT Speakers Bureau volunteer
Impacted by her mother’s death, a 20 year old Alexia put her education and plans aside to raise her younger school-aged siblings. After years of focusing on her family, Alexia took the time to invest in herself by participating in a United Way funded program that helped prepare her for the workforce.

Employment

Images

To promote your United Way campaign, use the images below as visual assets to talk about our work in the community and how each of us can help make a difference in the lives of others. 

Captions for the images are included in each of the packages. 

Community Images

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Mental Health Images

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Employment Images

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Food Images

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Homelessness Images

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