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Why We Need You

United against poverty

You came to this page looking for something. Perhaps you want to have a more positive impact in the world. Perhaps you want the things you do, and the things that motivate you, to have a deeper meaning or purpose. To build a bridge that connects you with others. To unite with your community. If this is true, you are in the right place.

Poverty stares us in the face every time we walk out the door. The pandemic has made the issues at the root of poverty in the GTA unignorable—and it hasn’t affected everyone equally. Those who were struggling before the pandemic are now also having to navigate a worsening chasm of injustice, discrimination and growing inequality. COVID-19 is exacerbating the inequities that divide our community and pushing people further into precarity. So we need your help! The vital work we do, alongside our partners and resident leaders, would not be possible without people like you: Donors who want to bridge the gaps in our social safety net, and unite under a worthy cause. Please stand with us as we continue to fight for a more inclusive and equitable GTA, where everyone can thrive.

Image of volunteers preparing food hampers at a food bank

Food insecurity has been exacerbated 

Image of people waiting at a bus stop in Scarborough

Layoffs have skyrocketed for low-wage workers 

Image of tents in a park in downtown Toronto

The housing crisis has gotten worse  

Say ‘yes’ to an equitable recovery

When this crisis is behind us, we will face an extraordinary challenge: How do we build back better in the face of increased inequality and deepening poverty across the GTA? We need you now, more than ever, to help us redefine the boundaries of our recovery and build a more inclusive ‘new normal.’ With your support, we can meet everyone’s fundamental needs, build a fairer and equitable future, and dismantle discrimination in our communities to address the root causes of poverty.

Help us lead with local solutions

United Way works in lockstep with local agencies, residents who know their communities best, and donors like you. We design solutions that prioritize the people and places who are being left behind. Now, we are calling on you to join us as we ignite an equitable community recovery where everyone can participate and flourish.

Limitless possibilities for local solutions

Many neighbourhoods in our region are being redesigned or redeveloped. And while this can be good news, we need to ensure that redevelopment does not turn into displacement. United Way is working with community leaders locally to create economic opportunities and ensure that, as the cost of living in redeveloped neighbourhoods goes up, no resident is left behind.

United Way’s Inclusive Local Economic Opportunity (ILEO) initiative is re-imagining local solutions to inclusive workforce development.

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