United Way of Toronto and York Region investing 'record' $87 million

Yorkregion.com
Feb. 23, 2017
By Lisa Queen

After collecting a record $102 million in donations, the United Way of Toronto and York Region is investing an additional $1 million into community programs and services.

The United Way will spend a record $87 million in 2017-2018, with $62.5 million going to the community services sector, $3.4 million going to the youth success strategy, $3.1 million dedicated to building strong neighbourhoods and $18 million being spent on other investments.

Eight per cent of funding will be dedicated to programs in York Region, maintaining a commitment made when the former United Way of York Region and the United Way of Toronto merged two years ago to become the largest charitable organization in Canada, Deb Shime, vice-president of community investment, said.

“We talk about agencies and big numbers and all that but it’s really about helping people and making a difference in people’s lives through the agencies we fund,” she added.

For the first time in about a decade, the United Way will soon invite new groups to apply for program funding to meet the needs of changing communities, CEO Daniele Zanotti said.

The United Way now funds 37 agencies in York Region serving children, seniors, families, abused women, neighbourhoods, residents with mental health concerns, newcomers to Canada and many others.

The United Way is also putting together a group of 62 new anchor and partner agencies, including Community Living York South, that will develop deeper relationships with the organization to delve deeper on issues such as poverty.

“We did a series of town hall meetings across York Region and in each one, residents said we want supports in neighbourhoods across this growing region,” Zanotti said, adding the United Way spends “an industry-leading” amount of only 17.4 per cent of its budget on administrative costs.

“This announcement builds a base of anchor partners across the region in communities right across York. It opens up funding for new agencies to come and apply for funding so that a mom in Georgina or a grandfather in King or a new family moving into Whitchurch-Stouffville is going to have that invisible United Way hand close by if they need it. That, to me, is our commitment as it has ever been - a quiet invisible hand in communities across the region.”

The announcement builds on decades of work by the United Way, strengthens relationships with a core group of partners which are going to work with the organization on front-line community and research issues and innovates by bringing in new partners to apply for funding to meet the changing needs of the region, Zanotti said.

The announcement also points to a growing commitment to communities since the merger of the Toronto and York Region United Ways, Zanotti said.

“We got together, United Way Toronto and United Way York Region, with a commitment to make things better for communities across the region,” he said.

“All of that is a great testament to people coming together,” he said.