United Way York Region votes in favour of merger with Toronto


Yorkregion.com
March 5, 2015
By Chris Traber

Yesterday morning, members of United Way York Region voted to officially merge with United Way Toronto. Voting members, made up of community agencies, donors, volunteers and staff, overwhelmingly endorsed the move to strengthen United Way’s capacity for addressing the issues that affect people and families across the region, United Way York Region board chairperson Heather Mason-Wood said.

“We’re absolutely thrilled with this outcome,” she said. “Combining our efforts is the single most effective way for us to expand local investments, tackle complex social issues and provide better opportunities for our donors and volunteers on both sides of Steeles Avenue.”

The merger comes on the heels of new United Way research that shows the Toronto metropolitan region leads the country in income inequality and almost half of all GTA residents are working in precarious jobs. These challenges cut across municipal boundaries - so, too, must the solutions be broad and far-reaching.

“This is a major step forward in delivering a more integrated, collaborative strategy for improving people’s lives throughout Toronto and York Region,” United Way Toronto board chairperson Vince Timpano said. “Our combined teams have deep understanding of the communities they serve. They’re world-leaders in fundraising and community impact. By coming together, we’ll be able to do more for our region than we ever could separately.”

Susan McIsaac will be the president and CEO of the merged United Way. Daniele Zanotti, currently CEO of United Way York Region, will have a senior role on the executive team of the new organization. Current community investments to York Region’s funded agencies will be maintained and any future decisions on funding will be relayed by local staff and volunteers. Both organizations are already working on an integration plan.

Bylaw changes and volunteer recommendations are being finalized in advance of the United Way Toronto annual general meeting in June, which will serve as the final step in the merger process. The newly merged organization will officially come into being July 1.