5th Paint the Town Red event is a record breaking success!

Paint the Town Red Group photo

5TH ANNUAL ‘PAINT THE TOWN RED’ RECORD BREAKING SUCCESS
IN SUPPORT OF UNITED WAY

 PETERBOROUGH, ON – On Wednesday July 19th, hundreds of people dined out at 32 local restaurants who donated 25% of their daily sales to support the work of United Way Peterborough & District.  Today we are stoked to announce a record breaking success both in donations and community engagement.

The event raised just over $15,000 which is a 50% increase from last year coinciding with a 50% increase in participating restaurants. The donations came in from restaurants, individual donations from customers and our newly launched Text to Give program.

But Paint the Town Red raised more than donations, it also raised community connection. The true flavour of the event was exemplified by restaurants supporting each other, businesses encouraging folks to head out to eat, workplaces coordinating team meals and friendly rivalry to see who could eat at more restaurants, all to support everyone in our community.  The infamous Red Spoon toured the vicinity throughout the day and folks were clamouring for a spoon spotting, or even better, a spoon selfie!  You could watch the day unfold through your computer or cell phone as the community of Peterborough shared their photos and experiences on various social media platforms. By using the hashtag #PaintPtboRed so frequently it was trending on Twitter across Canada all day.  For most of the day it was in the top 3 and at one point it hit the #1 trending hashtag in the Country demonstrating the powerful force of our community at large.

“Our community is passionate, resilient, interdependent and the success of this year’s Paint the Town Red event is testament. Our restaurants and food are second to none in the Province. And once again we thank the entrepreneurial spirit of our restauranteurs and their commitment to building local economy while at the same time giving back to community.” beamed Jim Russell, CEO of United Way Peterborough & District.

We’d like to offer our overwhelming gratitude to the participating restaurants, the people who came out and dined and those who gave via external donations and to the many volunteers who made this event possible, in particular to Campaign Cabinet members Terry Guiel (Downtown Business Improvement Area) Peterborough and Laura Crann (Ashburnham Realty) who worked feverishly in the month leading up to the event.

The dollars raised in this event will be going right back into this community to support our 16 partner agencies in their work building a strong and healthy Peterborough & District for everyone.

 

Thank you to the 2017 Participating Restaurants

Amandala’s Charlotte Anne’s Kawartha Dairy Reggie’s Hot Grill
Ashburnham Ale House Curry Village Kettle Drums Riley’s Pub
BE Catering Dodrio La Hacienda Sam’s Place
Black Honey EC Catering Marty Moo’s Silk Roots Fusion
Brickhouse Fresh Dreams Natas Café Silver Bean
Brio Gusto Gerti’s Pita Pit Soupcon
By the Bridge Hobarts The Planet St. Veronus
Caffeina Island Cream Rare Gill House Village of Thai

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For more information, please contact;
Jim Russell, CEO
United Way Peterborough & District
T: 705-742-8839
E: jrussell@uwpeterborough.ca

Social Posts

📬 It’s that time of year again!
We were thrilled to visit @miskinlaw this morning and are proud to announce Miskin Law as the Presenting Sponsor of Day of Caring 2026 with a generous $5,000 contribution. 

Day of Caring brings volunteers and workplaces together to support local agencies and strengthen our community through hands-on impact. Partnerships like this one make it all possible!

Thank you to the whole team at Miskin Law (including Leo🐶) for your leadership, generosity, and commitment to building a stronger Peterborough. We can’t wait to work together for an incredible Day of Caring 2026!
Our office will be closed today, Monday, may 18th and will reopen tomorrow, Tuesday, May 19th! Have a safe and restful  long weekend. 

Need support? Dial 211 to connect with a live agent and find assistance with food, housing, healthcare, employment and more.
🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ Today we stand for love, dignity, and inclusion.
 
Everyone deserves to live authentically and without fear.

United Way Peterborough & District remains committed to fostering inclusion, advancing equity, and supporting initiatives that uplift 2SLGBTQI+ communities across our region.
 
#IDAHOBIT
Last week, nearly 60 community members came together at our Solutions Summit to share ideas, build connections, and help shape the future of Reconciliation, Equity, Accessibility, Diversity, and Inclusion (READI) work across Peterborough City & County. 

The conversations were thoughtful, honest, and inspiring, and we know there are still more voices to hear.

We’re now inviting the broader community to help inform how up to $300,000 through our new Priority Issues Fund will be invested over the next 18 months.
Whether you attended the Summit or not, we want your insight.

📝 Complete the Priority Issues Fund Survey before Tuesday, May 19 at 10:00 a.m. and help shape this work moving forward.

🔗 Link in bio

Thank you to everyone who has already contributed their time, perspectives, and lived experience to this process. We’re excited to continue learning, evolving, and building this work, together!
Happy Mother’s Day 💖
 
To every mom and mother figure — your love and care make our communities brighter.
Do you have an idea to make your community better? 

This is your chance to bring it to life.💥 Apply to the Neighbourhood Fund for the chance to receive a small grant and turn your project into something real.

Every big change starts small and it could all start with you!

🔗 Apply today at uwpeterborough.ca 
🗓️ Deadline: Wednesday, May 27 at noon
May is Leave a Legacy Month in Canada. It’s about more than a gift, it’s about the future you believe in.

A future where everyone in our community has the support they need to thrive.

Planned giving is a way to carry your values forward and make a difference for generations to come. 

Learn more by visiting our website www.uwpeterborough.ca
Today we honour and remember missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people.
 
We listen.
We learn.
We reflect.
We act.
 
🧡

#MMIWG2S
✨ Your mental health matters.
 
This #MentalHealthWeek, let’s nurture our minds and create space for honest conversations.
 
Need support? Dial 2-1-1 or visit 211.ca to get connected. 💚
 
You’re not alone.
What a day❤️💪🌱.

Our Garden Box Community Build Day brought together volunteers, partners, and community members to build something truly meaningful, together!

Thanks to the incredible teamwork and generosity of everyone involved, this initiative was a huge success.

From start to finish, it was a reminder of what’s possible when people come together with a shared purpose.
We’re so grateful to our partners @scotiabank, @cityptbo , and @chemonghhbc for helping make this day possible.

And we’re just getting started…

Join us next for Day of Caring on June 26 as we continue to show the power of a community coming together.
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