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

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From all of us at the Peterborough & District United Way, we are wishing everyone a safe and happy New Year! We're excited to continue our work with our amazing donors, partners, and volunteers in the years to come.

📅 Reminder: The tax deadline for charitable contributions is December 31.

Show your #LocalLove and donate to United Way Peterborough & District to help build community & change lives. 

Consider donating today, visit the link in our bio to learn more about our work and ways to give.
2025, what a year! 

We’re so grateful for the generosity, care, and community spirit that made these moments possible.

As the year comes to a close, this is also a friendly reminder that gifts made by December 31 are eligible for 2025 charitable tax receipting. Thank you for supporting your neighbours, today and all year long.

Learn more about the ways to give at the link in our bio.

Reminder: there is a secure mailbox located at the front of our office (277 Stewart St.) checked daily.
🚨Reaching Home Funding Applications Are Now Open!🚨

United Way Peterborough & District is happy to share that we are accepting applications from agencies for the Reaching Home program, on behalf of the Government of Canada.

👉 What is Reaching Home? It is a community-based program aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness across Canada. This program provides funding to communities to help them address their local homelessness needs.

Applications close January 22nd, 2026. Find eligibility requirements and full application details on our website:
🔗 uwpeterborough.ca/reaching-home/ or follow the link in our bio
To our neighbours,

As we head into the holiday season, we want to take a moment to say thank you. Your generosity, kindness, and commitment to community have meant so much to us throughout the year.

Whether you gave your time, made a donation, attended an event, or simply showed up for local causes, you helped make Peterborough & District a stronger, more caring place.

As of 12:00 pm today (Dec. 24), our office will be closed for the holidays and will reopen on January 5. During this time, we hope you’re able to slow down, rest, and enjoy meaningful moments with the people who matter most.

From all of us at United Way Peterborough & District, we wish you and your loved ones a warm, peaceful holiday season and a new year filled with hope, connection, and possibility.
After more than a decade of dedicated leadership, we are sharing the news that our CEO, Jim Russell, will retire in July 2026.

Since joining United Way Peterborough & District in 2011, Jim has been a steady and passionate force for community change, leading more than $36 million in revenue generation and championing critical work to address poverty, homelessness, and income inequality across our region.

Under Jim’s leadership, United Way Peterborough and District has strengthened its role as a trusted community partner through impactful research, including Housing is Fundamental, multiple Point-in-Time Counts, and The Gap reports on income adequacy and living wages.

Jim’s commitment to Peterborough & District, and to building a more equitable, resilient community, has left a lasting mark. We are deeply grateful for his leadership and look forward to celebrating his legacy over the coming months. 

Please join us in congratulating Jim on his incredible contributions to our community!
🎄✨Festive sweaters described in one word only!

We brought the holiday spirit in support of our @unitedwayptbo workplace campaign!

Which one’s your favourite? 🤨

#UnitedWayPTBO #BuildingCommunity
As the holidays approach, we wanted to share a quick update on our office hours.

Our office will be closing early on Wednesday and Thursday of this week as we celebrate the season with our staff, board and committees. We will then be closed beginning at noon on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) through January 5, returning to regular office hours in the new year.

If you or someone you know needs support during this time, please remember that help is available by calling 211, 24/7.

Wishing you a safe, restful, and joyful holiday season. 🎄✨
Looking for food support this holiday season? 

Please visit the City of Peterborough website for information on food banks and free meals. 

peterborough.ca/foodcalendar
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