Community Initiatives

United Way Community Initiatives

Backpacks For Success

Since the Backpacks for Success program launched locally in 2003, United Way Peterborough & District has provided more than 13,000 backpacks containing grade-appropriate school supplies to local youth in Kindergarten through Grade 12 who are financially vulnerable. Each year, this program sees community donors and volunteers come together to make a tangible difference by ensuring that local students are provided with the tools they need to be successful.

Learn More: Backpacks for Success

Coats For Community

We know the need for warm winter coats in our community is great, not just for local youth but for economically vulnerable adults as well. In 2023, we collected and distributed 1,844 coats to residents of Peterborough City and County who were unable to purchase their own.

Learn More: Coats for Community

Period Promise (formerly Tampon Tuesday)

Menstruation products are a basic necessity. But if you’re living in poverty – or vulnerable in other ways – access to tampons, pads, cups or menstrual underwear, can be challenging.

Learn More: Period Promise

Day Of Caring

Our Day of Caring event brings the community together while demonstrating the power of volunteering. Local businesses partner with United Way Peterborough & District to assist in completing projects at United Way funded agencies. These projects vary and can include construction, restoration, community special events or agency work. By providing a team of volunteers, companies help member agencies complete important tasks. Day of Caring is a unique event that allows businesses to get directly involved in their own community while promoting team building, boosting morale, and increasing  your company’s community profile. The Day of Caring program connects businesses with volunteer opportunities that matter to you and your community.

Learn More: Day of Caring

Seeing is Believing

Seeing is Believing tours are your opportunity to understand other people’s realities, by engaging your employees, co-workers, volunteers, family or friends in finding out more about UWP’s community-building work and partner agencies.

Expect to be inspired, engaged, surprised, and witness – up close – the impact of your contribution on creating long-lasting social change.

If you or your workplace would like to participate in a tour, please contact United Way Peterborough: Contact Us

Social Posts

For 1 in 4 Canadians who menstruate, period products aren't always in the budget. You can help address period poverty in our community by contributing to our Period Promise campaign.

This year, we're sharing our running total by item type on our website [link in bio], so you can see what we have, and what we still need, as we aim to offer a greater diversity of product to residents experiencing period poverty. - We're also accepting monetary donations, which will allow us to purchase items in bulk.

Product donations will be accepted at the United Way office (277 Stewart Street), Monday-Friday, 9AM-5PM until Friday March 13. [Please note: We are closed February 16 for Family Day, and February 26 for Peterborough Performs and will not be present to accept drop offs.] 

If you’d like to get more involved with our 2026 Period Promise campaign, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team! We’d be happy to help you setup a collection at your workplace, share educational resources, or chat about any other ideas you may have.
From Campaign Launch to now - this community keeps showing up. We’re in the final stretch of our Community Campaign, and every act of generosity still matters ❤️!
When words aren’t enough to express how you feel, show your love with tickets to United Way Peterborough & District’s 50/50 raffle! 💖

For the month of love, we’re offering a guaranteed grand prize of ✨$1,000✨ A prize so irresistible, we wouldn’t blame you if you grabbed a few tickets for yourself too. 

👉 Still wondering if you should enter? Just know, that even if you don’t win, your community will. Fifty percent of the proceeds from every ticket sold go directly back to our community so we get the chance to spread the love throughout Peterborough.

🔗 Follow the link in our bio to enter our February 27th draw
🎉 Sponsor Spotlight: Friends of the Stage 🎉

💛 A huge thank you to our Friend of the Stage – Supporting Sponsors for stepping up in support of housing and homelessness initiatives in our community. Your contribution helps make this event possible, and we’re proud to celebrate you at the event and through our virtual auction presented by @llf_lawyers_llp (which launches in less than a week)!

Want to support this work and enjoy an incredible night of local live music and impact?

🎟️ Tickets are on sale now — grab yours and join us at the show on Thursday, February 27th from 7-11pm @ptboshowplace 

🔗 Link in bio
📣 Peterborough and County, we’re only $105,000 away from our $1.6 million Community Campaign goal!

There’s still time to get involved, and every dollar counts - make a donation, buy your 50/50 tickets, attend PTBO Performs VI (and bid on the virtual auction presented by @llf_lawyers_llp , too) and share this EXCITING news with your networks! 

We want it all ❤️ for our community. 

#BuildingCommunity #ChangingLives
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