Contact United Way Peterborough & District

Office Location

277 Stewart Street, Peterborough, Ontario  K9J 3M8

Office Hours

Monday through Friday  9AM-5PM

Saturday and Sunday CLOSED

Phone

705-742-8839

Email

office@uwpeterborough.ca

Staff

Jim Russell, CEO

Phone: 705-742-8839 x 26
Email: jrussell@uwpeterborough.ca

Rhonda Gilchrist, Senior Director of Operations and Revenue Generation

Phone: 705-742-8839 x 27
Email: rgilchrist@uwpeterborough.ca

Betsy MacDonald, Senior Director of Impact and Communications **On leave**

Phone: 705-742-8839 x 28
Email: bmacdonald@uwpeterborough.ca

Tonya Kraan, Director of Community Impact

Phone: 705-742-8839 x 30
Email: tkraan@uwpeterborough.ca

Elyse Belsey, Campaign Officer

Phone: 705-742-8839 x 32 Cell: 705-772-6681
Email: ebelsey@uwpeterborough.ca 

Jessica Easton, Finance/Data Officer

Phone:705-742-8839 x 21
Email: jeaston@uwpeterborough.ca

Adeline Murphy, Campaign Officer

Phone: 705-742-8839 x 25 Cell: 705-313-0651
Email: amurphy@uwpeterborough.ca 

Elisha Rubacha, Community Impact Officer**On leave**

Phone: 705-742-8839 x 33
Email: erubacha@uwpeterborough.ca

Joy Uson, Finance/Data Officer

Phone:705-742-8839 x 31
Email: cjuson@uwpeterborough.ca

Kathrine Williams, Community Engagement Project Coordinator

Phone: 705-742-8839 x 33
Email: kwilliams@uwpeterborough.ca

Board of Directors

Chair
Karen Wilson – Executive Director, Employment Planning & Counselling Peterborough

Past Chair
Dr. Marcus Harvey – Executive Director, Trent University Faculty Association (TUFA)

Treasurer and Chair, Finance Committee
Brock Maschke – Chief Financial Officer, Swish Maintenance

Chair,  Community Impact Committee
Nancy Fischer – Retired, City of Peterborough

Directors

  • Sahar Afroz – Manager, Sam’s Place
  • Reem Ali – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Advisor, City of Peterborough
  • Mike Baxter – Commercial Banking Senior Relationship Manager, CIBC
  • Joëlle Favreau – Health Promoter Specialist, Peterborough Public Health
  • Bruce Gibson – Retired; Dentist
  • Adam Hopkins – Senior Vice President, Academic at FNTI (First Nations Technical Institute)
  • Christi Nash – Co-Founder & Partner, Arising Collective

Labour Council Representatives | Labour Partnership

  • Marion Burton – Executive Member At Large, Peterborough & District Labour Council
  • Dr. Marcus Harvey, Executive Director Trent University Faculty Association (TUFA)

Ex-Officio

Jim Russell – Chief Executive Officer, United Way Peterborough & District

Committees

Community Impact Committee

The Community Impact Committee guides United Way’s strategies to achieve the community priorities identified in our Community Impact Agenda while also stewarding the ongoing development and evaluation of our priorities to ensure they remain relevant and responsive to our community.

The Community Impact Committee oversees United Way’s relationship building activities with its partner agencies and other community initiatives.

Chair: Nancy Fischer

Committee Members:

  • Joëlle Favreau
  • Heather Holland
  • Christie Nash
  • Kathy Neill
  • Karen Wilson

Community Advisory Board

The Community Advisory Board (CAB) acts as an advisory body to the Community Entity (CE) for Peterborough (United Way) providing guidance on issues of homelessness in the community. The Community Advisory Board (CAB) is expected to coordinate efforts at the community or regional level.

Learn more about Reaching Home: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada – Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy

Co-Chairs: Jim Russell and Jocelyn Blazey

Committee Members:

  • Sewina Chu (Housing, Infrastructure & Communities Canada)
  • Aimee LeLagadec
  • Alana Parisien
  • Annie Hedden
  • Ashley Safar
  • Christian Harvey
  • Dana Hetherton
  • Dane Record
  • Debbie Carriere
  • Dion Gemmiti
  • Donna Rogers
  • Jennifer Bain
  • Jim Hendry
  • John Beamish
  • Kerri Kightley
  • Lenard Hall
  • Lori Flynn
  • Naomi Nichols
  • Paul Armstrong

Finance Committee

Chair: Brock Maschke – Chief Financial Officer, Swish Maintenance Limited / Charlotte Products Ltd.

Committee Members:

  • Mike Baxter – Manager, Commercial Banking CIBC
  • Steve Henderson – RBC Dominion Securities Inc
  • David Martin – Community Member
  • Murray Miskin – Lawyer, Miskin Law
  • Meghan Valentine – Manager, Financial Services, PRHC

Community Campaign Cabinet

  • Paul Rellinger, 2025 Campaign Chair
  • Darcy Bonner, Community Ambassador
  • Michael Eamon, Trent University
  • Ann Farquharson, Farquharson Law
  • Coby Fewings, Scotiabank
  • Bruce Gibson, Community Ambassador
  • Marg Glenn, Glenn Isle Farms
  • Sheridan Graham, County of Peterborough
  • Greg Kidd, KPRDSB
  • Richard Lambert, BMO
  • Evan Lyons, PRHC
  • Laken MacFarlane, City of Peterborough
  • Vipesh Patel, Community Ambassador
  • Thomas Piggot, HKNP Health Unit
  • Amanda Pinder, RBC
  • Stephan Ragaz, Community Ambassador
  • Balkaran Singh Sathi, Sathi Law
  • Jeannine Taylor, KawarthaNOW
  • Sebastien Tinor-Roy, TD Bank
  • Staff Sargeant John Townsend, Peterborough Police
  • Shirley Turner, EXIT Realty Liftlock
  • Danielle Turpin, Community Ambassador

Contact 211

211 is a free and confidential service that easily connects people to the critical social and community supports they need. Unlike search engines, 211 applies a human touch for personalized solutions. Their highly-trained and accredited Community Navigators know how to ask the right questions to get the full picture of a person’s needs.

Learn more about 211: 211 Peterborough

Older adult calling 211

Social Posts

United Way Peterborough & Distirct has been running Coats for Community for many years, and every year our community shows up with generosity and heart ❤️. 

For the past two years, this program has been run in collaboration with our friends @path_ptbo (Peterborough Action for Tiny Homes). 

This video shares a glimpse into how this long-standing program has evolved over the years. 

If you’re able, we’re encouraging community members to donate warm winter items to support our neighbours facing the cold months ahead. Blankets, and men’s coats size L - XL are urgently needed at the moment, but every donation helps. 

📍Drop off: 385 Lansdowne St E
🗓️ When: Wednesday (10-3) and Saturdays (9-3)

#CoatsForCommunity #buildingcommunity #UnitedWayPTBO #peterborough
Black Friday sales are popping up left and right, but the best deal of all isn’t in a catalog it’s right here: United Way Peterborough & District’s 50/50 draw! 🎟️ ✨ 

All month long, you can purchase your tickets, and not only will you be entered for a chance to win big, but you’ll also be giving back to your local community. Proceeds from ticket sales are invested directly into Peterborough and the surrounding areas through the work of our 20 local partner agencies. These agencies address a range of needs, including homelessness, domestic violence, mental health, unemployment, addiction, and more.

Buy your tickets today using the link in our bio and discover the joy of giving back! 💫 
*Winner announced November 28th*
Paul wants 🫵YOU🫵 to have the opportunity to win big, give back and change lives through our monthly 50/50 draws! 

Visit the link in our bio to secure your tickets. 

Next draw takes place Friday, November 28! 

*Ontario residents only. Must be 18 or older to purchase tickets* 

#UnitedWayPTBO #buildingcommunity #peterborough #5050
On November 11, we remember.
From all of us at United Way Peterborough & District, we express our deepest gratitude to the brave individuals who served with courage and dedication.
Today, we honour and salute all Veterans as we work towards a brighter future together.
For help and support, dial 2-1-1 or visit 211.ca
❄️ Our first snowfall has arrived, and so has Coats for Community 🧥
We have once again partnered with @path_ptbo to ensure our neighbours stay warm this winter. 
📍 Drop-off location: 385 Lansdowne St. E
🗓️ Wednesdays (10-3) and Saturdays (9-3)
We’re collecting (and in urgent need of) BLANKETS, coats, snow pants, sweaters, socks, underwear, gloves, towels, sleeping bags, hand warmers, and more!
❤️ If you’re able to donate, please ensure all items are clean and in good condition. 
#CoatsForCommunity
👉 There’s more than one way to make a difference! Paul’s got options, and so do you❤️. Learn more about how you can contribute to your 2025-26 Community Campaign on our website [link in bio].
🧥🧣🧤Our annual Coats for Community drive is underway!🧤🧣🧥
Did anyone else see snow fall in Peterborough this afternoon? We’re collecting gently used coats, blankets, gloves and other warm winter gear in collaboration with @path_ptbo to help keep our neighbours warm heading into this winter season. 
If you have been meaning to donate, tomorrow’s a perfect day to drop by @path_ptbo 
📍385 Lansdowne Street Easy 
🗓️Saturdays 9AM-3PM | Wednesdays 10AM-3PM
Questions? ☎️ (705)-775-7284. 
Every donation counts❤️
The United Way Ultimate Burger Battle starts THIS SATURDAY NOVEMBER 1st 🍔🔥!
At our press conference this morning, we asked some of our Burger Ambassadors to dream up their Ultimate Burges in preparation for this month! You can taste along with them at our 8 participating restaurants across Peterborough and the County all November long. 
Every BITE gives BACK - $2 from every burger sold support our work building community and changing lives❤️!
🧣Do you have gently used winter gear? Help our community stay warm this season by donating to Coats for Community. @unitedwayptbo and @path_ptbo are proud to partner once again to help our neighbours face the winter months with dignity and warmth.🧣
📍Drop off at PATH: 385 Lansdowne St. E
🗓️Every Wednesday (9AM-3PM) and Saturday (10AM-3PM) until May 2026.
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