5TH annual ‘Paint the Town Red’ launches at Sam’s Place

Group shop with sign

PETERBOROUGH, ON – Today at Sam’s Place, Jim Russell CEO of United Way of Peterborough & District was joined by Campaign Chair Neil Morton, Campaign Cabinet members Terry Guiel (Downtown Business Improvement Area) Peterborough and Laura Crann (Ashburnham Realty)  and Sam’s Place owner Sam Sayer to announce the launch of the 5th annual Paint the Town Red event.

On Wednesday July 19th, participating restaurants will be donating 25% of their daily sales to support the work of United Way to build a better future for everyone. There is a 50% increase in participating restaurants bringing this year’s total to 32.

 

Says Morton, “The energy around this event and excitement about helping each other is what I love about this community. I encourage you to sit down with friends and family on July 19th, share a meal together and help to build an even stronger and deeper community connection.  While you’re at it, share your experience on social media using the hashtag #PaintPtboRed.”

 

Cabinet members Guiel and Crann expressed that supporting this event is a great start to their first year volunteering for the United Way Campaign. Laura added, “It’s been a blast to take pictures with the ‘spoon’ while talking to folks about the work of United Way.” Special thanks to Terry who spent his own time carving and painting this Paint the Town Red symbol.

 

Last year’s event raised over $10,000.00 bringing the total to over $45,000 since 2013. Sam’s Place has been part of the event every year and this year there will be a very special Paint the Town Red featured sandwich available. Sam Sayer stated, “Our community is very important to us at Sam’s Place and we’re proud to be supporting the community through United Way Peterborough.”

Russell ended proceedings by emphasizing the unparalleled energy and passion demonstrated by this year’s campaign chair. “Neil is absolute lightening in a bottle – you can feel it today and this augurs well for our 2017 Campaign.”

 

2017 Participating Restaurants

Amandala’s Charlotte Anne’s Kawartha Dairy (scooped cones) 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

Join our FaceBook Event page to receive up-to-date information and share with your friends!

Click here for an interactive map of all participating restaurants thanks to Kawartha NOW!

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For more information, please contact;

Jim Russell, CEO

United Way Peterborough & District

T: 705-742-8839

E: jrussell@uwpeterborough.ca

Sam Sayer of Sam's Place, holds her "Paint the Town Red" sandwich which will be available all day July 19th for the event!

Sam Sayer of Sam’s Place, holds her “Paint the Town Red” sandwich which will be available all day July 19th for the event!

group Group shop with sign sandwich board spoon group spoon and sign sandwich on spoon

Social Posts

✨ Half the world is under 30. In Canada, that’s 35% of us.

Young people aren’t just the future, they’re changemakers right now. 💪

On #InternationalYouthDay, United Way Peterborouh & District celebrates their leadership, their courage, and their vision for a better world. 🌟💛
🎒🚗 What a day! We filled the Fords and our hearts @autoconnectsales

A HUGE thank you to everyone who came out to Fill the Fords on Saturday, donated supplies, volunteered, sponsored the event, grabbed a BBQ lunch courtesy of @kingstmarket, enjoyed some ice cream from @central_smith, and helped us celebrate the incredible generosity of our community.

We’re so grateful to Auto Connect Sales, our sponsors, community partners, volunteers, media friends, and every single person who helped make this day possible. Your support will help local students start the school year feeling prepared, confident, and ready to learn.

But we’re not done yet! 🎒

There’s still time to help. If you haven’t had a chance to donate, we’re collecting new backpacks and school supplies at the United Way Peterborough & District office and at participating community collection locations until THIS FRIDAY, August 14!

Every backpack, every box of crayons, every notebook and every donation helps us get closer to ensuring local students have the tools they need to succeed.

✨Comment “BACK TO SCHOOL” and we’ll send you the full list of participating businesses running supply drives.
Exciting News! 💫 The Reaching Home deadline has been extended!

Applicants now have until Wednesday, August 19 to submit your proposals.

Please keep in mind: 
👉 Applications will be reviewed based on alignment to the following community priorities:
• Creating, preserving, and enabling equitable access to housing
• Eviction prevention
• Outreach
👉 Funding covers the period October 1, 2026, to March 31, 2028
👉 New application deadline August 19, 2026

ℹ️ What is Reaching Home? It's 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.

Apply today at uwpeterborough.ca
We 💙 GM Financial!

A huge thank you to our friends at GM Financial for dropping off our first Backpacks for Success donations of the season! We’re so grateful for partnerships like these in our community. 

💡 As part of their workplace drive, employees received a work from home day in exchange for making a donation. What a creative way to encourage workplace giving!

Our Backpacks for Success supply drives wrap up on August 14, but there is still time to help! Join us on August 8 at Auto Connect Sales for our Fill the Fords event. We’ll be there from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. collecting school supplies, so stop by, say hello, and help us fill the Fords! 👋🎒
We’re growing, evolving, and looking for an experienced Director, Finance & Administration to join our Senior Leadership Team.

This is an opportunity to help shape the future of United Way Peterborough & District by providing strategic leadership across finance, administration, governance, and organizational operations, ensuring we remain a strong and sustainable partner for our community.

📍 Peterborough, ON
💼 Full-time
💰 Starting salary: $83,106; salary range up to $93,536
📅 Apply by August 14, 2026

Interested or know someone who’d be a great fit? Visit our website [link in bio] to learn more and apply, and please help us spread the word by sharing this opportunity within your networks.
❤️Won’t you be our neighbour? 

Stay tuned, @_thetiffanyshow will be sharing the full story (and her inspiring Campaign Chair speech) soon. You won’t want to miss this!

#CertifiedNeighbour #UnitedWayPTBO
Don't miss out 👉 United Way Peterborough is now accepting applications for the Reaching Home program!

ℹ️ What is Reaching Home?
Reaching Home is a community-based program aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness across Canada by providing funding to communities to address local housing and homelessness needs.

Important details:
⭐ Applications will be reviewed based on alignment to community priorities, including:
• Creating, preserving, and enabling equitable access to housing
• Eviction prevention
• Outreach

⭐ The funding period is October 1, 2026, to March 31, 2028

📅 Applications close August 4, 2026.

Apply today at uwpeterborough.ca
Meaningful conversations are the first step toward meaningful change. This morning, our CEO, Jason Seguya, had the opportunity to meet with MP Harrison (@emmaaharrisonmp) to discuss some of the most pressing challenges facing our communities.

Part of the conversation focused on the recently published Financial Anxiety Index, a national research project undertaken by United Way Centraide Canada and conducted by Léger. The findings are clear: nearly half of Canadians say they could cover their basic expenses for only one month or less if their income were interrupted, and many report that their financial situation has worsened in recent months. The research also highlights that single parents, newcomers, and young people are among those experiencing the greatest financial strain.

Jason also had the opportunity to elaborate on United Way Peterborough & District’s role as the Community Entity for the Government of Canada’s Reaching Home program. For more than a decade, we have worked with local partners to administer federal homelessness funding, convene organizations across the sector, and support innovative, collaborative responses that help prevent and reduce homelessness in our community. Since 2020, more than $8 million in Reaching Home funding has been distributed locally to strengthen supports and services for those experiencing homelessness.

We appreciate the opportunity to share these insights and discuss the importance of coordinated community responses to poverty, housing insecurity, and homelessness. We look forward to continuing the conversation with MP Harrison in the months ahead as we work together to build a stronger, more connected community.
Breaking News: Jimothy has officially RSVP'd to our Fill the Fords event on August 8! 🎉

Want to join #Jimothy? Stop by Auto Connect between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to donate new school supplies in support of our Backpacks for Success initiative. Together, we'll help fill the Fords and backpacks so that students of all ages can start the school year with the tools they need to succeed . 🎒📚💙
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