United Way Announces Current Homelessness Response through Reaching Home Investment totalling $1.8 million

PETERBOROUGH, ON (February 2, 2023) – Today in the training centre of the John Howard Society on Stewart Street, United Way Peterborough & District CEO Jim Russell announced the current round of funding to address critical needs in our community related to homelessness. The United Way is the Community Entity for Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy.

A total investment of $1,798,667 was distributed to 8 community partners. This funding has been provided in addition to the ongoing, multi-year Reaching Home partnerships that the United Way holds with YES Shelter for Youth and Families, Fourcast, and the Elizabeth Fry Society.

“Our current shelter system is strained to meet the needs of all those community members experiencing homelessness. It is imperative that any investment is strategic, encourages partnerships, and puts the needs of those individuals, our neighbours, at the forefront of service and intervention” states Russell.

Joining Russell at today’s announcement were representatives from the following organizations:

  • Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge
  • Community Counselling and Resource Centre
  • Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough
  • One City Peterborough
  • Fourcast
  • John Howard Society of Peterborough
  • Research for Social Change Lab – Trent University
  • Peterborough Housing Corporation

The coalition of partners is dedicated to ending homelessness in Peterborough and will be administering programs encompassing outreach, supportive housing, purchasing housing stock, partnering with private sector landlords, transitional housing, research, winter warming room. Please see the attached summary for program descriptions and funding amounts.

Kathy Neill, Executive Director of the John Howard Society, who hosted the media event noted, “I am excited by the energy in this community and desire to work together as partners with the goal of ending homelessness.”

“Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Our government is committed to supporting our most vulnerable, especially those in the Peterborough area who are experiencing or are at risk of being homeless. We will continue to do our part to help those who need it most and ensure no one is left behind,” shared Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion.

This funding will run through until March 31st, 2024 noted Russell. “We all have a stake morally, economically and in particular as a human rights issue to end homelessness.”

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

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This Labour Day, we honour the courage of union members, advocates, and everyday workers who continue that fight today. ❤️
 
United Way Peterborough & District stands proudly alongside Labour.

Together, we build communities where everyone has what they need to thrive. 

 #LabourDay2026
🚚 Moving thousands of school supplies to fill more than 400 backpacks for local students is made easy thanks to the help of our wonderful friends @autoconnectsales 

✏️Thank you to Cheryl, Martin and the whole team for your support our of Backpacks for Success program. Your generosity makes a real difference in our community!
🎉 PTBO & COUNTY, SAVE THE DATE! 🎉

We’re kicking off something special. 85 years of United Way Peterborough & District and we want you to be there! 

Join us for our 2026 Campaign Launch, presented by Miskin Law [@miskinlaw] as we officially launch this year’s campaign and celebrate the incredible community that has carried the work of United Way forward for 85 years. ❤️

We’re especially excited to welcome 2026 Campaign Chair Tiffany Arcari [@_thetiffanyshow] whose leadership will help guide this year’s campaign, alongside Jason Seguya, our new CEO, as he joins our community for his first Campaign Launch in his new role. Let’s make it a special one😁📣!

📅 September 17, 2026
⏰ 12:00 - 1:30 [doors open at 11:30]
📍 Healthy Planet Arena

More details — including tickets — at the link🔗 in our bio!

85 years united. One community. A campaign to remember.
✨ 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! 👋🎒
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