United Way Peterborough & District Presents: Discussing Social Issues with Peterborough-Kawartha Candidates

POSTPONED – New date and time TBD

United Way Peterborough & District is pleased to host an online discussion about local social issues. All candidates from the Peterborough-Kawartha riding are invited to discuss four complex and interconnected social issues in our community:

  • Poverty
  • Housing & Homelessness
  • Mental Health
  • Economic Opportunities.

United Way Peterborough & District and their partner agencies embed values of inclusivity, leadership, collective action, and diversity within their work, to ensure that people in our community, from all walks of life have access to basic necessities and supports to improve their wellbeing.

Many in our community are struggling to make ends meet. There is a homelessness crisis, an opioid crisis, and voters are looking beyond rhetoric to real solutions to pressing social issues. United Way is proud to host this all-candidates discussion and encourage all to attend.

said Jim Russell, CEO of United Way Peterborough & District.

The online discussion will take place Tuesday, May 24th from 3:00PM – 5:00PM on the Zoom platform with community members able watch the discussion live on the UWP YouTube channel. A recording of the discussion will be available after 5:00PM on May 24th for those unable to watch the livestream event.

United Way Peterborough & District invited all Peterborough-Kawartha candidates to provide their availability for consideration while scheduling this discussion. The discussion was scheduled based on the mutual availability of the four candidates who responded to our request. The Zoom link will be provided in advance of Tuesday, May 24th to all registered Peterborough-Kawartha candidates to encourage participation from all parties.

Moderated by Jim Russell, CEO of United Way Peterborough & District the discussion will be segmented by each of the identified issues: Poverty, Housing & Homelessness, Mental Health and Economic Opportunities and will include an overview of the prevalence and impacts of the social issue using current local data and information. United Way Peterborough & District will then ask 1-2 question(s) related to the each issue with candidates having 3 minutes to answer each question by describing how their platform will address the issue.

Information for Media and Campaign Teams:

There will be limited space on the Zoom call for media and campaign teams to attend the discussion in real time, registration is required and can be completed buy scanning the below QR code with your mobile device or by REGISTERING HERE.

Participation in the call will be limited to the moderator and candidates; audience members will remain muted, and the chat function will be disabled for the duration of the discussion.

Please reach out to Betsy Farrar, Manager of Community Impact at United Way Peterborough & District with any questions about the event or registration.

Social Posts

📬 It’s that time of year again!
We were thrilled to visit @miskinlaw this morning and are proud to announce Miskin Law as the Presenting Sponsor of Day of Caring 2026 with a generous $5,000 contribution. 

Day of Caring brings volunteers and workplaces together to support local agencies and strengthen our community through hands-on impact. Partnerships like this one make it all possible!

Thank you to the whole team at Miskin Law (including Leo🐶) for your leadership, generosity, and commitment to building a stronger Peterborough. We can’t wait to work together for an incredible Day of Caring 2026!
Our office will be closed today, Monday, may 18th and will reopen tomorrow, Tuesday, May 19th! Have a safe and restful  long weekend. 

Need support? Dial 211 to connect with a live agent and find assistance with food, housing, healthcare, employment and more.
🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ Today we stand for love, dignity, and inclusion.
 
Everyone deserves to live authentically and without fear.

United Way Peterborough & District remains committed to fostering inclusion, advancing equity, and supporting initiatives that uplift 2SLGBTQI+ communities across our region.
 
#IDAHOBIT
Last week, nearly 60 community members came together at our Solutions Summit to share ideas, build connections, and help shape the future of Reconciliation, Equity, Accessibility, Diversity, and Inclusion (READI) work across Peterborough City & County. 

The conversations were thoughtful, honest, and inspiring, and we know there are still more voices to hear.

We’re now inviting the broader community to help inform how up to $300,000 through our new Priority Issues Fund will be invested over the next 18 months.
Whether you attended the Summit or not, we want your insight.

📝 Complete the Priority Issues Fund Survey before Tuesday, May 19 at 10:00 a.m. and help shape this work moving forward.

🔗 Link in bio

Thank you to everyone who has already contributed their time, perspectives, and lived experience to this process. We’re excited to continue learning, evolving, and building this work, together!
Happy Mother’s Day 💖
 
To every mom and mother figure — your love and care make our communities brighter.
Do you have an idea to make your community better? 

This is your chance to bring it to life.💥 Apply to the Neighbourhood Fund for the chance to receive a small grant and turn your project into something real.

Every big change starts small and it could all start with you!

🔗 Apply today at uwpeterborough.ca 
🗓️ Deadline: Wednesday, May 27 at noon
May is Leave a Legacy Month in Canada. It’s about more than a gift, it’s about the future you believe in.

A future where everyone in our community has the support they need to thrive.

Planned giving is a way to carry your values forward and make a difference for generations to come. 

Learn more by visiting our website www.uwpeterborough.ca
Today we honour and remember missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people.
 
We listen.
We learn.
We reflect.
We act.
 
🧡

#MMIWG2S
✨ Your mental health matters.
 
This #MentalHealthWeek, let’s nurture our minds and create space for honest conversations.
 
Need support? Dial 2-1-1 or visit 211.ca to get connected. 💚
 
You’re not alone.
What a day❤️💪🌱.

Our Garden Box Community Build Day brought together volunteers, partners, and community members to build something truly meaningful, together!

Thanks to the incredible teamwork and generosity of everyone involved, this initiative was a huge success.

From start to finish, it was a reminder of what’s possible when people come together with a shared purpose.
We’re so grateful to our partners @scotiabank, @cityptbo , and @chemonghhbc for helping make this day possible.

And we’re just getting started…

Join us next for Day of Caring on June 26 as we continue to show the power of a community coming together.
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