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

🚚 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! 👋🎒
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
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