United Way Centraide Stories
Donations to the United Way Centraide is a donation to communities and people who need it most. The GCWCC shows that the collective action of public servants makes a real difference.
Rose
Rose wants to be the first Indigenous prime minister—and she’s on the right path thanks to a United Way program.
“After we paid for rent or other necessities, sometimes we couldn’t afford to pay our heating bill, or had no money left over for food. Eventually, my family of five became homeless and we had to split up because we couldn’t find a place that could accommodate all of us. I felt so much stress and anxiety, my hair began to fall out."
“If I can inspire one student, then maybe they can inspire 10 more...”
"In grade nine, I started attending a United Way-funded tutoring and mentoring program after school. It helped me get through it all by being there to support me — no matter what. Just knowing that there was support was huge for me. Even after high school, I could go there and talk to the staff about university and they’d help me.
Now, I’m doing a double major in criminal justice and human rights — I want to work with the United Nations, or maybe be a human rights lawyer who focuses on Indigenous issues. And one day, I want to be the first Indigenous female prime minister of Canada. But for now, I’m going to school and working full-time as a student- parent-support worker at the same program that helped me so much. It feels amazing that I could take my own story and inspire other students to keep going and to be the best that they can be.”
Atiya
When Atiya experienced domestic violence, she had to overcome cultural barriers to seek help. Today, she helps other women.
“It’s a challenge to navigate the system as a victim. There are several barriers women in the South Asian community face: the lack of information, the lack of awareness that help is out there and understanding that it is okay to reach out. It was so difficult to escape the violence I was experiencing — and that my two children were witnessing — because I felt like I had no one to turn to."“You will thrive and you will survive. And it’s okay to reach out for help...”
"In our culture, the issue of domestic violence is very personal. It is seen as a failure on the part of a family and is shrouded deeply in the stigma of shame. But the key to fighting these cultural stigmas and barriers is awareness. I have been working with a United Way-funded organization for five years. It provides a safe space for these women to come and reach out for help.
Having navigated the system as someone who was a victim, it’s been a very fulfilling experience for me to volunteer in this field. Now, I’m able to give my voice to those that might not be as confident to reach out for help. There is life after leaving a marriage.”
Travis
Travis went from experiencing homelessness to studying at university. Now, he’s helping others get their lives on track.
“Becoming homeless was really stressful. The first time I really didn’t have anywhere to stay, I spent the night on the shores of a lake in my neighbourhood. I didn’t know what else to do. It started when I was 15 — I was removed from my family home by the police when things got really bad one day. I ended up hitchhiking across the country, getting into drugs and living on the streets."
“When I was at my worst, I would walk down the street and people would pretend I wasn’t there. Nowadays, people cross the street just to say hi...”
"I was offered the chance to go home and get clean. A few months later, I was accepted into a United Way-supported transitional housing program for men recovering from addiction. There were a lot of very strict rules, but I was being held accountable — maybe for the first time ever. I started doing everything I could do to avoid falling back into old habits.
Now, I’m studying computer science at university and working part time at a local homeless shelter. It’s been a very fulfilling experience — being able to identify with people and being real with them when we talk. I want people like me to know it can get better. There are always going to be people there for you—you just have to open up and allow them in.”
Mélanie
Mélanie and her family were living in a substandard apartment. Thanks to a United Way agency, she found a new home and is starting her own business.
“My last apartment was very small and rundown, but I couldn’t move out of it, because of my financial situation as a single mom. I was depressed. This affected my children, which made me even sadder. My financial problems were overwhelming. They were all I thought about, and they became an incredible source of stress. I told myself that things weren’t so bad, but deep down, I was ashamed.”
“Once you accept your situation, you can get help and move forward.”
“Eventually, I accepted my situation and asked for help. A program for single mothers at a United Way agency helped us move into a new subsidized apartment. The effect on my family was almost immediate. Hide it as much as you want: If Mom isn’t happy, the kids aren’t either.
I want other single mothers going through the same thing to not worry about what other people think. You may be afraid of how others will judge you, or you may not think you’re good enough. You feel like a failure. But you have to find a way to rise above all that. Once you accept your situation, you can get help and move forward.”
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