Your Impact in Northern Huron

Together we improve lives through support for basic needs, service connection, advocacy, research and cultivating innovative initiatives.

United Way Perth-Huron helps here in the community you care about. Thanks to United Way, its partners and donors, vulnerable people in Northern Huron (including North Huron, Howick and Morris-Turnberry) have the chance for a brighter future including…

• 472 people in Huron County called 211 to connect with services
• 48 crisis calls made to the Huron Women’s Shelter
• 11 people in crisis accessed financial support
• 10 youth accessed housing and supports

#UNIGNORABLE Local Issues

Lack of Housing: The average asking rent for a one-bedroom unit in Huron County is $1,479/month. 139 households are experiencing homelessness in Huron County.

 Low Income: Around 12% of people in Perth County live in low-income households, including 775 children.

 Mental Health: Use of emergency department for psychiatric reasons is two times higher in rural vs. urban Ontario.

 Access to Services: Navigating the local social service network is challenging, especially for our most vulnerable.

 Intimate Partner Violence: 1,665 IPV crisis calls received by shelter services in Huron.

 Food Insecurity: 1 in 3 Ontario children under 18 live in a food-insecure household.

 Discrimination: 69% of immigrants and visible minorities and 81% of Indigenous people in Perth-Huron reported experiencing discrimination.

Holistic Approach

United Way is committed to cultivating innovative initiatives addressing root causes of local social issues. We research and advocate for a living wage, affordable housing and improved social assistance rates and services.

We also understand that long-term goals don’t solve the challenges of a person facing eviction next week, or the parent with empty cupboards and hungry children right now. To that end, we also fundraise and invest in programs to help ensure people get the immediate help they need.

Changing Local Lives

Thanks to United Way and a supported partner, Matt has the support he needs:

“I was brought up to believe that if I worked hard, there was nothing I couldn’t accomplish. And that’s exactly what I did. I excelled at school, sports, and the arts, earning two degrees along the way and launching a career I was passionate about: reaching out to youth experiencing homelessness through the arts.

“But life has a way of surprising you sometimes. Things happen that send you down different paths with unexpected challenges.

“My life took a turn when my wife fell ill after our daughter’s birth. Unable to sustain a career and care for my family, I took a sabbatical to be a caregiver, which turned into a 19-year journey filled with challenges. After my wife’s death and my daughter’s move to a group home, I faced complete emotional collapse and ended up losing my home.

“With the help of several community services, including one supported by United Way, I began rebuilding my life. I am blessed to have found some of the most creative, intelligent and sensitive friends who support me as I continue on my healing journey.”

Northern Huron Connection Centre (operated by CMHA Huron Perth)

Partly as a result of rising housing costs, homelessness is growing. In an effort to tackle this pressing issue in Northern Huron, a drop-in space for those experiencing homelessness or otherwise vulnerable is opening soon in Wingham.

The Northern Huron Connection Centre — serving Howick, North Huron and Morris-Turnberry — is a welcoming, safe space for the community’s most vulnerable citizens to rest, access basic needs, healthcare services, identification assistance and more. Partnerships with agencies — including CMHA Huron Perth, the organization operating the Centre — mean those using the Connection Centre can access important services and supports under one roof.

The Northern Huron Connection Centre:

1. Meets basic needs. A place to use a washroom and shower. Have a cup of coffee with access to clean water, and/or an indoor space out of the cold or heat.
2. Builds social ties. Build trust with service providers and volunteers, leading to opportunities for more formal supports.
3. Connects participants to social services. Volunteers and staff can help clients navigate entry into formal support with existing agencies.
4. Builds pathways out of poverty that provide dignity and choice, empowering clients.

• 51 unique individuals accessed services last year
• 834 total visits to the Northern Huron Connection Centre
• 27 people housed        

United Housing

United Housing is Perth-Huron’s first non-profit housing organization dedicated to developing, building, and managing mixed use rental housing in the community. The initiative’s goal is to support and build on existing work being done by the City of Stratford and the County of Huron, further increasing the amount of available housing stock. It’s a local solution to the very real issue of housing affordability we face across the region. GO HERE for more information.

Urgent Needs Fund

11 local residents accessed assistance

The Urgent Needs Fund is designed to support local residents in a time of crisis with funds for essentials such as rent, groceries, car repairs, medication and child care. United Way is also working for long-term change, lifting people beyond poverty while still ensuring their immediate, basic needs are met if something like this were to happen:

It was only Cassie and her two children. Cassie worked part-time but got a lot of hours, so she was just able to cover her family’s expenses. Cassie knew she should have a financial buffer, but everything she earned went to the necessities.

One morning Cassie felt a dull throbbing in her jaw that slowly increased to a blinding pain. She was able to get off work early, but Cassie knew she was going to miss three hours pay. The bigger dilemma was money for a dentist; she didn’t have any and couldn’t afford to keep missing work. Cassie burst into tears. She wasn’t sure where to turn for help until she heard about the Urgent Needs Fund.

Changing Local Lives

Thanks to a United Way supported partner, Maisie has the support he needs:

“My name is Maisie and I’ve been a client of Huron Safe Homes for Youth for about two years.

“I was raised by my mom who unexpectedly passed away when I was five. This led me to move in with my grandparents for a while, and I eventually ended up living with my dad.

“I didn’t know my dad very well as he wasn’t really part of my life before my mom passed. We moved around the province a lot as he had a number of different jobs, and there was a lot of conflict. It was a really stressful time for me. The conflict began to affect my mental health and I decided to live with a friend and their parents.

“Luckily for me, this family knew Vicky at Safe Homes for Youth. Safe Homes helped me apply for Ontario Works so I could pay room and board. Most importantly, Vicky made sure I felt supported and my mental health needs were cared for.

“There have been a number of times I’ve needed to call Safe Homes to talk through something or ask a question and they have always been there. Last year was very hard, especially in school. I skipped classes a lot and didn’t get out of bed or shower for days. Safe Homes helped pull me out of that rut. They listened, gave me some tools to deal with my stress and anxiety, spoke to the school on my behalf and helped me talk to my teachers to get back on track. I am so grateful for their support. I honestly don’t know what I would have done without them.

“To those of you who have donated to United Way, and the staff at United Way who made the decision to fund Safe Homes, thank you. I am really grateful for the positive impact you have had on my life.”

Northern Huron Community Committee

–> United Way Perth-Huron Manager Community Development, Northern Huron: Lisa Harper

Supported Partners

Want to read more?

Huron County Impact Brochure (PDF)