Your Impact in North Perth

• United Way Perth-Huron helps support 18 programs and services and helped a total of 971 people in North Perth in the previous year
• 44 individuals accessed transportation services
• 19 children and youth matched with a mentor  

In 2020, United Way established a special task force to address homelessness in North Perth. Members from the municipality, service agencies and the faith community worked together to create a plan to improve emergency services, affordable housing and education. Efforts are ongoing. The following presentation was created to help the community of North Perth understand homelessness, what is being done to end it, and to challenge people to be part of the solution.

NEW INITIATIVE

Homelessness has become more visible in North Perth. This awareness has sparked a deeper look into what the community needs. At the same time, United Way has been working to develop a community hub where service agencies can work together to better support clients. Hope Links allows people to access multiple services in a supportive and welcoming environment, eat nutritious food and connect socially and emotionally. By creating a community-centred place to connect, Hope Links aims to build a supportive network for participants and help them build a brighter future.

NORTH PERTH COMMUNITY HUB

United Way has been working with local partners in North Perth to develop a community hub. To be located at the Listowel branch of the North Perth Public Library, the North Perth Community Hub is planned as a space where service agencies can work together to better support clients. The project partners recently began considering the addition of rental housing to the hub plans. 

To read more background about this project, read the feasibility study:

North Perth Community Hub Feasibility Study (PDF)

URGENT NEEDS FUND

44 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:

“All my life I’ve dealt with chronic illness and thanks to the added stress of COVID-19, I kept getting worse. It got so bad my doctor told me I needed to stop my job and try to get healthy again.
“My husband kept working, but it’s tough on our family coping with the pandemic and having only one income. Our budget got tighter each month and our savings quickly disappeared. Then our daughter got sick and needed medication that wasn’t covered by my husband’s employer. With bills coming due, we didn’t know where to turn.
“Luckily, I found out about United Way’s Urgent Needs Fund. I applied and we got enough money to cover the pharmacy bill.”

SUPPORT IN NORTH PERTH

United Way Perth-Huron supports 18 partners in North Perth, providing valuable programs and services to residents in the community where they live. Together with committed volunteers and donors, United Way works to ensure a brighter future for even more local people. 

• 603 people helped in North Perth by United Way Perth-Huron’s pandemic emergency relief efforts
• 181 individuals and their family members accessed counselling services
• 260 youth discovered resources addressing important issues in their lives
• 462 people accessed information about important programs and services in their community 
• 2 youth accessed emergency community shelter and supports

North Perth Community Committee

–>United Way Perth-Huron Manager Community Development, North Perth: Helen Dowd

Changing Local Lives

Many youth struggle as the result of mental health-related issues. Although programs available to those with moderate to severe conditions, there was a service gap when it came to youth dealing with mild to moderate challenges.

With support from compassionate donors across Perth and Huron, United Way worked to raise funds for a program designed to help youth before their mental health issues became acute; ensuring more young people in our region have the chance for a brighter future.

Alex reached out for help to deal with low confidence and relationship difficulties. Alex’s boyfriend could be caring, but he often said hurtful things and accused her of cheating if she did not immediately respond to his text messages.
Through counselling, Alex learned abuse isn’t always physical; that things like belittlement, name calling and manipulation are forms of abuse as well. She also learned about healthy relationships and establishing boundaries.
Now, thanks to a United Way supported partner, Alex is better able to challenge her negative thoughts and is living a better life.

“There is a lot of abuse in her family and recently CAS has become involved. As Mara’s mentor I have relied on the United Way supported partner that brought us together to support me, show me how to make reports and let me know how Mara is doing when we’re separated, a situation made worse by COVID.
“I hope Mara and her family can stay in one place now so I can continue supporting her. I’ve noticed that some of the things I went through in my own abusive household, I’m seeing happen through her eyes now. It’s a new lens that changes you as much as it changes the Little. These relationships aren’t just one-way. I truly get as much out of my time with Mara as she does from me and I want more people to try it out!”

North Perth Two-Pager

Supported Partners

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