Your Impact in Southern 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 Southern Huron have the chance for a brighter future including…

• 472 people across Huron County called 211 or visited 211ontario.ca to connect with services
• 74 crisis calls from women facing intimate partner violence answered 
• 27 people received financial assistance in a time of pressing need
• 7 youth accessed housing and supports
• 6 individuals accessed institutional visiting and reintegration support
• 5 women escaping violence sheltered

#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.”

Southern Huron Connection Centre

United Way’s Southern Huron Connection Centre is a welcoming place offering basic needs such as light meals, a shower, washroom and laundry facilities. Partnerships with numerous agencies offering support to local people in need mean those using the centre can access important services and supports under one roof.

Over the next three years, a community garden, collective kitchen programs and early years programming will be added, breaking down barriers and developing relationships between community members.

• 126 unique individuals accessed services last year
• 1,289 total visits to the Stratford Connection Centre
• 8 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

27 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 in case something like this were to happen:

Gwen lived with her young grandchildren in a small apartment. Her modest income was just enough to keep them housed, fed and clothed. Then the letter came stating the building was being sold and she had four weeks to move.

A million thoughts went through Gwen’s head; finding an affordable new place, the cost of moving, the deposits—all unexpected and unwelcome expenses when she was just getting by. Gwen wasn’t sure where to turn for help until she heard about the Urgent Needs Fund. 

Eliminate Chronic Homelessness

Homelessness isn’t just about sleeping on the streets. A person may be in a temporary shelter, incarcerated without a place to go after or couch surfing. Homelessness affects almost every aspect of life including family well-being, employment and physical and mental health. People experiencing homelessness have shorter life expectancies, are more likely to be victims of violence and go hungry at least once a week. The odds often feel stacked against those experiencing homelessness due to complex, interconnected issues like mental illness, addiction and abuse.

The latest numbers indicate that 139 households are experiencing homelessness in Huron County. However, 80% of homelessness is hidden — meaning there are many more people struggling to find a place to call their own.

Meeting Needs

Housing Advocate to find housing & provide ongoing support

Prevention and support services for youth & women

Three new beds for Huron Turning Point transition home

Emergency shelter during cold months

Melanie was full of anxiety, unsure how she’d explain to her kids why dinner was soup and crackers again. A single mother of two, she recently lost her job, was struggling to put food on the table and worried constantly about being evicted.

From her first visit to the Connection Centre, Melanie was met with kindness.

Thanks to their food assistance program, she could bring home nutritious meals. Staff also connected her with emergency financial resources and referrals to employment and housing supports.

Now, Melanie’s future looks brighter. She has a new job she is proud of, lives in a safe and secure home, and volunteers at the Centre as a way of giving back to the place that brought hope back into her life. Sharing her story has become her way of reminding others that even in the darkest moments, there’s a place where compassion lives and help is real.

United Way Southern Huron Community Committee

–> United Way Perth-Huron Manager Community Development, Southern Huron: Denise Rolleman

Changing Local Lives

“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.”

Supported Partners serving Southern Huron residents:

Want to read more?

Huron County Impact Brochure (PDF)