In addition to announcing its $2,289,671 campaign goal for 2022-2023 at its campaign-launch event in Stratford’s Market Square Friday, the United Way Perth Huron also announced the creation of the Community Renewal Company, a not-for-profit housing corporation that will focus on building housing for people at all levels.
The United Way Perth-Huron is hoping to raise nearly $2.3 million to support almost 50 local organizations in an effort to address unignorable social issues facing area communities.
United Way staff and volunteers joined local politicians and supporters Friday for a 2022-23 campaign launch event — the first held in person since before the pandemic.
“This is one of the most generous, kind and compassionate cities that I think exists anywhere,” said local United Way executive director Ryan Erb. “Volunteers are the heart and soul of this community, and I’m so thankful for you out here who are volunteers for our organization and the important organizations in our community.
“So we’re generous, we volunteer, but we’re not satisfied with that because even though this is a beautiful and amazing community, there are some challenges we face. And together, I wanted to challenge all of us to work a little bit harder at advocacy, to work a little bit harder at making sure the changes that we need in our community can come together. That only happens through understanding the issues and working collaboratively with partners like the people in this square today.”
Through its annual campaign, the United Way raises funds to support community organizations across Huron and Perth counties that are addressing issues like hunger and food insecurity, housing and homelessness, poverty, mental health, access to services and intimate-partner violence.
In Stratford alone, some of that funding goes to support operating costs for organizations like the Emily Murphy Centre, Stratford/Perth Shelterlink, the Local Community Food Center and the Stratford Connection Centre, among others.
Speaking specifically about the United Way and its local partners’ goal to end chronic homelessness in Stratford and the surrounding Perth County, Erb said the local United Way played a major part in leading the conversation that resulted in the opening last year of the Stratford Connection Center , a resource center in the basement of St. Paul’s Anglican Church that offers people experiencing homelessness, or those who are precariously housed, basic needs like showers, laundry and storage, while giving them the opportunity to connect with social supports and services in the community like employment, housing and mental-health and addiction services.
“But we can’t stop there, can we?” Erb asked. “We have to make sure that we’re addressing the other end of the spectrum. We have to find ways to make sure we don’t have as many people experiencing chronic homelessness in the future, and we have to find ways to house the people who are experiencing homelessness now, even if it’s for just a day.”
Erb said it’s important for Stratford residents to continue pushing local government leaders to support higher-density residential development in the city. In addition, Erb urged those present to get behind a new organization the United Way and its partners are launching called the Community Renewal Company.
“(It’s) going to be a not-for-profit housing corporation that’s going to build housing in this community for people at all levels. So, as we begin to roll out projects and proposals, I’m going to need to raise millions of dollars for those projects … in addition to the campaign goal.”
Though it wasn’t a planned announcement, when Stratford Mayor Dan Mathieson stepped up to the microphone Friday to speak about this year’s campaign, he told those present that he would be co-chairing the Community Renewal Company after his final term as mayor ends next month.
“I’ve agreed to do that because I believe we need to have solutions in our own communities to deal with the issues that are unignorable,” Mathieson said.
“This is one of the most, if not the most generous community, not just with the United Way. Philanthropy Canada identified us last year as having the most charitable tax donations per capita … across any charitable platform. That speaks to the generosity, and that’s why many of the solutions we have in this community are dealt with locally. May we all continue to come together in aid of those in need to make our community special and bright now and in the future.”
For more information about about the United Way Perth-Huron’s 2022-2023 campaign and the initiatives, projects and organizations it supports, visit perthhuron.unitedway.ca.