2025-2026 United Way WRC_Annual Report - Flipbook - Page 8
Board Chair Report
It is my honour to write this message, my last as
Chair of the United Way. As I reflect on this past
year, one word keeps coming to mind: connection.
It is the thread that runs
through everything we do
at United Way Waterloo
Region—connecting our
neighbours to the support
they need, connecting
donors to the causes that
matter most, and
connecting our community
to a shared vision of what
we can achieve together.
This year, thanks to your
extraordinary generosity,
we raised nearly $5 million
—and together, we helped
approximately 254,896
individuals across our
region.
Those funds reach every
corner of our community
and supporting child &
youth wellbeing,
welcoming newcomers to
our region, putting
nutritious food on tables,
supporting mental health,
and helping our most
vulnerable neighbours find
safe and stable housing.
None of these challenges
exist in isolation, and neither
do their solutions. Each of
these efforts is linked to the
next. When a child thrives, a
family is strengthened.
When a newcomer finds
belonging, our whole
community is enriched.
When hunger is addressed,
people are better able to
work. When someone
experiencing homelessness
finds stability, mental health
is improved.
As Helen Keller once said,
"Alone we can do so little;
together we can do so
much." That spirit of
togetherness is what makes
United Way unique. We do
not fund isolated programs
—we invest in an
interconnected web of care
that lifts everyone.
I invite you to be part of this
connection. Come to an
event. Volunteer for a
workplace campaign.
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