Nicole McVan, Vice President of Philanthropy & Marketing at United Way Greater Toronto (UWGT), discusses the organization’s long-standing commitment to addressing local issues such as poverty, homelessness, food insecurity, and mental health across the Greater Toronto Area. With a focus on community-led programs, UWGT collaborates with academic institutions, government bodies, and social services to develop sustainable solutions. McVan highlights the growing challenges in the region, from increased food bank visits to rising housing instability, and underscores UWGT’s mission to combat these issues through research, advocacy, and philanthropy. She also encourages public support for UWGT’s upcoming events, including the CN Tower ClimbUP, which raises funds for vital community services.
Describe your charity/non-profit/volunteer work in a few sentences.
For decades now, United Way Greater Toronto (UWGT) has been working in, and with, community to address very real, local issues such as poverty, homelessness, food insecurity and mental health. We do this through consultations, conversations, listening, learning, research, advocacy, and fundraising.
Our impact is deeply rooted across the GTA – in Peel, Toronto and York Regions – and is built on a foundation that’s unlike any other, with expertise in community-led and -serving programs, meaningful research and public policy work conducted with Canada’s leading academic institutions and longstanding, cross-sector partnerships with government, social services, community organizations and the corporations that drive our economy.
In recent years, we’ve also taken on a more active role spearheading cross-sector solutions to local challenges to create a GTA where everyone can thrive. We’ve developed a deep toolbox and a long track record including:
● Creating impactful research that mobilizes community and has shaped how our region tackles poverty.
● Pulling local residents, nonprofits, government, business and civic institutions together to address our community’s greatest challenges, from homelessness to food security.
● Advocating for meaningful public policy that addresses systemic racism and discrimination and dismantles structural barriers at the root of poverty, advances reconciliation and equity and creates a more livable GTA for everyone.
● Leading a community campaign that sparks the GTA’s largest movement of philanthropy and volunteerism.
What problem does it aim to solve?
Currently in the GTA, one in every four families lives in poverty, that’s 1.4 million people, and this ends up in a cascade of other interconnected and increasingly complex issues.
16% of households live in unstable, inadequate, or unaffordable housing and can’t afford to move. There has been a 51% increase in food bank visits since last year. The GTA is expected to grow by nine million people over the next decade. So as the region continues to undergo significant development people across the GTA are at serious risk of being displaced or being left behind, if we don’t do more.
United Way Greater Toronto aims to address the root causes of poverty by mobilizing resources and partnerships across the GTA. Through our research, we generate conversations and drive action that shape solutions to complex local challenges. We support over 300 agencies in delivering essential services like mental health support, employment opportunities, and emergency housing to those in need. Our goal is to create a stronger, more equitable community for all residents.
When did you start/join it?
I had always been aware of United Way Greater Toronto’s work, but in 2017, I noticed their growing presence and the progressive agenda they were pushing. They were focused on community development, neighborhood-building, and ensuring everyone had access to a healthy, fulfilling life. Seeing this made me want to contribute to a movement that was driving positive, meaningful change in the city and region.
What made you want to get involved?
The landscape has changed dramatically since I joined, particularly following the onset of the pandemic in 2020. Mental health struggles, poverty, and food insecurity were rising then, and they’ve only become more severe since. The need for the work we do has never been greater.
What was the situation like when you started?
When I first joined United Way Greater Toronto, the organization’s mission was becoming more visible and widely recognized across the GTA. It was a dynamic time filled with energy and momentum. We were constantly out in communities, attending events, volunteering, and engaging directly with residents to consult on how we could improve social conditions in Peel, Toronto, and York. These face-to-face meetings were invaluable, allowing us to listen, learn, and build strong connections within the community. However, when the pandemic hit, everything changed. We had to pivot quickly from this high-intensity, in-person engagement to working remotely, which reshaped how we operated. Despite the challenges, our focus remained the same: ensuring that the community continued to receive the essential care and support it needed, even during a period of uncertainty.
How has it changed since?
Poverty levels have worsened, surpassing pre-pandemic numbers. Without intervention, this trend is likely to continue. The cost-of-living crisis disproportionately impacts vulnerable communities — Indigenous, Black, racialized groups, women, 2SLGBTQ+ communities, and people with disabilities. To make matters worse, more than half of the organizations providing vital services have experienced rent increases, putting them at risk of closing or being displaced. This endangers the very resources many rely on for support.
What more needs to be done?
A lot! We need to protect and expand vital services that are offered through our social safety net – that is our network of agencies. United Way will continue to strengthen them through continued research, capacity building and ongoing investment, empowering our partners to respond to increased demand for basic needs so that we can meet emerging challenges and build resiliency for times of crisis and for the future.
We have to continue our work in future-proofing our region and neighbourhoods by ensuring these vital organizations can secure long-term space so that they can remain firmly rooted in our neighbourhoods and be accessible to people in need by expanding the footprint of our Community Hubs across the GTA and launching a Community Real Estate Fund. Things need to change and it’s time to amplify our impact and change what our future looks like, which requires significant investment and participation, so that everyone can afford to live with dignity.
How can our readers help?
Spread the word about United Way’s work during conversations with your family and friends and workmates, loudly announcing how important and impactful this mission is so all of us can live better lives.
Support United Way through your generous giving which will help safeguard our network of agencies, allowing them to remain the most effective on-the-ground, frontline response to our most immediate needs and improve social conditions for all. Everyone can lend their support and partnership in any way they can because every effort counts and is critical to ensuring United Way has what is needed to shape a society where everyone can aspire to a good life today, tomorrow and for years to come, and where the growth of our region is a force for good.
Where can we follow you?
PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?
Well of course check out United Way Greater Toronto. We do such amazing work and we need support from across the community to be bold in our vision of a better Greater Toronto Area for all.
