Giving is a character trait instilled in me as a little girl. Growing up, my mother gave away the clothes, shoes and toys my brother and I didn’t use anymore to those less fortunate.
Donating has always been my mother’s thing. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas morning was dedicated to dropping off bags of goods to the United Way.
I believe helping the United Way is the way to living and giving a better life.
I remember not wanting my Thanksgiving breakfast pumpkin spiced pancakes until I dropped off my “presents” to the “little girls” who needed them. And I recall not opening my Christmas gifts from Santa until I dropped off all the Barbie dolls and Polly Pockets I no longer needed.
If it weren’t for the United Way, I wouldn’t be so nostalgic for those early morning, feel-good donation runs.
I believe helping the United Way is the way to living and giving a better life.
The focus of the charity’s efforts is on the three main areas that are essential to creating opportunities for a good life: helping people move from poverty to possibility; building healthy people and strong communities; and helping kids achieve their potential.
The United Way is based on a simple but profound belief: “What unites us is ultimately far more powerful than what divides us.”
When supporting the United Way, gifts go directly to its Community Fund, which supports strategies aimed at improving social conditions in our city.
The United Way engages the community and brings people together from all walks of life to support a common purpose. It works to both build an understanding of our city’s challenges and to mobilize people, ideas and resources to achieve shared aspirations.
Agencies such as Toronto Public Health, Action for Neighbourhood Change, Community Resource Connections of Toronto, YMCA Employment and Community Services and many more have come together with the United Way under one roof to provide residents with various sought-after services and assistance.
Although Thanksgiving has come and gone, let’s still gather our goods and donate to the United Way.
You can catch my mother and I continuing our giving tradition on Christmas morning. I hope you guys join us.