Giving back to our community

More important than ever before

James SkidmoreThanks to the generosity of the University of Waterloo community members, we beat our 2016 goal of $265,000, raising more than $275,000.

As successful as our campaign was, donations for the United Way Kitchener-Waterloo & Area were down. This means it’s more important than ever to give back to the community we live and work in.

Through continued support, we will be able to help even more individuals and families live better lives in the three cities and four townships in the Region of Waterloo.

Thanks for your support in 2016 and we look forward to seeing you when the campus goes red in 2017!

James Skidmore
United Way campaign co-chair


2016 brought changes to the United Way Kitchener-Waterloo & Area

Although we beat our goal for 2016, the United Way Kitchener-Waterloo & Area fell short once again. It’s more important than ever to give back to the community we live and work in. In the past, if you lived in Cambridge or North Dumfries, you may have hesitated to give to the university's Kitchener-Waterloo & Area campaign because you wanted to see the dollars go to your community.

Well now, you don’t have to worry! As of April 1, the United Way KW & Area joined forces with the United Way Cambridge and North Dumfries to form the United Way Waterloo Region Communities.

Whether you grew up in the region or you moved here to be a part of the University of Waterloo, you are part of a growing community where not everyone’s as lucky as we are. And to see our community thrive, we need your support to help even more individuals and families live better lives in the three cities and four townships in the Region of Waterloo.

They’ve started doing some things differently in the last couple of years, but we’ll see more of that including:

  • Community Conversations (in partnership with the Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation, Wellbeing Waterloo Region, Cambridge & North Dumfries Community Foundation) are offering opportunities to community members to provide input into the priority setting work of Wellbeing Waterloo Region.
  • Strong Neighbourhood Strategy is a place-based prevention strategy that encourages residents to identify and use their specific skills, knowledge and passions to make their neighbourhood a better place to live, learn, work and play.
  • GenNEXTKWA is connecting young professionals in KW & Area with local social service issues through networking, education, and action to give back to the community.

The Waterloo sign wrapped in red for the United Way Launch