By Jack Brittle, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The former Halton and Hamilton branch of the United Way (UWHH) marked its final year with a $12 million fundraising total, as the organization transitions into the larger United Way Golden Horseshoe (UWGH).
The milestone was announced on April 15 at the organization’s annual Evening of Celebration, which highlighted the 2025 achievements of the legacy branch.
The $12 million raised will support programs and services across Halton and Hamilton.
Former UWHH president and CEO, and current president and CEO of UWGH, Brad Park, spoke about the impact the money raised will have on the community.
“Tonight is a powerful reminder of what happens when a community comes together,” Park said. “Because of that collective effort, the $12 million raised last year in Halton and Hamilton will go directly into local programs that help people access food, housing, mental health supports, and other essentials. These are not just numbers; these are lives changed, barriers reduced, and opportunities created.”
Awards for donors, volunteers, and workplaces were given out throughout the night, celebrating their contributions to UWHH. “Impact videos” were also played throughout the event, which celebrated individuals helped by UWHH, and highlighted their perseverance through difficult personal circumstances.
The theme of this year’s celebration was “Waves of Impact.”
Kristen Jacob, vice president of marketing and communications for UWGH, spoke about the meaning of the name.
“The tagline we’re using is ‘Every ripple of kindness creates waves of impact,’” Jacob said. “We’re celebrating some of our amazing donors, workplaces, sponsors, and philanthropists in the community who really stepped up this year and made a difference.”
The Step Up for the Community award, which, according to the UWHH website, “recognizes the organizations that rose to the occasion — raising funds, volunteering, supporting events, and spreading awareness,” was given to BMO, UPS, and FirstOntario, among others.
The Together We Care award, which recognizes “employees whose enthusiastic participation raises awareness of community needs and demonstrates the meaningful impact of United Way donations,” was awarded to a number of employee groups, including those from CIBC, the Town of Oakville, and Community Living North Halton.
The Leading the Way award, which honours “partners who inspire leadership — encouraging their team to give, lead, and set the tone for an engaged workplace all year,” was given to Cogeco, McMaster University, and Oakville Hydro, as well as other recipients.
The Leading the Way in Philanthropy award, which honours “individuals, families, groups, or foundations whose exceptional generosity and leadership inspire others to give and get involved,” was awarded to Burlington Dad’s members Jamie Kozub and Chris Carter, as well as Peter Long, Erica Lamont, and Thomas Goldstein.
The Labour of Love award, which celebrates “Labour Community partners whose teamwork, campaigns, and dedication raise awareness and funds to support Halton and Hamilton,” was given to ETFO Halton, Canadian Union of Postal Workers Local 548, and Unifor Local 5555, among many others.
The Collaboration in Action Committee award, which honours “the Workplace Campaign Committee that showed innovation, teamwork, and enthusiasm in running their campaign, achieving stronger-than-expected results,” was awarded to Ford Motor Company of Canada, The Regional Municipality of Halton, and IG Wealth Management, alongside other recipients.
The Inspiring Local Love award, which highlights “campaigns that persevered through challenges to continue supporting their local communities with United Way,” was given to the Cities of Burlington and Hamilton, Burlington Hydro Inc., Halton Healthcare, and many others.
To see the full list of award-winners, click here.
Park said that while the overall number of donors has dropped, new donors have started giving to the organization.
“The exciting part is that the community is still engaging,” Park said. “And we’re still bringing on new workplaces, new individuals, and new interests in supporting the local community.”
Park also said that for the first time in the group’s history, they have been able to secure donations for future years in addition to the current charity year.
The United Way is also seeing more participation in its events than ever before.
“That just shows that the community likes to come out in different ways,” Park said. “Maybe you like to give a donation at your workplace, maybe you like to give a donation directly, or maybe you just like to participate in something where the community’s there. And for me, that was the most impressive part of this year. The community really stepped up to support in different ways. The turnout at our events was incredible.”
Park hopes the merger will mean that UWGH will be able to host even more events in the future, but clarified that each legacy branch will continue to hold its signature programming.
Jacob echoed this sentiment.
“We’ll have a centralized marketing and events team,” Jacob said. “They will be able to go into the communities among the Horseshoe and run more events, have more communications, more marketing pieces, more collateral, and more content for social media. It gives us a new opportunity and area for us to open up and share our message.”
“The team is all ramped up, all jazzed for the year to come,” Jacob said.
Park spoke about what’s next for the newly formed UWGH.
“As we look ahead, this moment is about more than what we’ve achieved,” Park said. “It’s about what’s possible. As United Way Golden Horseshoe, we are building on that momentum. By coming together in collaboration across our region, we are better positioned to support more programs, work alongside more agency partners, and create even greater impact in the communities we serve.”
