Our Impact:
Women United is a diverse and dedicated group of individuals who believe in the power of collective action. For over a decade, we’ve invested in programs and projects that help women, and their families lead safe, healthy, and empowered lives. This isn’t about funding a single issue; it’s a region-wide strategy informed by United Way’s deep community knowledge and trusted partnerships.
The stats may surprise you.
Discrimination at work, violence at home, struggles to break the cycle of poverty—these are just some of the stark realities facing women, girls, and gender-diverse people in our region.
Together, we can tackle these challenges at the local level.
The rate at which women leaders are mistaken for junior employees is twice that of their male peers across North America
Almost two-thirds (63.1%) of families in emergency shelters in Ottawa were headed by single mothers in 2023.
Of the 62 femicides in Ontario between 2023 and 2024, 8 took place in Ottawa.
How Women United makes lasting change.
United Way East Ontario’s Women United makes a difference in these four areas:
Addressing gender-based violence
Ensuring women and girls are safe from abuse and have support to rebuild.
Empowering women in leadership
Providing training and opportunities for women and girls to develop as leaders in our community.
Supporting young mothers and their children
Helping new mothers with resources, education, and community support for their families’ health and success.
Building an equitable economy
Investing in job skills, education, and financial stability so women, especially those in vulnerable situations, can achieve economic independence.
How we create measurable change:
Community Action Grants supporting small, grassroots initiatives in our region’s most vulnerable areas. These grants support women to become leaders, identifying and executing on small initiatives for the betterment of their communities.
United Way’s Community Fund going where it’s needed most and will have the greatest impact to improve the lives of women and girls across our region.
