2023 United Way Saskatoon & Area Community Impact Report

A Message from Sheri

The 2023 fiscal year included many challenges but also incredible successes. Beyond the devastating combination of an affordability crisis and simultaneous homelessness, opioid and HIV epidemics, are the inspiring stories of volunteers, donors, and community leaders creating opportunities for a better life for everyone in our communities.

This year, thousands of United Way volunteers and donors from Saskatoon and area invested $3.8 million dollars and other resources into 42 initiatives, including 35 community-based organizations on the frontlines of some our communities’ biggest challenges.

Even more important are the stunning achievements of the thousands of kids, moms, and other community members making the most of the opportunities created by the growing community of United Way volunteers and donors working together, investing time and money into creating healthier, stronger, and safer Saskatoon and area communities. These investments have a positive impact that is nearly impossible to quantify.

Take for example this story of a young mother and university student who had an unexpected illness forcing her to withdraw from classes for a year. Because the young woman was no longer enrolled, she lost critical funding and every remaining dollar she had was being used to sustain her and her child in the face of constantly increasing food and housing costs. What might seem like a trivial purchase for some is a major decision for others. Thankfully, period products provided to this young mom over a series of months saved her from

choosing between food and going without this necessity. United Way and Tampon Tuesday donations and volunteers made this seemingly small but incredibly important support possible. And that’s just one story. There are hundreds of similar stories with life-changing impact.

Life for community-based organizations in Saskatoon and area communities has also been tough. The various epidemics all happening at the same time have led to an exponential increase in demand for support services. This demand has placed incredible strain on these agencies’ finances, but also the staff and volunteers powering these support services. The United Way community of volunteers and donors reached deep this year – including over $300,000 into reserve funding – to provide critical, unrestricted emergency funding and resources so that leaders from these organizations can be agile and adapt to the rapidly changing environments they operate in.

THANK YOU to the many United Way volunteers and donors that make this critical investment into our communities possible. You are the United Way, helping kids be all they can be, moving people from poverty to possibility, and creating better, healthier communities in Saskatoon and area. Our communities are healthier, stronger, and safer thanks to your ongoing support and participation in United Way Saskatoon and Area.

Sheri Benson CEO, United Way Saskatoon & Area

For 65 years, United Way Saskatoon and Area has been strategically investing time and money into positively impacting the lives of vulnerable children, youth, and their families in our community.

We are actively involved in building capacity in our community, fundraising, sharing stories, and hosting events that bring awareness to the often-ignored social issues facing our most vulnerable community members.

2023

Community Investment

In the 2023 fiscal year, United Way strategically invested $3.8 million into 42 community initiatives creating opportunities for a better life for everyone.

$320,000 of reserve funds was provided to six agencies delivering critical services for at-risk children, women and youth. This unrestricted emergency funding was used to help manage the exponential increase in demand these agencies are experiencing due to simultaneous homelessness, opioid and HIV epidemics occurring in Saskatoon.

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“A reality we all face today is rising costs, and those most at risk of going hungry, without shelter or experiencing violence during such times are women and children,” said Sheri Benson, chief executive officer at United Way Saskatoon and Area. “This year, our funded agencies told us they are experiencing exceptional pressure on their resources, and we wanted to do what we could to help.”

A six per cent cost of living increase was also added to the annual investment United Way makes in 35 community-based organizations.

FIGHTING POVERTY

Moving people from poverty to possibility.

Every individual and family deserve to have their basic needs met. Homelessness is a serious issue in our community which is often accompanied by additional challenges such as food security and mental health issues.

United Way partners with agencies to support

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programs and services which address the root causes of poverty, build capacity, and help lift individuals and families out of poverty.

When people’s basic needs are met, they can move from surviving individuals to thriving community members.

SASKATOON AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL SUMMER SNACK PROGRAM

11,332

nutritious meals and snacks were served at 8 Saskatoon core neighbourhood parks during July and August.

financial literacy workshops provided to individuals. 99% increased their knowledge and learned new ways to manage their money.

It feels better now to figure out how much money I need for diapers, formula and other things for my young children.

Workshop participant

FOUNDATIONS LEARNING & SKILLS SASKATCHEWAN

United Way Saskatoon and Area is proud to support Community Legal Assistance Services For Saskatoon Inner City (CLASSIC). CLASSIC offers a Walk-In Advocacy Clinic and Community Support Program for those experiencing poverty in Saskatoon.

CLASSIC’s Walk-In Advisory Clinic provides full legal representation by practising lawyers and students under the supervision of lawyers free of charge, in legal areas including residential tenancies, human rights, immigration, criminal justice, employment, and social work.

CLASSIC’s guiding philosophy is clientcentredness. It is rare for clients to seek CLASSIC’s services with a neatly packaged legal matter – every client is experiencing poverty and many are struggling with mental health, addictions, and inadequate access to housing. Community Support Workers, trained in social work or experienced in the community, provide wrap-around supports for CLASSIC clients, assisting with their non-legal needs. Usually, this means supporting clients in accessing housing, navigating income assistance programs, or accessing mental health supports.

CLASSIC’s goal is to serve as many clients as possible who experience poverty and injustice in Saskatoon. This past year, CLASSIC surpassed their goal of addressing 650 cases, serving more than 1,000 clients through the Walk-In Advocacy Clinic and Community Support Program.

Access to affordable housing and homelessness are pressing issues in Saskatoon, becoming even more dire in the winter months. CLASSIC frequently represents tenants who have been victimized by their landlords. They intervene in situations where landlords take advantage of their power over tenants who are accessing necessary housing.

From illegal evictions to improper disposal of a tenant’s property and inadequately maintained or unsafe property conditions, CLASSIC uses its legal expertise to assert the client’s rights as a tenant and work to ensure they are fairly compensated. In parallel, CLASSIC’s Community Support Workers help to provide wrap-around supports and access housing.

of CLASSIC’s clients self-identified as Indigenous. 53.4%

EQUITY FOR ALL

Building strong and healthy communities.

The strength of a community is in the wellbeing of the people who live there. When community members can access the supports and services that build skills, increase confidence, and support mental health, they are better equipped to overcome challenges and work through setbacks. Positive mental health gives people the emotional strength to cope with trauma, adversity, and life’s challenges.

United Way builds strong communities by supporting positive mental health initiatives, creating a barrier-free path to services, and connecting people to their community. Connection and involvement in the community can strengthen an individual’s ability to successfully integrate into the community and transition into the workplace.

With the wealth of information and resources, I’ve been able to address various parenting challenges with more confidence. Being able to access the extensive database of articles has truly made a difference in my journey as a parent. “ ”

9,476 visits to Crocus made by individuals facing challenges related to mental health, addiction, or poverty.

220,729

unique site visits to the 211 Saskatchewan website. 211 received contacts from 271 different cities, towns, and communities across the province. 83% of the contacts were made through the 211 phone line.

211 SASKATCHEWAN

211 Parent Central User

United Way Saskatoon and Area is a proud supporter of the Wâpahki program – a project created in partnership by Prairie Harm Reduction (PHR), Okihtcitawak Patrol Group (OPG), and Chokecherry Studios (CS).

Prairie Harm Reduction is a community-based non-profit operating Saskatchewan’s first safe consumption site.

The OPG, named after a Cree word meaning warrior, is an Indigenous-led volunteer community support service operating within a harm reduction framework to promote community safety in Saskatoon’s Pleasant Hill neighbourhood.

Chokecherry Studios is a youth-founded, community led non-profit organization providing arts-based programming and mentorship to young and emerging artists in saskatoon’s core neighbourhoods.

Wâpahki, Cree for tomorrow, exists to build community and connection through art and culture. The programming has two facets: supporting victims and witnesses of violence through restorative healing practices offered in Pleasant Hill, and increasing community involvement for individuals and families living with mental health issues through youth art programming and sharing circles facilitated by Chokecherry Studios.

In April 2022 to March 23, Chokecherry Studios offered 98 Wâpahki program sessions and four community mobilization actions. Programming included Talking Circles, art projects, workshops with special guests, and intergenerational engagement opportunities with Elders from the community. For their regular attendance in programming and participation in community mobilization, Chokecherry compensated youth members with $50 honoraria. In total, $10,250 was distributed to youth between the ages of 11 and 29 from Saskatoon’s core areas.

The focus of this year’s Wâpahki programming was promoting community safety and wellbeing through anti-racist and anti-oppression frameworks. Over the course of the regular evening sessions, Chokecherry youth participated in an 18-part anti-racism workshop series designed to increase both their personal and collective capacity to address racism while acknowledging their lived/living experience with racism. Additionally, youth were equipped to create informational materials and design social media campaigns, ultimately creating a short documentary to increase public awareness about anti-racism and racism in their community.

Wâpahki’s community mobilization actions bring Chokecherry youths’ work, learning, and voice to the broader community. On February 21, 2023, Chokecherry Studios and Black Lives Matter YXE co-hosted a community mobilization action entitled Black Futures. The youth-led and youth-centred celebration of Black History and futures featured a panel discussion, food, and live performances from young BIPOC artists.

This past year, Chokecherry saw 234 new youth walk through their doors – raising the total number of Chokecherry’s youth to over 300. Of those youth, more than 85% selfidentify as Indigenous, and about 25% identify as belonging to the 2SLGBTQIIA+ community.

HEALTHY CHILDREN & YOUTH

Children need a good start in life to become healthy adults. Nutritional deficiencies early in life can affect the development of schoolaged children and access to nutrition improves students’ energy levels, concentration, and ability to learn.

Children need access to early developmental programs, positive school experiences during the middle years, and ongoing support to

graduate from high school. They benefit from recreational activities, mentorship, and opportunities to discover their talents and interests.

United Way helps kids be all that they can be by focusing on a child’s readiness for kindergarten, achieving grade level reading, and supporting their journey toward adulthood.

children and youth participated in Mini Club Programs, providing a safe place before & after school while their parents were working or attending educational classes.

students enrolled in Summer Success Literacy Camps. 95% of children, whose attendance was 80% or greater, maintained or increased their reading levels. 90 backpacks full of quality school supplies and 1,000 books were distributed to camp participants.

BGC SASKATOON

Helping kids be all they can be.

EGADZ’s Action to Employment Community Crew, proudly sponsored by United Way Saskatoon and Area, helps young people aged 12 to 20 be all that they can be through access to employment, valuable job experience, and opportunities to serve their community.

The Action to Employment Community Crew works on 51 community properties in Saskatoon, mowing lawns, trimming hedges, picking weeds, planting gardens, painting fences, raking leaves, shovelling, pressure washing, and maintaining safe sites for clients. The majority of the clients are lowincome seniors and disabled persons on a fixed income who would be otherwise unable to access yard services or maintain a safe property.

The Action to Employment Community Crew of at-risk youth is fully involved in the design and delivery of the program, acquiring job skills, independence, and confidence. The selfesteem gained by the crew’s impact on the safety, independence, and quality of life for their clients is pivotal to keeping youth on the path forward to a bright future.

In early 2022, one young woman re-joined the Action to Employment Community Crew after returning from a year-long stint in a treatment facility. Having worked on the crew as a younger teen, she became a natural leader and mentor on the crew and passed on the skills she learned to younger and newer members. Through her work in the program, she was able to pay off her debts to SGI and purchase a car. In the fall, she reduced her hours to parttime to attend the University of Saskatchewan. Following her successful first year in school, she applied for and received a job as a medical

administrator. Still feeling connected to EGADZ and grateful for the Action to Employment Community Crew’s role in creating a foundation for her future employment, she successfully applied to work at EGADZ’ group homes and is continuing to give back to her community.

A Home For Youth, By Youth

Youth in group homes are some of the most overlooked segments of vulnerable populations in our community, but a team of young people from EGADZ are making their voices heard and changing how policy governs at least one youth home in the province.

EGADZ recently opened Garden of Hope, a youth home offering mental health support for young people aged 12 to 18. The eight-bed space provides a range of supports designed to reduce self-harming behaviors, suicide attempts and hospital visits.

From the start, the project has been led by youth with group home experience. Don Meikle, executive director of EGADZ, says “it is a true home that is for youth, by youth.”

Thanks to the generosity of donors, United Way invested $10,000 into the project, which was designated to furnishing the home’s recreational space.

“It was an honour to invest in this project and see young people take control of how the space and intake process for the home was designed,” said Sheri Benson, chief executive

officer for United Way Saskatoon and Area. “The voices of youth are often drowned out by well-intentioned adults, but these young people stood up and reminded all of us that their perspectives are vital to the process of healing and creating opportunities for a better life for everyone in our community. I hope we see more projects like this, where the people being impacted by the process have a decisionmaking voice in its design.”

I support United Way because the organization connects people from all walks of life and is a catalyst for positive change. Numerous critical frontline agencies get stable, operational funding from United Way, and that’s unique. Their transparency and deep knowledge of the challenges in our community give me confidence my donation will be invested wisely.”

Darla Deguire Board Chair, 2023 United Way Saskatoon & Area Board of Directors, Cedar+Sage Boutique Retreats

We have spent 53 years in Saskatoon, so the city has become our home. We’ve raised a child here, have a long history of being involved in community-based organizations, and care deeply about our community. More diverse than ever, both in its population and the challenges it faces, Saskatoon needs solutions just as diverse. United Way takes a broad approach to seeing and addressing the challenges we face as a community. Listening to all perspectives –being inclusive - is the way to solve complex problems, and United Way does this and is the right organization to bring people and resources together to better understand and address the challenges our city faces. They bring a caring and welcoming philosophy to their work, and this inclusivity is fundamental to making life better for everyone in our community.” “

Asit & Ila Sarkar United Way Saskatoon & Area Leadership Donors

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Leadership donors contributed a total of $1,126,590 in 2022.