United Way Greater Toronto

We believe that every person in every community deserves the opportunities, access, and connections they need to build a good life – regardless of their income, the neighbourhood they live in, or their social identity.

We fight local poverty by supporting the people impacted by this unignorable issue, and supporting the neighbourhoods they live in. We do this work by building and strengthening a network of agencies that function as the GTA’s social safety net.

We do the research to understand the needs on the ground, convene and collaborate with local residents and partners to get the work done, and rely on the local love of our many supporters to put plans into action.

Philanthropy: We mobilize the community’s volunteer and financial resources to fight local poverty.

Grants: Beyond meeting immediate and emergency needs, United Way sustains and supports a network of local agencies that deliver essential services and programs to move people out of poverty. Our granting expertise is harnessed by philanthropic and government partners to direct funding where it is needed most.

Convening: We connect business, government, community organizations, institutions, and residents of our region to meet complex needs and build stronger solutions to change the systems that enable poverty.

Research & Advocacy: We focus on understanding how poverty works, and act on local solutions, including those identified by community members. Through our research and advocacy on public policy we tackle the unignorable issues that provide a path to resilience and opportunity for people experiencing poverty.

Website:  https://www.unitedwaygt.org/

United Way of Berks County’s work with The Harwood Institute

  • Incorporated the Institute’s practice for years to develop its Senior Executive Team, Board,  staff, and local public innovators

  • Developed “Being Fiercely Local: A Roadmap for Action” (Jan 2019)  

  • Participating in the Institute’s new Catalytic Community Guide Program

DANIELE ZANOTTI

President & CEO

Daniele Zanotti was named President & CEO of United Way in June 2016. With more than 20 years of experience in the public and non-profit sectors, he has earned a reputation as an accomplished, strategic, and energetic leader.

From 2007 to 2015, Daniele served as CEO of United Way York Region, where he led an evolution to transform the charity from federated fundraiser to convener, mobilizer and agent of community change.

In 2015, Daniele was the catalyst behind a merger between United Ways in York Region and Toronto. He helped establish a new regional organization to tackle issues on

both sides of Steeles Avenue and stewarded the first-ever United Way Toronto & York Region campaign to an historic achievement of $100 million for United Way’s agencies, programs, and initiatives. United Way’s record-breaking annual campaigns and community investment have continued, and the charity has applied an increasingly regional lens to its work.

Under his leadership, on April 1, 2018, United Way Toronto & York Region merged with United Way Peel Region. As United Way Greater Toronto, the organization is now able to use its bigger scale to strengthen a region-wide strategy to fight local poverty and address and advocate on complex social issues. Crucial to that work is the contribution of donors and volunteers across the region. To harness their time, talent and treasure, United Way is innovating to provide digital tools and a regional infrastructure that will welcome and support the engagement of 1 million people in its efforts by 2025.

Before joining United Way, Daniele served the community through organizations like the Rexdale Community Health Centre; The Regional Municipality of York; Family Day Care Services; and Villa Charities Foundation. He is also deeply involved outside of his professional career, volunteering his time as a member of CivicAction’s Board of Directors and the City of Toronto’s Partnership to Advance Youth Employment (PAYE) and Toronto’s Resilience Steering Committee.

Daniele has a Masters of Social Work from the University of Toronto and Bachelor’s Degree from York University. He lives in Vaughan with his wife and two children.