From poverty to possibility

When a person lives below the poverty line, they feel the repercussions across every facet of their lives. Food, shelter, employment, as well as physical and mental wellbeing all suffer when someone is experiencing hardship. Yet poverty isn’t just about a pay cheque; it’s about the lack of access, connections, opportunity and empowerment that too many people in the Peel, Toronto and York regions struggle with every day.

Though many of us at Ryerson are fortunate, poverty is a fact of life in our surrounding community. It’s an issue that affects all of us, which is why Ryerson is a proud supporter of the United Way (external link) .

The United Way’s wide-reaching social support systems fight poverty in all its forms, and its services create opportunities for citizens of all ages and backgrounds. Further, they spend responsibly by ensuring that 65 per cent of their funding goes directly into local priority areas.

In the months ahead Ryerson will be doing its part to help level the playing field for people living below the poverty line. Keep an eye out for your chance to learn more about the United Way’s important work and to get involved in the activities taking place around campus.

There's nothing we can’t do when we work together. By making services more readily available to our society’s most vulnerable members, we will strengthen the social fabric that is vital to staying healthy and connected.

I look forward to seeing how our community will help foster transformative change through the United Way this year.

Mohamed Lachemi
President