Stories That Unite Us

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Banner image of Uptown Saint John builidings harbour and a woman and baby at the beach

Join us for our exciting kickoff!

As we all hurtle to the end of summer, our staff are busy gearing up for a most exciting time for us – our campaign kickoff.

This year, we will launch with an awesome virtual and interactive event on Sept. 15 at noon.

Everyone is invited to join us to learn about this year’s fundraising campaign and the amazing impact that donors’ gifts have on our communities and on our most vulnerable citizens.

The 30-minute virtual format is very different from our traditional campaign kickoff events, where hundreds of people converge over a meal to share in a celebration to mark a true community effort.

Although, thankfully, our communities are emerging from the isolation of the pandemic, the COVID virus is still with us. There are a variety of new realities for workplaces and different comfort levels people have over gathering face-to-face.

This virtual event allows us to be certain people our friends and supporters are comfortable joining us, and allows people from all corners of Saint John, Kings and Charlotte to share in this most important time in the United Way calendar.

Chelsey’s story: Suffering alone and in silence

Chelsey had a storybook childhood. Or at least that’s how it appeared.

Inside, she was struggling with anxiety and depression, though no one knew. At the age of 12, she attempted suicide for the first time. She told no one, and suffered in silence.

Quietly, and alone, she descended into a darkness that lasted year after year, pushed her into addiction and many more attempts on her own life.

“After nine attempts, I finally woke up one day and decided that enough was enough,” she recalls.

To learn more about Chelsey’s journey and how the United Way helped her on the road to recovery, see her story on video and other Stories of the City on our website.

Charles’ story: In crisis, and looking for a home

Charles appeared at the Outflow men’s shelter in Saint John, desperate for a place for him and his children after a relationship breakdown.

Though the adult-only shelter could not take in him and his children, outreach staff met with him to determine what housing could be available for him.

With the help of staff at its Fresh Start prevention program and shelter diversion programs, the Outflow team dedicated itself to finding a place to live for this family in crisis.

Thanks to the hard work of Outflow, a United Way-funded partner, Charles was able to find a place he and his family could call home.

Strengthening organizations in our region

As part of our mission to help build strong and resilient non-profits, the United Way Saint John Kings & Charlotte is holding board governance training sessions this fall.

Open to all executive directors and non-profit boards in our region, the sessions facilitated by HR Atlantic’s Carol Gabanna are aimed at strengthening the effectiveness and strategic approach of directors on local boards.

The training, to be held in October and November, will be held in virtual two-hour sessions.

Participants can take in one, two or three sessions. The cost of these sessions will be subsidized by the United Way so that cost is only $10 per session.

More information and registration is available on our website. Seats are limited, so sign up early!

At the end of 2020 there were 87 homeless individuals in Saint John Outflow helped find permanent housing for 10 individuals in 2020

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