Stories That Unite Us

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

The enduring strength of the human spirit

Many have remarked on what a strange and difficult time this year has been. And while that’s certainly true, it has also been a year in which the very best in people, and our community, shone through.

Here at the United Way, we are deeply impressed by the unity of purpose and the determination shown by our funded partners, the non-profit community and our donors. In a time riddled with sadness, fear and uncertainty brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, those helping hands warmed our hearts and strengthened our resolve.

Susan’s story: Fleeing abuse and finding solace

A faceless woman in white sitting clenching her hands nervously

I left a dangerous relationship after years of abuse. At the time, I didn’t have a job and I had nowhere to turn for help. I didn’t know how I would feed my child or provide a place for us to live safely. It was a terrible feeling to be homeless and not be able to afford the basics of life. The long-term abuse had caused me to feel depressed and anxious, and the stress of my situation left me unable to eat or sleep.

Unignorable fact New Brunswick has the second highest rate of domestic violence in Canada. Love local fact 80 per cent of women from Second Stage have remained out of abusive relationships one year later

Helping frontline workers at community non-profits

An essential focus of the United Way is ensuring that the non-profit organizations so vital to our communities are strong and robust. Maintaining that vigor has been especially important during the global COVID-19 pandemic, which has not only significantly increased the workload of non-profit leaders, managers and frontline workers but led to an increase in mental health issues.