Who We Are

United Way is a registered charitable organization. We are a community of people with a common goal of caring. People like you who offer a hand to people in need. By helping people in our community, we are changing lives.

Our History

Origins of the Northumberland United Way date back to 1966 when a group of local businessmen, with the assistance of the Chamber of Commerce, started investigating the possibilities of establishing a United Appeal in Cobourg.

The premise of the United Appeal was to bring all local charities under one umbrella and hold an annual volunteer-based fundraising drive in the fall. The monies collected would then be allocated to the charities involved per their request.

The first United Appeal campaign was launched in the fall of 1969 and was aimed at raising funds for six local charities. Of these original six agencies (C.N.I.B., The Arthritis Society, Canadian Red Cross, Cobourg & District Scouts, Cobourg YMCA, and St. John Ambulance) four are still funded by the United Way today.

The number of agencies funded by the organization has grown from 6 to 16.