Congratulations to Ontario’s 2011 Newcomer Champion Award Recipients!

June 28th, 2011Community, VideosComment

Yesterday was Canadian Multicuralism Day, June 27.

On June 27, Ontario celebrated Canadian Multicuralism Day by presenting Ontario’s 2011 Newcomer Champion Awards to the following thirteen outstanding community leaders and organizations:

Community Leader

Mei Huei Grace Chen of Cambridge, a committed community health worker for immigrants and refugees, mentor for newcomers in the Chinese community and advocate for low-income families in the Waterloo Region.

Julie Ling Ma of Hamilton, a senior student who volunteers on the Hamilton Youth Advisory Council and helped advise local organizations on how issues such as immigration, poverty and the environment affect newcomer youth.

Paul Nguyen of Toronto, a community leader in the Jane and Finch area who promotes civic engagement with at-risk youth through Jane-Finch.com, a direct link to the heart of this community.

Mitra Salarvand of Guelph, co-founder of the Iranian Canadian Community of Guelph. She is a passionate advocate for newcomers and a respected builder of bridges between diverse communities in the Guelph area.

Karen Thorpe of Toronto, a community worker who coordinates the Women and Family Programs at Yonge Street Mission. These programs empower immigrant women to access social services, learn new skills, develop supportive friendships across cultures and become leaders in their families and the wider community.

Newcomer Champion

Changer ma communauté of Ottawa, a group which integrates newcomer students at the Collège catholique Samuel-Genest into the Franco-Ontarian education system through a variety of programs that foster academic achievement and social inclusiveness.

Helping With Furniture of Ottawa, a volunteer-run organization that collects and delivers furniture and household items to help refugee claimant families start their new lives.

Parkdale Community Legal Services of Toronto, a community-based legal clinic that helps immigrants and refugees achieve status in Canada, and promotes understanding of legal rights and protections for newcomers in their homes, workplaces and communities.

ChangeTheWorld Youth Ambassador

Jocelyn Bovay of Belleville, who mobilized her peers to volunteer and participate in the ChangeTheWorld campaign for two years by supporting worthy causes such as cancer research and local food banks.

Kelly Ann Lovell of Kitchener, who helped the Kitchener-Waterloo Volunteer Centre to develop Passion for Progress. The inter-school competition connects young people with volunteer organizations using an online matching program, as part of the 2011 ChangeTheWorld campaign.

Saquib Mian of Mississauga, who engaged more than 100 youth to volunteer in four events during the 2010 ChangeTheWorld campaign. The events were designed to promote a healthy lifestyle, raise money for various charities and promote young artists from Mississauga.

Znak Ovenden of Welland, who helped organize Welland Spring Clean-up events during the 2011 ChangeTheWorld campaign. The initiative pairs high school students with youth with disabilities providing an educational and empowering experience for both.

Michelle Vecchione of Thunder Bay, who helped organize different fundraising events including a barbeque, and selling hotdogs and cotton candy to help send kids with physical disabilities to Easter Seal Summer Camps during 2010 ChangeTheWorld campaign.

Please click here to nominate an outstanding Ontarian for a provincial award.

Congratulations! / Félicitations!

Congratulations to Ontario's 2011 Newcomer Champion Award Recipients!

Ontario, Canada: Newsroom

News Release

Celebrating Ontario’s Newcomer Champions

June 24, 2011

McGuinty Government Honours Outstanding Community Leaders

Thirteen outstanding community leaders and organizations are being recognized with Ontario’s 2011 Newcomer Champion Awards.

These leaders will be recognized for their community-building contributions – such as supporting the settlement and integration of newcomers, and promoting Ontario’s many diverse cultures in their communities.

This year’s recipients include:

A community health worker who helps immigrants and refugees gain equal and affordable access to social and public health services in the Waterloo Region;
An Ottawa-based organization that delivers the basics to furnish homes for refugee families in need; and
A grade12 student from Belleville who brought her peers together to participate in the ChangeTheWorld: Ontario Youth Volunteer Challenge by organizing a community clean up and car wash in support of cancer research, and a collection for local food banks.

The awards will be presented on Monday, June 27 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Andrew’s Club & Conference Centre, in honour of Canadian Multiculturalism Day.

QUOTES

“The champions being recognized are committed to promoting Ontario’s diversity through their active citizenship and engagement with their community. They are committed to helping newcomers and promoting diversity – one of our province’s greatest strengths. I’m proud to recognize the difference they make in their communities across the province.”

– Dr. Eric Hoskins
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

QUICK FACTS

Created in 2007, the Newcomer Champion Awards were inspired by the contributions of three Ontario visionaries: Daniel Iannuzzi, Jean Lumb and Mary Ann Shadd.
This year’s Newcomer Champion Awards have been expanded to three categories – Community Leader, Newcomer Champion, and ChangeTheWorld Youth Ambassador.
In 2010, 11,328 Ontario youth volunteered 41,683 hours benefiting 281 not-for-profits.
More than 2,000 newcomers arrive to Ontario every week.
Canadian Multiculturalism Day is celebrated each year on June 27.