Recognizing Employees of United Way Toronto Funded Agencies
The Bhayana Family Foundation Awards recognize extraordinary contributions made by staff at United Way Toronto funded agencies. They are awarded by United Way Toronto based on peer nominations received in the following five categories: dedication, partnership builder, innovation & creativity, leadership and team achievement.
The dedication, creativity and team spirit shown by employees of agencies funded by United Way Toronto is essential to advancing the common good, community and neighbourhood building, and creating a better city for us all.
These awards are made possible by a generous donation from Raksha M. Bhayana and the Bhayana Family Foundation.
Partnership Builder Award
The purpose of partnership builder award is to recognize and reward employees who make outstanding contributions to their community by recognizing, engaging and maximizing the potential of relationships with key external partners, such as residents, schools, associations, other agencies, businesses and funders.
Raksha Bhayana and Filomena Costa.
Raksha Bhayana and Orville Wallace.
Filomena Costa
College-Montrose Children's Place
Filomena Costa is the driving force behind many of the successful partnerships of the College-Montrose Children's Place organization. She is the lead staff at the Gooch and Lambton Park Community School Program where she runs the drop-in and parenting/caregiver programs for families and children six and under. She greets everyone personally as they enter the centre and has created a dynamic and comfortable atmosphere for all. She is sensitive and committed to the problems, efforts and needs of the partner agencies. Her efforts have created outstanding partnership support that positively impacts all the programs she works with.
To quote her nominators: "Filomena is extraordinary and truly remarkable — she has relentless drive and determination. With her experience and great leadership skills she has tackled the problem of building trust among the partners and has increased respect and confidence in her and the organization as a whole. Her efforts have created outstanding partnership support that has positively impacted all the programs. Filomena rocks!"
Orville Wallace
JVS Toronto
At JVS Toronto Orville Wallace works to find employment, education and training opportunities for youth in conflict with the law. He has successfully created the Youth Justice Network which is a network of service providers who work directly with youth. Orville goes far beyond the call of duty — he is a mentor and a patient teacher to his colleagues who rely on him to share his wealth of knowledge and networks.
To quote his nominators: "I truly consider it an honor to work so closely with someone that is loved and admired by his peers and the youth that he mentors. His competency, drive and love for the success of youth (in all capacities) and his humility, keep me driven to continue to be socially responsible in my own right and to pay it forward to all that I come in contact with."
Innovation & Creativity Awards
The purpose of the innovation & creativity award is to recognize and reward employees who introduce new ideas, services or practices in new and imaginative ways. These individuals contribute innovative solutions to their organization or make major improvements to agency operations or services provided.
Raksha Bhayana and Ajith Aluthwatta.
Raksha Bhayana and Joanne Green.
Ajith Aluthwatta
CultureLink
Ajith Aluthwatta is a strong supporter of Green Settlement and has driven CultureLink to great heights with his innovative thinking. When CultureLink and the Toronto Cyclist Union launched the Newcomer Cycling Outreach Program, Ajith was the first person to spread the word with his mastery of public relations - skillfully designing flyers, banners and posters that were distributed throughout the city. Ajith went to great lengths to ensure that newcomer communities were aware of the new program and as a result, an overwhelming number of newcomers and community organizations flocked to CultureLink which is now the leading organization in Green Settlement — all due to Ajith's enthusiasm and efforts.
To quote his nominators: "Practicing what you preach is often heard in reference to Ajith. He can often be heard talking about the health and environmental benefits of cycling. Ajith's enthusiasm, creativity and innovative thinking has raised awareness of the ways in which we can all participate and contribute to protecting our environment. In every realm of life, Ajith is known to strive for change."
Joanne Green
Opportunity for Advancement
In her role as executive director, Joanne has accomplished a great deal while working at Opportunity for Advancement. She is a great innovator - creating a program to focus on the recovery and prevention of violence against women. She assists women and empowers them to prevent the violence in their lives and helps them recover from it. Joanne has met with women directly affected by violence, listened to their concerns and initiated a program solely meant to address those concerns. The results were tremendous - with women getting the courage to leave their abusive situations and protect themselves and their children from further violence.
To quote her nominators: "Joanne represents the new ways we sought to address the deep issues of violence against women and trans-gendered people. Joanne always starts from 'yes' we can do this, we can help. Tell us what you need."
Leadership Awards
The purpose of the leadership award is to recognize and reward employees who demonstrate exemplary leadership capabilities and consistently achieve superior, team-based results. These leaders play an exceptional role in helping others contribute to their organization and advance its mission.
Raksha Bhayana and Srna Stambuk.
Raksha Bhayana and Beth Wilson.
Raksha Bhayana and Jane Wilson.
Srna Stambuk
Skills for Change
In her role as Newcomer Professionals at Work (NPW) Coordinator at Skills for Change, Srna Stambuk is an expert in building strong relationships and a true asset to the agency. Srna is able to foster successful relationships within the team. She values open and honest communication, giving each team member equal opportunity - considering their opinions with equal weight. Srna is sensitive to the needs of her clients and is extremely dedicated to client services.
To quote her nominators: "Srna is genuinely interested in how you are doing and always finds the time to ask if you are okay. There is a real sense of her dedication to client service. Srna is always looking for solutions and ways to support those who need her. We have gone through many staff transitions within our small team in the past year and Srna has been the glue that has held us together through it all - she consistently goes above and beyond our expectations.
Beth Wilson
Social Planning Toronto
Beth Wilson is remarkably talented in her role as researcher at Social Planning Toronto. Her seven years experience have allowed her to become the strong and effective leader that she is today. Beth empowers others, providing opportunities that challenge and inspire. She never complains and yet she does more than her share of duties. In partnership with the Wellesley Institute and the Social Assistance in the New Economy (SANE), Beth researched to help with the production of two important reports "Poverty is Making Us Sick" and "Sick and Tired" which helped draw attention to the crisis of poverty in Ontario.
To quote her nominators: "Calm, tactful and incredibly hardworking she is able to steer any ship without upsetting the organizational balance, able to lead without being in the spotlight. Beth's strong commitment to social justice is reflected in her dedication to her work in support of marginalized individuals and communities. She knows – and shares – her facts, and uses them to promote equity, fairness, and compassion for all."
Jane Wilson
Community MicroSkills Development Centre
Jane has been with Community MicroSkills Development Centre since 1984 and has had many great achievements over the years. She is dedicated to improving women's lives while empowering them to reach higher. Jane is an advocate for women and women's issues especially for women living in poverty. Under her leadership two very distinct and reputable programs were established at Microskills: The ‘Pre-apprenticeship Horticultural Technician program' and the ‘Women in Transportation program'. She has also helped to guide the recent introduction of the Toastmaster Club – a forum where women and newcomers can enhance their leadership potential.
To quote her nominators: "Jane has demonstrated unwavering commitment to the social justice goals of the organization. She has contributed above and beyond the call of duty; she has always been astute in looking at the big picture and because of it has promoted increased representation of women leaders in society"
Dedication Awards
The purpose of the dedication award is to recognize and reward employees who are dedicated to the mission and values of their agency. These individuals demonstrate unwavering loyalty and commitment to the success of a specific project or to the ongoing interests of the agency.
Raksha Bhayana, Yara Damasceno and Cristina dos Santos.
Louise Goldhar, Bruno Iaboni and Raksha Bhayana.
Raksha Bhayana and Marianna Piwoni.
Raksha Bhayana and Hazel Webb.
Raksha Bhayana and Naomi Ziegler.
Yara Damasceno
A.C.C.E.S Employment
Yara Damsceno began working at ACCES Employment as a volunteer and since then she has advanced to Director of Human Resources. She is dedicated, a natural motivator and always has a positive attitude. She has coined the phrase ‘if it's nobody's job, it's my job". She approaches her work with integrity, openness and honesty. She has the incredible ability to build trust and present fairness. She is a mentor to all staff and she diligently works to resolve issues before they escalate into mistrust or conflict.
To quote her nominators: "The growth and success of ACCES has so much to do with her. Yara's work truly provides a solid foundation for all of us to build upon in order to achieve client, employee, and organizational success. Her depth of knowledge combined with a warm sense of humour is integral to the ACCES community. There is nothing Yara won't do for ACCES and the community."
Bruno Iaboni
Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB)
Bruno Iaboni has been an independent specialist for the past 22 years with CNIB. He demonstrates true unwavering commitment to clients. He is an active member of the Weston Road Lions Club and has participated in countless committees over the years. As a person living with vision loss, Bruno serves as an inspiration to his clients and colleagues and has helped others living with vision loss regain their independence.
To quote his nominators: "Bruno always goes that extra mile for his clients regardless of the situation. He is passionate about the work he is doing and has inspired hundreds of individuals living with vision loss to strive for independence. The result of his exceptional service is evident; his clients continue to request his services year after year."
Marianna Piwoni
Circle of Care
Marianna Piwoni is the senior coordinator for Circle of Care. She is devoted to the agency, knowledgeable in her role and has 20 years in the field under her belt. She is creative in building good plans and realistic approaches to make Circle of Care more efficient. Marianna is able to deal with problems with her usual calm manner and a touch of good humour. Her advice is offered tactfully and she is always able to deliver difficult news with calm respectfulness.
To quote her nominators: "Marianna encourages us to make our clients happier and confident. With her help we ensure clients have guaranteed service with the best quality every day. Marianna works hard and makes us work better. She is always there to catch us when we are in danger of falling and offers congratulations for a job well done. Marianna has taught us all to believe that we are all valuable members of our community and that we can truly make a difference!"
Hazel Webb
Community MicroSkills Development Centre
As the director of Community Programs and Services, Hazel Webb has truly been the key player in the success of the Community MicroSkills Development Centre. She has been a dedicated employee at MicroSklls since it opened in 1984. Over the years, Hazel has taken on various roles such as trainer, fundraiser, business developer and was an important contributer to Community Programs. She has participated in and has been chair for a number of community committees and boards including the City of Toronto Advisory committee on Access and the Equity and Human Rights committee.
To quote her nominators: "Hazel is a strong community advocate; her tireless hours of work and dedication are a true testament to the services MicroSkills presently offers to the community. Microskills' resilience and pioneering capabilities have been forged due to her innovative thinking and true commitment to addressing community needs. Hazel's dedication and committment comes from deep within and she genuinely cares."
Naomi Ziegler
The Bernard Betel Centre
As a Coordinator of Volunteer Services at the Bernard Betel Centre, Naomi Ziegler is the heart of the agency's success. She has energy, passion and drive and is committed to her work. She makes the Betel Centre a better place because of her efforts and strong dedication. During the last year Naomi was able to expand her department to over 450 active volunteers which allowed for the continuation and growth of important programs. Naomi is currently working to create an opportunity for people with special needs to volunteer at the centre.
To quote her nominators: "Naomi inspires all of us at the Betel Centre to work harder, be more passionate, and always remain dedicated to the people we serve. There is not a staff member at the Betel Centre who would not have gladly written this nomination. Lily Boltianski and Michael James are honoured to be the ones to have done it."
Team Achievement Awards
The purpose of the team achievement award is to recognize and reward teams who work extremely well together to achieve a common goal. Together, these individuals demonstrate commitment to success through excellent and consistent performance.
Raksha Bhayana with FoodShare Kitchen Team members, Alvin Rebick and Jesus Gomez.
Raksha Bhayana with the Client Services Team of West Toronto Support Services (WTSS)
Raksha Bhayana with Youth and Community Outreach Team of East Scarborough Boys' and Girls' Club.
Staff Kitchen Team
FoodShare Toronto
The kitchen staff at FoodShare Toronto have the important responsibility to feed their staff members, volunteers, and customers with healthy nutritious meals every day. Sybil, Jesus and Alvin are said to be the heart of FoodShare, they ensure that a warm and healthy meal is available for all whether they are vegan or have food sensitivities. They never want anyone to feel left out from enjoying a good hearty meal.
To quote their nominators: "At lunchtime, FoodShare's staff, volunteers, partners and guests gather to share such a rare and wonderful synergistic opportunity. Not only are these meals delicious and nutritious but they nourish and inspire with the joy that Sybil, Jesus and Alvin put into making them. They put every ounce of their passion into their efforts at FoodShare striving always to embody our mission and vision and they make it real. They truly are inspirational!"
Client Services Team
West Toronto Support Services (WTSS)
With respect for individual diversity, their strengths, and talents - the WTSS client services team thrive at Silver Circle. They create a welcoming atmosphere for the clients and have an overwhelming positive energy which extends throughout the community. The team has had to work through hardships associated with transition but they always maintained their strong dedication to providing the necessary support for their clients and their needs. The team's diversity is seen as an asset that is used to enhance their service provision – the team members don't hesitate to take time out of their day to assist teammates with the translation of client needs.
To quote their nominators: "The Client Services team goes beyond the call of work duty to ensure that the work that needs to be done is completed in a timely way and with heart. Respect for individual diversity, strengths and talents are evident as the WTSS Client Service team members flourish in this environment and are more creative with solutions for their clients."
Youth and Community Outreach Team
East Scarborough Boys' and Girls' Club
The Youth and Community Outreach team at the Boys' and Girls' Club of East Scarborough embodies strong qualities of commitment, loyalty, understanding, and most of all love of self, each other and the community. The team works with youth from 12-29 years of age and their families to help provide different services such as counselling, employment and housing.
To quote their nominators: "The Boys' and Girls' Club is proud to have employees that go above and beyond their duty to assure the best quality care for their members. The team used innovative out-of-the-box thinking and methods to achieve the desired goals. Team work, co-operation, communication, creativity, and taking initiative are some of the attributes that are usually displayed by our team."
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