

Registration for the Community Impact Sector Day of Recognition 2023 is Now Open. Register Today to Reserve your Spot!
Register WebsiteUnited Way Halifax and Impact Organizations of Nova Scotia (IONS) in partnership with the Government of Nova Scotia and the Bhayana Family Foundation hold an annual day of recognition for the community impact sector — this year's event is being held on Friday, May 12, 2023.
Press Release
About
The Community Impact Sector Day of Recognition is a celebration of the influence of this sector's work, which reaches every corner of Nova Scotia. The sector’s role includes trust-building and strengthening social ties, important advocacy efforts, therapeutic and wellness supports through arts and recreation, and giving people the connections and experiences to be able to tap into their whole selves. The sector has long been an incubator for generating ideas for a better Nova Scotia – one that centres relationships, creativity, community, and equity. Our goal is to surface the essential role that impact organizations play for the people of this province, pushing for change, and improving collective quality of life, for everyone.
Please join us for a celebration of all those who work in the community impact sector with a full day of activities, performances, and awards. The morning’s capacity building workshops for sector staff and organizations will focus on how to amplify your stories of impact and how to leverage media to influence change. The afternoon, which hosted by Portia White of CBC Information Morning for Mainland Nova Scotia, will feature live art performances and the presentation of 20 Invisible Champion Awards by the Bhayana Family Foundation to deserving sector employees and organizations.
Recap Video of Nova Scotia's 2022 Day of Recognition
INTERVIEWS
Riverview Home Volunteer Association speaking with CBC.
Meet Annika Voltan, the dynamic Executive Director of Impact Organizations of Nova Scotia speaking with CBC.
What’s Planned
– 2pm –
Welcome and Land Acknowledgement
Introduction
Indigenous Welcome
Sector Representative Naomi Young speaks
Remarks by Honourable Greg Morrow, Minister of Agriculture
Mike Savage, Mayor of Halifax, speaks
Shift Shift performs
Remarks by IONS Board Member
Drummers from Home Drummers performs
– 3pm –
Introduction to the Invisible Champion Awards
Raksha speaks on behalf of the Bhayana Family Foundation
Former Invisible Champion Matt Spurway speaks
Awards are announced for all 20 Award Winners
El Jones performs
Comments by Bria Miller
Closing Remarks
– 4pm –
Post Reception
Quotes from Award Recipients
This is great! Thank you for this information and for considering our application, we are most appreciative of this award and will undoubtedly attend the ceremony.I will send our RSVP right away. Thank you again.
— Dr. Denise K. Daley (Executive Director, Parker Street Food & Furniture Bank)
Thanks Sara and thanks especially to Krista for all of her continued work and commitment to the families, children, and community served by the YWCA. It's hard to imagine people more deserving of this award than Krista and Twyla. They're both amazing.
— Miia
Dear Sara, This is a welcomed surprise! It is an honour to be selected as one of the recipients of the Bhayana Family Foundation Invisible Champion Awards, and to be recognized as an appreciated advocate in the non-profit sector. The community that I lead is definitely a big inspiration for what I do and contribute every day. Thank you, again!
— Mukthar Limpao (Executive Director and Community Leader, L’Arche Cape Breton)
Good morning Omolara and Sara, Omolara and Tomisin, this was an obvious choice to nominate you all. You're doing wonderful work and it was an honour to submit this! I would be pleased to attend the event as well Sara, thank you!
— Liz
I honestly do not have words….Thank you so very much. I will absolutely attend.
— Shauna Ferrar (Client Service Supervisor, Dartmouth Adult Services Centre)
Sara, Thank you so much. This is an unexpected joy for me, to be recognized by United Way in way of the Bhayana Family Foundation Invisible Champion Award. It means the World to me that, Executive Director of Centre for Women in Business, Tanya Priske, my boss, considered my work worthy of this level of recognition, is precious to me. Often on the journey of building the SPICE program, I was unsure of what I was building, but was certain that I had to build sometime, to advance women in the small food business sector. I am honoured, and I accept the award and prize.
— Natalie Frederick-Wilson (Centre for Women in Business)
So richly deserved! Amazing news. Thanks, Sara.
— Henk
Our Gratitude to the Former Lt. Governor of Nova Scotia, The Hon. Myra A. Freeman, for her leadership in creating the historic first Nova Scotia Day of Recognition for the Nonprofit Sector.

Next stop – Alberta Bound!
United Way Calgary and the Bhayana Family Foundation have begun the process of creating an Alberta Day of Recognition for the Nonprofit Sector. Want to help make it happen? Email us that you would like to be involved.