For close to 20 years, Deb Jules has served as manager of the Christie Ossington Neighbourhood Centre Drop-In and has been responsible for a growth in service that now has over 300 service users a day. Deb works with her staff, volunteers, placement students and program facilitators to continually improve the service user experience and provide 250 hot meals and 30 take home hampers per day for individuals who all live below the poverty line, and continued throughout the COVID lockdown
She believes that each participant at the drop-in deserves a smile, a comfortable & clean facility, a good meal and quick attention and never turns anyone away. She has just seen increased need. And everyday she does everything in her power to meet that need. Whether it is creating a community garden that serves as a source of food security for those in need in the neighbourhood or identifying the nutritional needs of those with addictions and working with the kitchen staff to develop a dietary plan aimed at replacing the minerals needed for people with addiction management challenges, she always goes above and beyond her call of duty in service of others.
Deb has come to work every morning with a smile and a spring in her step, going from table to table, swapping stories making people laugh. The neighbourhood of Ossington and Bloor has benefited from the hard work, determination and commitment of Deb Jules and she was recently honoured for her long service by having a sidewalk tree area named after her by the Bloor Business Improvement Association
2022 Greater Toronto Bhayana Family Foundation Awards
Recognizing the extraordinary staff of United Way-funded agencies who make a difference every day.
Media Advisory: Bhayana Family Foundation Awards recognizes leaders in social service sector
November 23, 2022 (Toronto, ON) – Media are invited to a celebration of the social services sector’s leadership, partnership, dedication, innovation and creativity as the Bhayana Family Foundation Awards return on November 25 after a three-year hiatus due to Covid-19. Stories of resiliency, fortitude and innovation will be shared at the hybrid event as five team awards and 10 individual awards will be awarded to frontline employees from United Way Greater Toronto’s network of agencies who served over 2 million people last year in Peel, Toronto and York.
Date: Friday, November 25, 2022 Time: 1 to 3 p.m. Format: Virtual via Zoom or in person for photography and videography
The awards ceremony will include:
A keynote address by The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion
Emcee Daniele Zanotti, CEO of United Way Greater Toronto
Remarks by Rocco Rossi, President & CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce and Raksha M.Bhayana of the Bhayana Family FoundationMedia interested in attending this event, please contact:Lindsay Kwan
Communications Manager, United Way Greater Toronto lkwan@uwgt.org
416-732-9700
Bhayana Awards Run of Show
Times are approximate
12:15–12:30: Guests Arrive
12:30–1:00: Buffet Lunch (in person)
1:00–1:10: Zoom goes live
1:10–1:15: Daniele Zanotti (UWGT President & CEO) welcomes guests (in person and on Zoom) and introduces Hon. Minister Ahmed Hussen
1:15–1:20: Minister Ahmed Hussen speaks (via Zoom)
1:20–1:23: Daniele thanks Minister Hussen and introduces Rocco Rossi
1:23–1:26: Rocco Rossi speaks
1:26–1:28: Daniele thanks Rocco Rossi and introduces Raksha Bhayana
1:28–1:32: Raksha speaks
1:32–2:02 Daniele presents Individual awards
2:02–2:05: Daniele congratulates the individual winners and introduces impact story presenters
2:05–2:08: Impact story #1
2:08–2:11: Impact story #2
2:11–2:30: Daniele thanks speakers and introduces the Team Awards
2:30–2:33: Daniele presents closing remarks and congratulates all
2:33–3:00: Guests mingle and depart
Have you been helped by a human service champion? We would love to hear about it.