Maurice Adongo

Maurice Adongo

2017 Leadership Award - Greater Toronto

Community Health Worker

Street Health

Nominator Comments:

This year is Maurice’s 20th anniversary with Street Health, an agency that provides physical and mental health care for homeless and under-housed people. In those years, Maurice has consistently created a sense of belonging at the agency and has facilitated change for the agency’s clients thanks to his incredible ability to create trust. As a refuge himself, Maurice says his experiences as a political prisoner shaped his perspective in what he does today. Maurice understands the importance of being an open and kind listener, and being responsive to his client’s needs. He is also a valued mentor to all of his colleagues, no matter their level of seniority. Maurice is also deeply committed to anti-racism work and has developed and facilitated many workshops for organizations across Ontario. He was also a member of the Ontario Council for Refugees where he helped shaped public policy.

To quote his nominators: “Maurice is one of the most dedicated, compassionate and effective frontline workers in the field. Despite the challenges Maurice has faced, he is the most generous man you could meet — generous with his heart, his time and his dedication.

Have you been helped by a human service champion? We would love to hear about it.

Submit your story