St. Christopher House
Nominator Comments:
Naly strives tirelessly to build bridges in and across communities, assist individuals and families to meet their needs, and ensure inclusivity and access to opportunities for everyone. She is a model for settlement workers on how to overcome boundaries and become better community service workers. Through her work with settlement staff, she has supported newcomer individuals and families, which has resulted in many of them forming long-term relationships with the agency.
Over the past year, Naly worked hard to ensure that many Hungarian Roma participants with limited English skills could find volunteer opportunities. At the Parkdale Adult Recreation Centre, Naly coordinates an evening drop-in program that serves about 100 participants twice per week. The Centre provides snacks, food and refreshments on a shoestring budget. Her sense of respect and compassion is so strong that she cooks and prepares the meals herself to ensure the participants get a variety of healthy and nutritious food.
To quote her nominators: “In a sector where staff are often overworked and regularly burn out, Naly’s energy is infectious and reminds us of the spirit of social service, and why we do our job.”
