April 26, 2022 | Ontario

Volunteers are essential for many non-profits, charities, and community organizations. In celebration of volunteer week, we would like to highlight some of the contributions made by members of the CDI Community. These three individuals have been nominated by their peers and have made important contributions to help local organizations and the people they serve.

Ailsa H. – ExtraLife

Ailsa is a practicum coordinator at our City Centre campus in Edmonton, Alberta. She has worked with several organizations and was nominated for her dedication to volunteering in the community.

Among them is Extra Life. They are an organization that started in 2008 in the town of Orange, Texas. Their main mission is to raise funds for local Children’s Miracle Network hospitals across Canada and the United States to help sick and injured kids.

Their fundraising is centred on putting on marathon gaming sessions that bring together gamers from within the community to attempt to play for 24 hours straight. Their last Edmonton event in 2021 reached 25 hours and raised more than $215,000 for the Stollery Children’s Hospital. Combined with smaller events throughout the year, Extra Life Edmonton brought in just under $350,000.

As a former Stollery Children’s Hospital patient herself, Extra Life’s mission means a lot to Ailsa. She can help give back to the hospital and its staff, and help to improve the lives of kids currently being treated there.

Katie M. – Habitat for Humanity

Katie is a receptionist at our Campus in Burnaby, British Columbia. Her campus director nominated her for her unbelievable support within her community. She works with numerous organizations, and helps on a number of events.

One of the not-for-profits she has chosen to work with is Habitat for Humanity. Originally founded in 1976 in Americus, Georgia, the organization now operates in more than 70 countries, and as of 2013 is the largest non-profit builder in the world.

Their main mission over the years was to help people in need of housing build or repair homes. This work would not be possible without the help of volunteers like Katie. In the Greater Vancouver Area, they work on projects throughout the year and currently have three in development.

Additionally, Habitat for Humanity raises funds through its ReStore thrift and vintage shop by selling donated furniture, home accessories, and even salvaged or overstock construction materials. The organization makes important contributions to the community and has branches across Canada.

Annette P. – Resources Saint-Jean-Vianney

Annette works as an employment advisor at our campus in Longueuil, Québec. She earned her nomination through her volunteer work with Ressources Saint-Jean-Vianney (RSJV) and her continual commitment to making her community a better place.

RSJV is an amazing not-for-profit organization that works to help disadvantaged neighbourhood youth by providing a safe meeting place, social activities, and support tools.

This resource is an important part of the community and provides much more than a meeting space. Part support group and part community centre, they are a major contributor to the community of Longueuil. They offer gym programs like karate, hockey, and dance, along with art and cultural programs.

Additionally, Ressources Saint-Jean-Vianney runs a collective kitchen, community garden, and a school supply-sharing store. Because of the work of volunteers like Annette RSJV is able to continue to offer programs to help make the community an inclusive place for everyone.

Become a Volunteer

Ailsa, Katie, and Annette are just a small sampling of the amazing volunteers in our CDI College family. We want to celebrate all the important contributions our volunteers make within their communities. The amazing community resources provided by organizations like Extra Life, Habitat for Humanity, and Ressources Saint-Jean-Vianney would not be possible without the tireless work of volunteers.

Community organizations across Canada are in constant need of dedicated volunteers to help their initiatives. Whether you want to help setup events, build housing, or even support with marketing initiatives, there is a variety of options available when it comes to volunteering. It is always a good time to be a volunteer.