Sports Lounge @ Lakeridge Gardens

Lakeridge Gardens is a state-of-the-art long-term care home located next to the Ajax Pickering Hospital. Serving the Durham Region, the 320-bed home opened in the spring of 2022.

Unknown to many, the residents are not all elderly, there is a younger population in the Long Term Care home including some residents as young as 37 years old!

To promote socialization, Lakeridge Gardens features several lounges for gathering, and in 2023 one was designated to become a “Sports Lounge” for some of these younger residents to get together and watch sports games, late-night hockey, etc. without disturbing the other residents. The Sports Lounge is a space where not only residents but also visitors (family & friends) can be invited to join and watch a game with their loved ones. Located on the first floor, away from the sleeping areas, the space is designed with an old vintage sports pub OR cozy basement atmosphere, intimate and comfortable.

A small group of residents were intricate to the planning and design of the room and requested bar tables, stools, a drink rail and a loveseat for guests, as well as an adjustable height table, to accommodate the different height requirements of the large mobility chairs.

This project would not have been possible without the Ajax Mayor’s Gala Committee and was aptly named “Ajax Square Gardens”, which is proudly displayed at the entrance of the room.

The room was officially opened by Mayor Shaun Collier & Gala Chair Rose Collier to the residents with a small celebration on December 15, 2023 and it is already – a home run! It is being used daily, the game is always on, and the residents are so grateful to have a new recreational area.

There are many other small lounges in the building, and hopefully this is the first of many other projects that can give the residents some further freedom and opportunities to socialize with their peers and visitors, in specifically-designed spaces for their individual interests/needs, just as we would in our own homes.

The Ajax Pickering Hospital Foundation is proud to recognize The Ajax Mayor’s Gala for their generous support of the Compassion Fund.

The Compassion Fund helps the staff at Ajax Pickering Hospital balance the “high-tech” with the “high touch” when looking after their patients. We know that it is this human touch that makes our hospital so special and makes a hospital stay, especially a long one, so much easier on patients and family members.

Hearth Place is located in Oshawa and for 26 years, we have served the citizens of Durham Region, the GTA and beyond. The centre provides services for our members at any stage of their cancer, as well as partners in care, loved ones and professionals. Caregiver and bereavement support, and programs for children and teens are available as we recognize the impact cancer has on the whole family. When enduring this often isolating disease, the members of Hearth Place are able to find a community of support and companionship for their cancer journey.

Hearth Place operates without any government funding using private donations, community partner grants and signature fundraising events and third party initiatives to fund our operations. All of our services are free of charge as we recognize that cancer is a very expensive disease. We want to ensure anyone can receive our support regardless of their ability to pay.

The Alger Room is our main meeting space hosting many large group programs allowing us to provide a comfy cozy atmosphere to hold space and care for the many emotions of the members attending our sessions. The existing furnishings and window covers have been in place for 18 years and have served us well.

Thanks to the $25,000 donation from The Ajax Mayor’s Gala, we have been able to refurbish The Alger Room. The new furnishing requirements must meet particular specifications to ensure comfort and safety. Durability is a high priority along with careful consideration of the dimensions and design to allow ease of accessibility, taking into consideration the physical limitations of some of our members. We have designed the room so that all the furniture coordinates with each piece. This ensures that when members are sharing their deepest emotions they have a sense of inclusion. It is imperative that no one feel isolated while being so vulnerable. The room provides a home like atmosphere, that is filled with warmth and comfort.

The financial support from the Ajax Mayors Gala has significantly influenced Ajax schools, particularly as they strive to return to pre-pandemic operations. In the current climate of escalating inflation, the cost of food has surged, making it challenging for families.

Consequently, numerous students are attending school without breakfast, and some even lack lunch for the day. In these circumstances, nutrition programs play a crucial role by serving as a lifeline for students. These programs not only provide nourishing breakfasts or snacks at school but also enable students to concentrate better in class.

The rising cost of food has also affected the budget of the school nutrition program, posing a challenge to sustaining these initiatives throughout the school year. The funding from the Gala has proven to be instrumental, not only in bridging the budget gap but also in enhancing the quality of food offered to the students.

With the generous funding, we were able to fund 25 schools in Ajax. We were able to bring 2 new schools on board with this funding. Southwood Park Public School and Michaelle Public School were the two new schools funded this year by the Gala Funding.

In our schools, the impact of the Gala funding is nothing short of transformative. Thanks to the Gala funding, students in these schools enjoy daily access to fresh fruit and nutritious snacks. The provision of simple yet nutritious daily snacks plays a vital role in helping students maintain attention and focus, ultimately contributing to an improvement in their overall academic and physical performance. This initiative has a substantial impact on the overall well-being of our students during their time at school.

The funding will ensure that Ajax students attend school well nourished and ready to learn.

The reasons young people become homeless are complex, and most often caused by circumstances beyond their control. The stark realities of youth homelessness extend beyond the search for a safe place to spend the night. Youth experiencing homelessness are at greater risk of assault, exploitation, inadequate food, mental health concerns and suicide. And, with the rising cost of living, it can feel impossible for a young person to get off the street and on their feet.  They need help. That’s where Durham Youth Services steps in.

Since 2008, DYS has been partnering with youth to achieve and maintain lasting solutions to their housing crisis. While we continue to operate Joanne’s House, Durham’s only youth-focussed emergency shelter, today we are so much more than “just a shelter”. We offer a variety of housing-focussed homelessness prevention, rapid rehousing, and housing stabilization programs designed to support youth in transitioning from homelessness to housing.

Finding safe housing is exciting, but it is also overwhelming and intimidating. With very limited funds, the cost of first-and-last month’s rent for an unfurnished room or apartment in today’s housing market leaves youth with little ability to afford the basic items needed for independent living. While they have secured a safe place to live indoors, they may be left sleeping on the floor, without the basic necessities to prepare a meal, or to maintain a clean and tidy space. Clients in this situation have reported feeling like “a homeless person living inside”, and these individuals are at high risk of losing their newfound housing.

The funds received from the Ajax Mayor’s Gala has been a “game-changer” for the youth we serve. By funding our “Dignity Project”, the Mayor’s Gala has allowed DYS to help youth make their new house a home. These funds allow us to purchase beds for youth moving into an unfurnished space and provide them with a “Fresh Start Kit” filled with household essentials like cookware, bedding, personal hygiene items, towels, cleaning and laundry supplies and grocery gift cards.

We are so grateful for the ongoing support of Mayor Collier and his team. Every dollar donated is used to help youth transition to independence with dignity. Thank you!

In partnership with The Ajax Mayors Gala, our In-School Mentoring (ISM) Expansion Project has sparked positive change in the lives of local youth. Their generous support has empowered us to extend our mentorship program to 5 schools across Ajax, impacting 55 youth.

Thanks to The Ajax Mayors Gala’s funding, we’ve been able to hire dedicated staff, cover recruitment and training, and ensure mentor supervision. This expansion means more positive role models for children facing challenges in the school setting. Through weekly one-on-one interactions, our mentors and mentees engage in activities that foster positive mental health, confidence, and positive attitudes towards school. The Ajax Mayors Gala’s support goes beyond creating mentorship connections; it ignites their potential helping us build foundations for improved coping skills, self-esteem, and academic engagement, making a lasting positive impact on the lives of 55 children/youth in our community. 

The Ajax Pickering Hospital Foundation is proud to recognize The Ajax Mayor’s Gala for their generous support of the Compassion Fund.

The Compassion Fund helps the staff at Ajax Pickering Hospital balance the “high-tech” with the “high touch” when looking after their patients. We know that it is this human touch that makes our hospital so special and makes a hospital stay, especially a long one, so much easier on patients and family members.

The Ajax Mayor’s Gala Funding to Durham’s Child Nutrition Project has had a huge impact on Ajax schools, at this time when our schools are trying to come back to pre- pandemic mode of serving. With the inflation rising at an alarming rate, food has become so expensive for families that many students are coming to school without breakfast. Many students have no lunch for the day. In such situations, the nutrition programs act as a lifeline for the students who not only get a nourishing breakfast or snack at school but also get to focus in class. 


Cost of food has also impacted the school nutrition program budget and the ability to sustain these programs over the school year. The gala funding has proved to significantly help these schools not only by filling their budget shortage but also improve the quality of funding provided.  


With the generous funding of $20,000 in 2022, we were able to fund 24 schools in Ajax. We were able to bring another new school on board with this funding. We started a snack program Alexander Graham Bell Public School. These schools previously did not have a nutrition program. The students attending these schools now have access to fresh fruit and nutritious snacks every day. Simple daily nutritious snacks would allow the students to sustain attention and focus to improve their overall performance academically and physically and would have substantial impact on our students overall well being while at school. 


The funding will ensure that ajax students attend school well nourished and ready to learn.

The Mayor’s Gala has provided The Salvation Army in Ajax with much needed financial assistance. The help received from the Gala has made it possible to reach more people in vulnerable situations and to ensure more people get connected with the vital services needed to help them regain control of all portions of their lives.

This support has made possible a Community Response Vehicle that allows our team increased opportunity to serve and connect with those in difficult circumstances in various locations throughout Ajax and to also be more effective with Emergency and Disaster Response when such times arise. The Gala has also  raised funds to obtain and fund the administration of “The Locker Program”. This program allows people living outside of stable housing and in transition a place to store important belongings and private documents that are often lost or ruined. The lockers also allow for phone charging and a domain to receive postal service and other correspondence. It an excellent tool to aid in getting people into better positions to live purposeful and productive lives.

As the 2022 Charity of Choice, the Gala will also make possible a new commercial kitchen that will be located in The Salvation Army facility currently under construction. This kitchen will introduce new opportunities for new programs and increased services. Cooking classes for those on a budget and fixed incomes, increased capacity and capability for weekly and seasonal lunch/meal programs served to those on the street or disenfranchised are some of the ways this equipment will ensure people are given all the opportunity to grow and feel valuable and part of a community. The Salvation Army is extremely grateful for the support as this could not be achieved without the support from The Ajax Mayor’s Gala.

Until recently there was no hospice residence care centre available anywhere in Durham Region. Hospice provides an option for those people facing end of life who do not need hospital care and who cannot be or do not wish to be accommodated at home. The hospice is available to ALL residents of Durham Region.

The Whitby Hospice facility will provide assistance with comfort measures and pain and symptom management: counselling; private rooms with enough space for family members to stay overnight; unrestricted visiting hours; free parking; the ability to live surrounded by loved ones, and, all at no cost to the resident or his/her family. The hospice will be staffed by an interdisciplinary team of health-care professionals and highly trained volunteers.

The Ajax Mayor’s Gala donation in 2022 will fund a counselling room which is integral to the hospice residence. It will provide a safe place for families to meet with professionals in a number of areas who provide psychosocial and emotional support, information, and education that enable individuals and families to manage, cope and prepare for end-of-life.

We appreciate all the community-building efforts of the Ajax Mayor’s Gala. We are very grateful for their support of our Durham Region 2023 Ontario Parasport Games and its legacy initiatives which celebrate and demonstrate inclusiveness by growing the adaptive sport opportunities and participation in our community. We’re better together.

Hearth Place Cancer Support Centre has had the privilege of serving our community for the past 25 years. We empower a community of compassionate support, knowledge and hope for anyone impacted by cancer.  We offer support for patients and families coping with cancer through emotional support groups, wellness programs and educational seminars and resources.  We recognize the impact cancer has on the whole family, and therefore offer support programs for children, teens, and caregivers as well as offering bereavement support.  All of our programming is offered free of charge as we appreciate the financial burden a cancer diagnosis can have on families.

On behalf of the 2400 members that we support, we extend our gratitude to Mayor Shaun Collier and the Ajax Mayor’s Gala organizing committee for selecting Hearth Place as one the charities supported by this event.  We are excited to share that with these funds, we have purchased a new laptop, camera and microphone system so that we can extend our hybrid programming to offer additional support services to our community.  The funding from this event, will help us to develop and launch 3 new programs in 2023, to address key topics our members have brought forth including examining Post-Treatment Body Image, Survivorship Guilt and Managing All Sides of Cancer.  We are so grateful to be able to develop these news programs and extend our deep appreciation for this opportunity to expand our programs to continue to meet the needs of our community.

For the past 18 years the Durham Children’s Aid Foundation (DCAF) has been working to ensure that No Child, Youth or Family Shall Be Left Behind. DCAF is committed to collaborating with the community to enable equal opportunities for children, youth, and families, so that they may reach their full potential.

Through the generosity of our donors, DCAF is able to assist over 4000 children, youth and families each year in our community. Available programs include: Holiday Hope, Positive Transitions for Youth, Urgent and Critical Care Funding, Camps for Kids, Bursary Program, Mental Health and Wellness Initiatives and Recreation, Enrichment and Skills Development programs. DCAF is very appreciative of the support received for the Holiday Hope and Bursary Programs from the Ajax Mayors Gala. In 2022, the funds provided helped to ensure that youth would be able to work toward obtaining their post-secondary education. In 2022, DCAF provided over $125,000 in financial support to over 40 youth through the Bursary Program. Funds from the Ajax Mayor’s Gala helped to ensure that youth from the Town of Ajax would be able to benefit from a Bursary.

The Durham Children’s Aid Foundation is very thankful for the support received over the past years from the Ajax Mayor’s Gala. With this support and the assistance of other donors DCAF is able to continue working to ensure that every child or youth, regardless of circumstances, has the resources and support to reach their full potential.

At Durham Youth Services (DYS), we are on a mission to provide programs for at-risk and homeless youth in the Durham Region to prevent homelessness, provide shelter and other opportunities that will support their success and end the stigma of homelessness.

When youth in need come to us, we focus first on shelter diversion to explore every safe alternative to coming to the shelter, because we know that if someone spends even one night in the shelter system, their risk of becoming chronically homeless increases significantly. Our highly effective homelessness prevention program, Youth Reconnect, supports youth and their families with the goal of helping families stay together. Over 80% of the youth served through this program stay at home or return home!

As much as we try to keep youth from entering the shelter system, sometimes there is no other option. When that happens, they need a safe, warm place to spend the night. Our emergency shelter, Joanne’s House, the only youth-focussed shelter in the Durham Region, has been offering ‘nights of safety’ to youth aged 16-24 since 2008. Youth-at-risk may need an affordable place to live while they get on their feet. At our two transitional homes, Harris House and Jacky’s Place, youth can stay for up to a year while they complete their education, work to get a job, and secure independent housing. We also offer intensive case management “for as long as it takes” to the chronically homeless with complex mental health or addictions issues through our Housing First for Youth program.  For each of these programs, our primary goal is to find a long-term, sustainable solution to our client’s housing crisis.

In pursuit of our vision to end youth homelessness in the Durham Region, our “best days” at DYS are those where a young person moves in to safe, independent housing. While it is exciting and rewarding, it can also be overwhelming for a young person to take that step to independence. Beyond the cost of first-and-last months rent, setting up your first home is expensive! DYS supports our client’s transition to independence with a “Fresh Start Kit”, filled with essential items like bedding, towels, kitchenware, cleaning items and laundry supplies to get them started. We are so grateful for the ongoing, generous support of Mayor Collier and his team. Every dollar donated is used for our Fresh Start Kits, making our client’s new address feel like “home”.

It has been identified that housing people is not the only solution to ending chronic homelessness.  A lack of basic life skills, i.e., money management, mental health coping strategies, tenant rights and responsibilities, and having a sense of community have been identified as issues that are contributing factors to chronic homelessness. 

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020, the development of the Ajax HUB has provided individuals experiencing homelessness, precarious homelessness and low-income a place to go to access supports and services under one coordinated access point.  In April 2022, the Ajax HUB relocated to its new facility.  Since April the HUB has supported 279 individual patrons with a total of 1830 visits, and accessing approximately 3500 different supports and/or services.

The Ajax HUB has already coordinated it’s first of many life skills programming.  The first workshop will take place on November 2^nd and 3^rd, 2022 and will be offering Rent Smart Education. Rent Smart provides education and support to tenants, housing providers and community organizations with one goal: successful tenancies.

Successful tenancies are key to building strong communities through increasing housing stability and preventing homelessness. Tenants want a safe, suitable, affordable home to rent; housing providers want tenants to pay rent on time and take care of their property. We believe that education is transformative and a key component in developing the tools and knowledge to have a successful tenancy and secure housing.

 Additional workshops will be added covering topics such as solution and narrative therapy, coping strategies, budgeting on a tight budget, affordable food preparation, and full coaching, mentoring and job placement training will be offered to the Ajax HUB patrons and residents of the Ajax area.  All programs are free of charge to low-income participants.

We thank The Ajax Mayor’s Gala for a donation and we are excited to be able to offer these additional supports to our patrons of the Ajax HUB and looking forward to seeking new opportunities to grow and develop as the needs command.

The proceeds from the Ajax Mayor’s Gala will support the creation of a community & indigenous garden at Ajax Pickering Hospital. Location on the west side of the hospital, the goals of the new garden space are to provide food for the community, a healing space for mental health and recreation for hospital staff, patients and residents, as well as enhance the Towns and hospital’s connection to the Indigenous peoples of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island.

The project will include the design and construction of a Community Indigenous Garden, including beds for food seating, accessible pathways, space for Indigenous plantings and education. Other features being considered include a covered gazebo and rain barrels, the full scope of which will be determined through the design and consultative process.

This garden would not be possible without Mayor Shaun Collier and the efforts of the Ajax Mayor’s Gala committee. This event has enabled many leaders of our community to easily come together in support of great local organizations that work every day to ensure our friends, neighbours and loved ones have the care and support they need close to home.

We are very excited to see the Community & Indigenous Garden bloom and grow at the Ajax Pickering Hospital, as it too brings together our friends, families and neighbours.

The Mayor’s Gala has provided The Salvation Army in Ajax with much needed financial assistance. The help received from the Gala has made it possible to reach more people in vulnerable situations and to ensure more people get connected with the vital services needed to help them regain control of all portions of their lives.

This support has made possible a Community Response Vehicle that allows our team increased opportunity to serve and connect with those in difficult circumstances in various locations throughout Ajax and to also be more effective with Emergency and Disaster Response when such times arise. The Gala has also raised funds to obtain and fund the administration of “The Locker Program”. This program allows people living outside of stable housing and in transition a place to store important belongings and private documents that are often lost or ruined. The lockers also allow for phone charging and a domain to receive postal service and other correspondence. It an excellent tool to aid in getting people into better positions to live purposeful and productive lives.

As the 2022 Charity of Choice, the Gala will also make possible a new commercial kitchen that will be located in The Salvation Army facility currently under construction. This kitchen will introduce new opportunities for new programs and increased services. Cooking classes for those on a budget and fixed incomes, increased capacity and capability for weekly and seasonal lunch/meal programs served to those on the street or disenfranchised are some of the ways this equipment will ensure people are given all the opportunity to grow and feel valuable and part of a community. The Salvation Army is extremely grateful for the support as this could not be achieved without the support from The Ajax Mayor’s Gala.  

Luke’s Place is an award-winning non-profit centre of excellence devoted to improving the safety and experience of women and their children as they proceed through the complex family law system after leaving an abusive relationship. In 2020-21, Luke’s Place supported 1,000 Ontario women and their children, 148 of whom live in Ajax. We expect to support even more women in Ajax this year. With $20,000, we can provide wrap around family law supports for 40 Ajax women and their children through legal advice services, legal information sessions, and accompaniment to lawyer appointments and virtual or in-person court hearings. Thank you to the Ajax Mayor’s Gala for partnering with Luke’s Place to help keep women and their children safe.

Ajax Mayors Gala Funding has been a significant help to DCNP, at this time when our schools are navigating through a pandemic. Due to Covid restrictions and health guidelines, school nutrition programs had to move to pre-packaged food and single serve items. This greatly impacted their budget and ability to sustain the programs over the school year. The gala funding will help these schools not only by filling their budget shortage but also improve the quality of funding provided.

With the generous funding, we were able to fund 24 schools in Ajax. We were also able to start additional nutrition programs in 2 Ajax schools. These schools previously did not have a nutrition program. The students attending these schools now have access to fresh fruit and nutritious snacks every day. Simple daily nutritious snacks would allow the students to sustain attention and focus to improve their overall performance academically and physically and would have substantial impact on our students overall well being while at school.

The funding will ensure that ajax students attend school well nourished and ready to learn.

The mission of Durham Youth Services (DYS) is to provide programs for at-risk and homeless youth in the Durham Region to prevent homelessness, provide shelter and other opportunities that will support their success and end the stigma of homelessness. We operate Joanne’s House, the only emergency shelter in Durham for homeless youth between the ages of 16 and 24. There our youth are helped with their basic needs (e.g. meals, clothing, housing, and school) as well as access to broader supports as part of our case management, including assistance in obtaining benefits, mental health counselling, and health care services).

We also offer services for youth that are ready to take a step towards independent living, such as Transitional Housing at Jacky’s Plan and “Housing First for Youth”, a nationally recognized intervention program. More recently we have begun to offer increasing prevention programs, such as Youth Reconnect and Shelter Diversion, that directly assist youth who are at higher risk of becoming homeless.

The funds from the 2021 Ajax Mayor’s Gala will be used to purchase our “Fresh Start” kits for youth transitioning to independence by providing them with essential items such as bedding, towels, kitchenware, cleaning items and laundry supplies. Purchasing all of these items can feel overwhelming to a young person just starting out and they can often feel overwhelmed with the number of new expenses they have. We want to thank Mayor Collier, the planning committee, and all of the sponsors for making their move-in day a bit brighter for many youth in the region!

Impact statement Durham Children’s Aid Foundation (DCAF) works to ensure that No Child Shall Be Left Behind through the support of child and youth protection services and the support of programs to help each child reach their dreams… their full potential. DCAF strives to provide opportunities so every child has an opportunity to succeed.

Support provided by DCAF for children, youth and families include the following:

Urgent and Critical Needs Emergency Fund – COVID-19

Throughout the year DCAF receives a number of urgent requests by child and youth workers that are beyond the scope of funded services provided by child welfare services. Due to the unprecedented impact of the current pandemic, the need for support is greater than ever, with an estimated 500 – 750 children requiring additional support. Children are now isolated beyond their wildest dreams; no school, no friends, no playground access, lacking proper food and other essentials as family income is decreased due to loss of employment. These stressful conditions increase the probability of physical, mental and sexual abuse due to increased levels of fear and anxiety.

DCAF is establishing a fund of $100,000 that can be used to address the urgent and critical needs of children and youth who are living in vulnerable and unsafe situations.

Holiday Hope

Since 2004, this signature holiday gift program has provided personalized (based on individual profiles) hampers that include essential items such as clothing, grocery gift cards and toys to support over 1000 children and youth in need across Durham. Holiday hope is supported collectively by over 700 donors and volunteers annually.

In 2020 DCAF will need to raise $500,000 to meet the long term economic impact of COVID-19 and the growing demands for Holiday Hope.

Bursary Program

DCAF’s support of post-secondary education scholarships began in 2004 with one student receiving $1,500. The program now provides bursaries to 40 – 50 students annually.

Current demand exceeds DCAF’s capacity to provide significant support to each recipient to assist with raising costs of tuition and accommodation. The goal for 2020 is to raise an additional $100,000 in support of youth in need of support to help them pursue their education goals and dreams.

Other essential DCAF services include the Clothing Program and the Youth Mentorship Program.

On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of Big Brothers Big Sisters of South-West Durham, we would like to extend our sincere appreciation to the Ajax Mayors Gala for their contribution of $10,000 to our Virtual Mentorship Program (VMP).

VMP engages children and youth ages 6-16 through one-to-one weekly meeting in a virtual format to meet with a caring adult mentor. Mentors and mentees take part in discussions, games and activities to promote health and well-being. Children and youth who access VMP are experiencing one or more of the following barriers: poverty or low-income, social isolation, developmental and/or mental health challenges, family breakdown including involvement in criminal justice system or child services, abuse/bullying/violence, behavioural and/or academic issues, etc. The Government of Canada (2016) identified 70% of mental health problems have their onset during childhood/adolescence. VMP directly mitigates these barriers by providing no cost one-to-one mentorship to vulnerable and at-risk children and youth building protective factors and supporting children to reach their potential.

Studies have compared children from similar backgrounds who have been a part of BBBSSWD mentorship programs to those who have not. These studies showed that Mentored Girls are:

• 4 times less likely to bully, fight or lie
• 2 times more likely to be confident in their ability to be successful at school

And that Mentored Boys are:

• 2 times more likely to believe that school is fun and important
• 3 times less likely to suffer peer pressure related anxiety

Thanks to the Ajax Mayors Gala’s we’ll service 20 additional children in the Ajax community through the Virtual Mentoring Program, continuing to:

1) build positive coping/life skills and resilience,
2) foster social connection and healthy relationships,
3) promote academic engagement and performance.

We, at Big Brothers Big Sisters of South-West Durham truly value the support and efforts of the Ajax Mayor’s Gala making a difference in the lives of the children in our community. Helping to change children’s lives forever by giving them the opportunity to receive the mentorship support that they need.

The definition of compassion, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is the “sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.” It is with this spirit that the program was implemented to share kindness and respect while promoting staff wellness, acknowledging the challenges that these highly skilled and caring staff may deal with from a mental health perspective.

The Compassion Cart initiative at Lakeridge Health Ajax/Pickering began in January 2021 in both the Critical Care Unit and Emergency Department, during a most challenging time with the pandemic as a program to elevate morale.  On the cart there is a basket of quick go to snacks and nourishment and is shared with the staff on both units on an ongoing basis. We have recognized how significant this initiative has been in such a positive way.  Staff are going through significant demands with little relief in sight, and are reminded that during these unpredictable times they are thought of and acknowledged.  The sharing of others encouraging them to take a snack for break and to take a few minutes to reflect and/or connect with a colleague.  The Cart has become a highlight of many staff’s shifts and there is anticipation in looking forward to the new goodies that are placed out.  Self care items are also included when available (face wash, lotions, lip chap to counter the effects of the PPE). The cart is available to Nurses, Doctors, Clinical Practice Leads, Respiratory Therapists, PSWs, Unit Clerks, Environmental Support Teams, etc, that are working in the Critical Care Unit and the Emergency Department.

Thank you so very much for funding our Compassion Cart through the remainder of 2021 with proceeds from the Mayor’s Gala.  ’Stronger Together’ .

Impact statement Community Care Durham is a registered charitable organization providing aging, physical and mental health assistance to more than 10,000 adults and their caregivers. Back by a team of 2,000 volunteers and 350 staff, we deliver high-quality senior care programs throughout Durham Region. Our broad range of accessible programs includes Help at Home, Wellness, Food & Nutrition, Transportation, and Support & Education. Community Food Boxes is a recent initiative created in response to the public health crisis. Local businesses and farms have joined forces to provide affordable and healthy food essentials to our vulnerable members. Our community is the hallmark of our long-standing success story.

Community Care Durham is committed to offering unparalleled services to clients through our quality senior programs. In order to better serve the evolving needs of the vulnerable members of our community, funds are needed to develop new initiatives and maintain our current line-up of vital services. The allocation of funds will cover the operating costs involved in offering dependable senior programs.

The funds will be allocated to those most in need in the Ajax community, including those temporarily housed in Ajax as a part of the COVID response.

The value of our senior programs cannot be understated. Our team of volunteers and staff work tirelessly to offer outstanding compassionate care and help through our valuable senior programs. We make an enormous impact on the lives of our grateful clients and their caregivers through the promotion of healthy living at home. Our clients are made to feel their best every day.

Herizon House is a non-profit organization that provides services to women and their children who have been impacted by gender based/domestic violence and abuse. We operate a 24/7 crisis line for information, referrals and access to our programs. One of our primary services is our emergency shelter located in Ajax, with 30 beds and near capacity most of the time. Within our shelter, we offer access to several programs including crisis counselling, safety planning, community referrals, and a transition support program.

Outreach services are available to women who are in an abusive situation as well as those who have left it and are continuing to make steps towards are life free from abuse. The Outreach staff provide counselling, community referrals, safety planning, access to community support and abuse education.

Donated funds will allow us to continue our operations ensuring we can maintain our facility and programming, as well as provide a children’s program throughout the year. Dedicated staff assist mothers and children with parenting after violence. In addition to counselling, safety planning, community referrals and therapeutic programming we will be able to offer recreational activities to provide some sense of normalcy and a chance for fun and enjoyment. The children will have opportunity to participate in safety planning, counselling, music therapy, outings to local amusement centres, trips to the movies, visits from the farm and zoo animals and more! In our experience, these activities, along with our other programming; support children to gain a sense of themselves and the world around them. They learn skills, gain confidence and have a chance to participate in things they may never have had before.

We appreciate all the efforts from our community to support our organization and the people we serve. Thank you to The Ajax Mayor’s Gala and it’s participants for choosing to support Herizon House!

Feed the Need in Durham believes that food insecurity should not prevent anyone from fulfilling their potential or participating fully in the life of our community. It is our mandate to work with our member agencies to alleviate hunger by providing fresh, frozen, and non-perishable food to those who need it most in our community.

FTND is an innovative organization, specializing in accessing and recovering large quantities of food. We collect surplus and donated perishable foods from food retailers, food manufacturers, food distributors and farmers. In addition, individuals, school groups, businesses, churches and community groups generously hold food drives to help fill our shelves.

FTND is the only regional distribution hub for emergency food providers in Durham.
• More than 1.2 million meals distributed each year
• 456,000 visits to FTND members each year – 34% of these are children
• 62 members including; food banks, soup kitchens, shelters, in-school nutrition program and social service agencies
• 200+ volunteers giving over 13,000 volunteer hours
• For each $1 donated FTND can collect, store and distribute $7 worth of food

We appreciate the support from the Collective Community Caring online event!

Locker Project in support of Town of Ajax’s unsheltered and most vulnerable residents.

After receiving a recommendation from the Ajax Homelessness Task Force, the Ajax Mayor’s Gala Committee held a locker auction as part of the inaugural Ajax Mayor’s Gala, held June 15, 2019. The auction raised $15,000 for this project from generous sponsors – including local and regional businesses, and all members of Ajax Council.

Located on the south side of the Ajax Town Hall property on King’s Cres. at Exeter Rd. (facing what will be the new home of The Salvation Army Hope Ajax/Pickering/Uxbridge), they will be administered by The Salvation Army Hope Ajax/Pickering/Uxbridge, with the support of a $10,000 first-year operating boost from the Ajax Mayor’s Gala, and maintained in partnership between the Town and The Salvation Army Hope Ajax/Pickering/Uxbridge. The Ajax Public Library will also play an important role, providing referral and other support to locker renters.

Modeled on the successful Keeper’s Project lockers in Oshawa (a partnership between Spirit Alive and the Back Door Mission), the 12 new lockers will make it possible for those who find themselves in precarious housing situations or without shelter to store key items, receive mail (supporting job applications, and cheque delivery), and charge their cell phones thanks to individual USB ports in each unit powered by solar electricity.

“The problem of homelessness and precarious housing is becoming more evident across the Durham Region, and Ajax is no exception. That’s why I wanted the charitable focus of the inaugural Mayor’s Gala to be tangible ways we can support those without secure shelter in our community. In addition to funding initiatives by The Salvation Army Hope Ajax/Pickering/Uxbridge and Joanne’s House directly, we sought advice from the Ajax Homelessness Task Force who sparked the idea for these lockers. Together with our generous sponsors, we take the next step to making Ajax truly inclusive for all. I want to thank Ajax Council, CAO Shane Baker and the TOA Operations team for their ongoing support of this project, making this vision a reality.” – Quote from Mayor Shaun Collier, Town of Ajax