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National Volunteer Week
Apr 15, 2024
Let’s recognize and celebrate every volunteer and each contribution they’re making to strengthen inclusivity and wellbeing in our communities. Now more than ever, Every Moment Matters!
#NVW2024 #EveryMomentMatters
The theme for National Volunteer Week 2024 is Every Moment Matters. It highlights the importance of every volunteer and each contribution they make at a moment when we need support more than ever. The sharing of time, skills, empathy, and creativity is vital to the inclusivity, strength, and wellbeing of our communities.
Volunteers are fundamental to meeting this challenging moment. By coming together, committing support, and increasing our collective efforts and impact, we contribute exponentially to the quality of life we all strive for. 
It’s in these moments, and the relationships between them, that we find greater purpose and a sense of belonging. By connecting and engaging with community, we come to know our importance. Volunteering matters. And by sharing these moments, we co-create the neighbourhoods, culture, and society we want to live in.
Right now, whatever we can contribute is needed and valued. From assisting programs that feed and house Canadians or helping with recovery efforts after a climate emergency, to peer mentoring a refugee family or holding space for community grief – moment by moment we can move collectively from surviving to thriving again.
During National Volunteer Week 2024, we come together to recognize and celebrate the importance of each and every volunteer’s impact from coast to coast to coast. Now more than ever, Every Moment Matters.
This week, we’ll hear from dedicated volunteers across CMHA SCB’s programs. Their support enriches our community!
Meet Catherine!
- What inspired you to start volunteering?
“I began taking the Community Cooking Class. I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to take it again. But instead I volunteered, and I had just as much fun. “
- What do you like most about volunteering with the CMHA SCB?
“It’s the fellow volunteers & the clients! They are all awesome!”
Thank you Catherine for volunteering!
Meet Jennifer – a long-time volunteer in the Urban Pantry program and Barrie Good Food Box program.
- What inspired me to start volunteering?
‘I became interested in volunteering because it was modeled to me growing up, by family, friends and neighbours. They volunteered through associations, community groups and even one on one. I also saw people being supportive in different ways when neighbours were going through difficult times.”
- What do I like most about volunteering with CMHA SCB?
“The reason I like volunteering with CMHA SCB is it is a safe and supportive environment where all levels of participation are appreciated. I also enjoy the community connections I have made with other volunteers and support staff. I always looked forward to volunteering with any CMHA SCB supported activities because they nurture connections and are building upon common goals that are strengthening our whole community in general. I feel very lucky to now live in Gateway Cooperative Housing where volunteering is at the heart of the community and no transportation required to participate.
Thank you Jennifer for volunteering!
Meet Kiara – a passionate and dedicated volunteer in the RSVP (Recreational, Social, Vocational and Peer Support) program.
Dr. Kiarra Raiker, a passionate advocate for mental health, earned her medical degree from Goa, India. As a physician assistant and aspiring psychiatrist, she’s pursuing studies in Clinical Public Health and Research at the University of Toronto. Volunteering with CMHA’s RSVP program, Kiarra facilitates groups and supports members in navigating mental health challenges.
1. What inspired me to start volunteering?
“I’ve always had a deep passion for understanding how the human brain works, especially when it comes to mental health and addiction. This led me to seek opportunities where I could make a positive impact in the field of neuropsychiatry. CMHA SCB dedication to mental wellness and breaking down stigma deeply resonated with me, inspiring me to be a part of it.”
2. What do I like most about volunteering with CMHA SCB?
“What I appreciate the most about volunteering with CMHA is the sense of community and support. Being able to contribute to groups at “RSVP” and lend a hand to members facing all sorts of mental and physical health hurdles has been incredibly rewarding. Whether it’s offering a listening ear or just sharing some helpful advice, it feels amazing to know that I’m making a positive difference in someone’s life, even in small ways.”
Meet Chris – a dedicated volunteer in the Urban Pantry, Peer Support, and Reception programs.
1. What inspired me to start volunteering?
“What inspired me to start volunteering was the fact that I had quite a bit of support from Recovery and Mental health programs in the Barrie area, which helped me immensely to overcome many obstacles on my mental health journey and made me into the man I am today. So I decided to start giving back because I saw the ever increasing need for such help.”
2. What do I like most about volunteering with CMHA SCB?
“What I like most about volunteering for CMHA SCB is that almost immediately I felt like part of a welcoming family, whose common goal was to support and uplift those in our community seeking assistance with meeting their goals.”
Thank you Chris for volunteering!
Meet Chris – a consistent and dedicated volunteer for harm reduction kit assembly.
- What inspired me to start volunteering?
“Our son Peter passed away a number of years ago by suicide. I understand the struggle that people have with mental health and the important role that CMHA plays in providing support to people in the community who are dealing with similar issues.”
- What do I like most about volunteering with CMHA SCB?
“Knowing that you are helping to make a difference so that hopefully in the future there will be less families who have to go through what my family went through.”
Thank you Chris for volunteering!