Ottawa Power Wheelchair Hockey League
The Ottawa Power Wheelchair Hockey League creates accessible recreational and competitive sport opportunities for people who use power wheelchairs. Supported by athletes, families, coaches, officials, volunteers, board members and community partners, the league has grown to more than 30 players across four teams, with 16 athletes representing Ottawa nationally through the Capitals and Black Aces.…
Read MoreMike Nemesvary
Mike Nemesvary has had a lasting impact on our community by helping the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority rethink true access to nature. Through his leadership with the local Nature For All Committee, he challenged us to recognize that people with disabilities have been excluded from many outdoor spaces for too long, often by barriers that…
Read MoreMichael Lifshitz
Michael Lifshitz uses comedy, advocacy, and lived experience to advance disability inclusion across Ottawa and beyond. Through his platform Illumabilities, he uses humour to challenge stereotypes and show what’s possible when people with disabilities are given real opportunity. His commitment extends well beyond the stage; he has served on the EARN steering committee advancing disability…
Read MoreDr. Marie Loyer
Dr. Marie des Anges Loyer embodies the spirit of the Generation Forward Award through a lifetime of service, leadership, and visionary philanthropy to support the nursing profession. She was the first donor at The Royal to establish a planned gift structured in an endowed fund with an annual bursary designed to create immediate impact. Her…
Read MoreMarketing & Brand Experience Team at The Royal
The Royal’s fundraising campaign, entitled “Lives Reclaimed,” shows how mental illness and addiction can strip away a person’s life, agency, potential, ambition and quality of life. Through authentic patient stories, the campaign inspires donor support while challenging the misconceptions that mental illness is a personal failing or that addiction is a choice. This integrated, multi-channel…
Read MoreParkdale Food Centre Make It Monthly Campaign
Over three years, Parkdale Food Centre transformed Make It Monthly from a traditional digital appeal into a bold, human-centred campaign that reimagined how monthly giving could look and feel. PFC blended advocacy, strength-based storytelling, community-created content, humour, personalized outreach, stewardship and neighbourhood door-to-door canvassing to build relationships, not simply acquire donors. The results were transformational.…
Read MoreThe Ottawa Cancer Foundation’s Dear Cancer Campaign
Dear Cancer transformed the familiar personification of cancer as an enemy into a powerful act of agency. Patients, survivors, caregivers, and family members addressed cancer directly, sharing how it had changed their lives and how they found personalized support at The Ottawa Cancer Foundation. Integrated across video, social media, direct mail, newsletters, media outreach, a…
Read MoreRoslyn Bern
For more than three decades, Roslyn Bern has demonstrated how thoughtful, engaged philanthropy can transform individuals, organizations, and communities. As President of the Leacross Foundation, she has strengthened organizations that expand opportunities through the arts, technology, healthcare, education, and STEM while remaining invested in the people they serve. Her philanthropy extends far beyond financial support—she…
Read MoreOttawa Guild of Potters
For more than 20 years, the Ottawa Guild of Potters has demonstrated exceptional community leadership and generosity through Great Bowls of Fire, an annual fundraising event supporting the Ottawa Food Bank. Since 2005, the Guild has united hundreds of volunteer ceramic artists, local restaurants, bakeries, and community members in a shared effort to address food…
Read MoreMarsha Clyne
Marsha Clyne is a strategic philanthropy leader whose generosity extends far beyond financial giving. Through volunteer governance, pro bono fundraising advisory, mentorship, research, and community leadership, she helps charities and grassroots organizations build the systems, partnerships, and confidence needed for long-term sustainability. As the Founder of True Impact Philanthropy, Marsha has intentionally made professional fundraising…
Read MoreKelly Stewart-Belisle
Kelly Stewart-Belisle is the driving force behind the Ladies Who Christmas Hamper Initiative, a community-led effort that has helped thousands of single-mother families and elderly women experience the joy and dignity of the holiday season. Through her exceptional leadership, Kelly has coordinated every aspect of the program, from fundraising and volunteer recruitment to delivery logistics…
Read MoreJenny Chen
Jenny Chen is a visionary community builder, philanthropist, speaker, and nationally recognized business strategist whose leadership is strengthening Ottawa’s charitable sector. Over the past year alone, she has supported more than 20 organizations through fundraising, strategic counsel, mentorship, advocacy, sponsorship, and pro bono consulting—helping nonprofits forge meaningful partnerships, build lasting capacity, and achieve sustainable impact.…
Read More