TIMBER MART Canada is rewarding Local Leaders across the country who make a difference in their communities.

TIMBER MART stores from coast to coast have nominated individuals who continue to dedicate their time and effort making Canada a better place.

$10,000 to will be awarded to the Local Leader’s initiative with the most votes at the end of the voting period.

Make sure to cast your vote for the Local Leaders before June 23, 2023.

The Nominees

37.1%

Joy Neufeld

The Lumberzone

Soups on Steinbach

Joy Neufeld

The Lumberzone

Soups on Steinbach

Soup’s On is a community ministry committed to ensuring that all members of our community might have enough. Along with serving food, this ministry serves gracious acceptance, compassion, and love for all who come to share the table. The Soup Kitchen serves two free evening meals per week and works together with the Steinbach area schools to provide a breakfast and lunch program for students. By creating partnerships and financial support within the larger community we aspire to make a positive contribution. Community is a gift Of God’s grace. It is essential that community touches all levels so we can become stronger together. “For I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” Matthew 25:35. Our Supper Program was born out of a need to serve those struggling with food insecurities in the Southeast. After over a decade of operating regularly, Soup’s On has become a safe space where anyone in need of nourishment for the body or the soul is welcome. While the need for food is a necessity in one’s life, so is dignity. Our team of volunteers are filled with compassion and respect for those in need. We can guarantee a place where judgment is suspended and graciousness overflows. If you are struggling with food insecurities, please feel free to visit us any evening when our soup kitchen is open, no reservations needed! As Soup’s On continues to serve the needs of the community, we have seen other challenges arise–specifically in families with school-aged children. Our Lunch Program created a way to expand our abilities to provide further support for those with food insecurities in the Southeast. By partnering with local schools, we have been able to ensure that hundreds of children have the nourishment they need to grow and learn in a way that honors and respects their dignity.

How would winning the grant impact their initiative?

Soup’s On is a soup kitchen committed to ensuring that no member of our community goes without, whatever the reason. We depend on the generosity and humanity of our community to continue and expand our work. We thank you for any contribution you can make to our cause. The grant would allow them to further their current programs – ensuring more members of the Steinbach community would be able to participate in one of the programs and support that they provide.

12.3%

Frank King

Sherwood TIMBER MART

Habitat for Humanity PEI

Frank King

Sherwood TIMBER MART

Habitat for Humanity PEI

Frank has always aspired to volunteer with Habitat, however for 11 years, his time was consumed with being his mother’s primary caregiver, when she passed away, Frank decided it was time to devote his energy towards being a Habitat volunteer. He first started in 2019 on the build sites, that year they built five homes, Frank himself was putting in around 50-60 hours a week, including staying late, and volunteering on the weekends to ensure the houses got done! When Covid-19 hit the builds were put on pause so Frank started volunteering at the ReStore, which is right next to Sherwood Timber Mart, he has volunteered nearly 40 hours every week for a year and a half, and often stays late and will fill in when needed if another volunteer can’t make it. He has become the “go-to” guy! Unfortunately, Frank has had some health challenges come up last year and took a bit of a break but was always willing to be “on call” if they needed him. This shows how devoted Frank is to helping families in our community secure comfortable and affordable living. Frank is excited that Habitat is starting two builds in Harrington at the end of this month and plans to be back to help. When speaking with Habitat Operations Manager, Amanda Cyr, she had this to say about Frank “He is the most helpful and kindest person I know. He would take the shirt off his back to help someone if they needed it. He lives and breathes Habitat for Humanity PEI, and we expect that he will be around for as long as he physically can be.”

How would winning the grant impact their initiative?

Winning the grant will help Frank in his ever-growing effort to supply affordable housing to Islanders, as we continue to navigate through PEI’s housing crisis Habitat Homes are becoming increasingly sought after. Frank was astonished to hear the dollar amount of the grant and expressed how it would be a huge offset to the costs of building a Habitat Home and would play a critical role in providing more Islanders with suitable housing.

46.5%

Karen Watson

Havelock TIMBER MART

HBPS Breakfast Program

Karen Watson

Havelock TIMBER MART

HBPS Breakfast Program

Karen Watson, better known as “Miz” to everyone locally, is also a lifelong resident of our small community in Havelock, Ontario. Miz is known for her hours of volunteering for many events and organizations, such as “The Havelock Jamboree” since its beginning, Smitty’s Christmas Wish, for a total of 15 years, and is very involved in our local United Church. Karen is being nominated for her commitment to the “Breakfast Program” in which she has been heavily involved for 22 years, since her retirement in 2000. She helps run this program daily from 7:00 am to 8:30. Along with preparing the food, she also purchases & delivers items to the school. Miz says the enjoyment she gets is knowing she is “making a difference” in the students’ lives while helping prepare them for their day and the fact that no one goes hungry. The breakfast program covers students from kindergarten to Grade Six, five days a week. Miz has also worked in conjunction with our local Foodland organizing “Toonies for Kids”. The initiative has raised an amount of $5500.00 within the last 2 years. This amount goes directly to help fund the breakfast program.

How would winning the grant impact their initiative?

This 81-year-old is committed to volunteering. Her positive and upbeat attitude is making a difference in our community. She is showing no signs of slowing down and encourages others to follow in her footsteps. With volunteers like Miz, our community is a great place to live. If selected, Miz would love to see the funds be distributed to other activities within HBPS including school trips and after school activities for the students.

4.1%

Pierre Côté

Materiaux St-Elie

St-Élie d’Orford Knights of Columbus

Pierre Côté

Materiaux St-Elie

St-Élie d’Orford Knights of Columbus

Pierre has been Grand Knight since July 2017 and dedicates long hours to helping people in need while also coordinating the efforts of an entire team. His achievements include organizing the year-end awards gala brunch at the elementary school École Alfred-Desrochers; in 2020, during the pandemic, he worked to help people by making many return trips between Sherbrooke and Montréal to bring back more than 24 tons of food to distribute at no charge to more than 1,400 families; in September 2020, he successfully raised $50,000 in donations toward the new school year to purchase winter clothes for 50 children and school supplies for more than 525 children as well as providing meals to children in need. In December 2020, he came up with alternative ways to proceed with a food drive in compliance with public health measures; his organization was able to assist a family that had lost everything in a fire and helped another family that was awaiting refugee status to start over here from scratch (by collecting approximately $20,000 in funds and furniture). We could cite any number of other acts on his part to raise funds and resources required to support people in need, including the annual Campagne du pain partagé [“breaking bread campaign” to raise donations through bread sales]. Pierre was able to rally everyone around him to make all these accomplishments possible knowing that there is no way for one person to do it on their own.

What influence would getting the grant have on their initiative?

Any additional funds would be greatly appreciated when it comes to supporting people in need, because in our current economic times, the needs remain urgent, and Pierre and his council would be able to put these funds toward finding more ways to help people in need.