Support for Communities

I love my new found state of Louisiana, but everyone who knows me knows my heart still holds a special place for my home country of Canada. In 2022 I had the pleasure to represent Canada at World Refugee Day for the Louisiana Organization of Refugees and Immigrants (LORI).

Thanksgiving has always been a special time for me. One of my fondest memories is volunteering with my father. When I was an early teen, my father and I would make our annual one hour drive to the homeless shelter in Regina, Saskatchewan, to prepare and then serve a Thanksgiving meal to those less fortunate. With no family nearby, I have continued this tradition by hosting Thanksigiving dinners for new immigrants, refugees and foreign students. For many of our guests it was the first time experiencing a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

A highlight comes with being named the 2022 Volunteer of the Year by Catholic Charities USA for my work with the Refugee Resettlement program. Being nationally recognized for what I love to do, honestly, still has not sunk in. Here is the video we created: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki3GuOnQweU

Receiving the Champion of Service Award from Volunteer Louisiana in 2023 was also an honor. I share this recognition with all Catholic Charities employees, volunteers, and clients from around the world. I share the award also with my family, who support me everyday.

Image to the right, Dr. Bea Gyimah and myself planning for an AMOA event, America, My Oyster Association.