By Jack Brittle, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
On November 14, Goodwill hosted its 18th Annual Power of Work Awards Lunch. The event took place at the Burlington Convention Centre and was well attended by both members of the community and local politicians.
Burlington and Hamilton mayors Marianne Meed Ward and Andrea Horwath, Wards 3 and 6 councillors Angelo Bentivegna and Rory Nisan and Burlington MPP Natalie Pierre all made appearances at the ceremony.
Three awards were given out throughout the afternoon, two of which went to “Goodwill Amity program participants who have overcome personal adversity and employment barriers to achieve success through work,” according to Goodwill’s press release, and one was given to a “local employer…recognized for their outstanding support and commitment to providing opportunities for job seekers in the Hamilton/Halton regions,” according to the same press release.
The emcee, Lohifa Pogoson-Acker, walked the guests through the lunch’s events, which included a raffle draw for a $1000 WestJet gift card and a game that decided which person at each table would bring home the centrepiece. Mystery Lunch Bags could also be purchased for $25 with gifts inside that were valued up to $500.
The attendee who won the gift card donated it to Steven Fyfe-Mitchell, one of the award winners.
Olusegun Ogunlaja, one of the award winners, said that he arrived in Canada last September and was connected to Goodwill, who he credits with getting him to where he is today.
“They helped me in many areas,” Ogunlaja said. “They gave me commitment, guidance, and financial support. My achievement could never be celebrated without the support of Goodwill.”
Fyfe-Mitchell, the other Goodwill Amity program participant who received an award, has high-functioning autism and invasive development disorder and is also blind in one eye.
Despite these barriers, Fyfe-Mitchell was able to secure a job at a local Costco, a place where he has always wanted to work. He joined a transitional employment and mentoring program, where he learned skills that could be used in various industries.
“I learned a lot of safety and I learned how to be more independent,” Fyfe-Mitchell said.
Fyfe-Mitchell’s mother said he also learned how to get along with coworkers and be more respectful, as well as gaining interview skills. His mother said that the biggest impact of the program was the independence that Fyfe-Mitchell has gained by earning an income.
He has been working at Costco for two years, fulfilling several duties as an employee. “They treat me like family [at Costco],” Fyfe-Mitchell said.
Fyfe-Mitchell is currently saving up for a trip to see whales, which are his favourite animal.
The local employer that was honoured at the event was Bartek Ingredients, the world’s largest producer of malic acid and food-grade fumaric acid. Igor Ristevski, an HR generalist, was there on behalf of the company.
Ristevski said that Goodwill reached out to the company two years ago when they were starting their FAST program (Food and Beverage Accelerated Skills Training program), which focuses on food safety.
“They noticed that we were a local food ingredient manufacturer, and they thought we could benefit from their training,” Ristevski said.
Goodwill and Bartek reached an agreement where they would send graduates of the program to the company as applicants for an opportunity to be hired by Bartek.
“Eventually, they started producing great candidates and we ended up hiring them,” Ristevski said. “We still have quite a few of them with us today, about five or six.”
He said that some employees hired from the program have already risen through the ranks and assumed higher positions in the company. Ristevski also said that Bartek offers a wage far beyond the minimum, as well as many benefits, and is also unionized.
Journalist and author Mark Bulgutch was a guest speaker at the event and shared various stories from his new book, How Canada Works, which he co-wrote with former CBC reporter Peter Mansbridge. The book contains biographies of workers all across Canada and accounts of their love for their jobs.
Nisan gave his thoughts on the event.
“It’s a welcome reminder of the amazing work the not-for-profit sector does, especially Goodwill, and how they can convert your used clothing, toys, or appliances into jobs for people and into supporting people that just need a little help to get a leg up,” Nisan said.
Correction notice: award winner Igor Ristevski’s job title has been corrected since the original publication of this article. Apologies for any inconvenience.
