Canada – Ontario Region 1

Cooking and Caring: Supporting the Homeless on Mandela Day

As part of Aspen annual Mandela Day celebrations, the Canada team in the Ontario Region embraced the spirit of giving back by participating in a heartfelt initiative aimed at feeding the homeless of Toronto. This year’s campaign was led by Aspen Mandela Day Ambassador Joseph Gergis, who guided his team to make a real difference in the lives of those in need.

In collaboration with Community in Unity, a grassroots charity based in Oakville, Ontario, the Aspen team joined forces on Saturday, July 19, 2025 to prepare 106 nutritious meals for the homeless. The meal preparation took place in Oakville and involved Aspen volunteers Joseph Gergis, Matthew Boulton, and Kajani Sritharan, who actively contributed to the planning, cooking, and packaging.

Once the meals were prepared, the team moved to downtown Toronto to distribute the food directly to individuals in need. This part of the initiative included collaboration with other local charities serving Toronto’s un-housed population. During distribution, Aspen team members Joseph, Matthew, and Ariel engaged personally with beneficiaries—offering not only meals, but also conversations, listening ears, and a strong sense of compassion.

Community in Unity supports vulnerable populations of all ages, providing food programs, outreach, and community services to under-served individuals in the Halton and Peel regions. They currently support approximately 300 people weekly across various programmes. Aspen’s relationship with Community in Unity began in 2025, marking the first year of engagement with the aim to a build long-term collaboration.