Durham College (DC) is proud to announce its receipt of the Community Care Durham (CCD) 2020 Corporate Leadership Award. College president Don Lovisa received the honour during CCD’s annual general meeting, which was held virtually using Zoom, on June 16.

“This award honours and highlights the longstanding, mutually beneficial partnership between Durham College and Community Care Durham,” said President Lovisa. “This is a partnership that truly exemplifies the best of what public colleges can inspire in their students and employees, and contribute to their communities.”

Nominated and selected to receive the award by CCD senior leadership and its board of directors, DC is being recognized for its longstanding partnership with and contributions made to CCD, which include:

• Regularly providing placement students from programs in DC’s School of Health & Community Services (HCS) to support CCD’s Adult Day Programs and mental health support program, known as COPE, as well as providing students from the School of Business, IT & Management occasionally.
• CCD’s participation in orientation events at DC to promote volunteer opportunities to students and employees. More specifically, CCD has worked with DC’s Police Foundations program to match students with their Friendly Visiting program.
• DC Corporate Training Services creating a Personal Support Worker (PSW) Training partnership to provide CCD’s PSWs with important education specific to their clients needs, in addition to other customized training for CCD staff.
• Most recently, the team from the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food (CFF) contributing to the successful launch of CCD’s Community Food Box program. Not only did the CFF help launch the program with a generous donation of food in the midst of the college’s COVID-related campus closure, the CFF gardens continue to provide fresh herbs and produce for the weekly food boxes.

“Community Care Durham is an exemplary organization that provides vital services to vulnerable residents in our community,” said Dr. Judeline Innocent, executive dean of HCS at the college. “It is with great appreciation that Durham College receives this honour, which marks our latest milestone as we continue to lead the way in educating students to deliver community-based care, partnering on innovative ways to respond to community needs and building a brighter future for the residents of Durham Region.”