2017 HOPE Award
On June 1, 2017 Cedarglen Homes and Cedarglen Living were honoured to receive the Aspen Family & Community Network 2017 HOPE Award. The HOPE Awards are nominated by Aspen staff or board members to celebrate partner agencies, funders, donors, volunteers, staff and board members, and their demonstration of the Aspen values -Community, Empathy, Partnership and Diversity.
Our partnership first started in the Spring of 2016 where our Cedarglen staff embarked on an initiative to rejuvenate 15 apartment units at the Youth Transitions to Adulthood building. This program empowers young people to become as self-sufficient as possible by the time they graduate from the program. Staff help participants set goals, get appropriate accommodation, enhance their living skills, continue their education or find jobs, as well as connect with positive supports in the community.
After working closely with the Aspen team, we weren’t quite ready for our partnership to end. Working with our employees and trade partners we adopted each of the young adults and their Christmas Wish Lists and provided them with a Christmas that they would always remember.
Few words can describe how the Cedarglen Team feels about receiving this award. Truly, our reward was to provide kindness and love to this amazing group. Witnessing the happiness as one opened their apartment door to a completely refreshed unit to watching them all unwrap their entire “wishlist” for Christmas. What an amazing opportunity!
We would like to express our thanks to Aspen Family & Community Network for the nomination. At Cedarglen, we believe that philanthropy is a vital way to give back to the community.