Start Me Up Niagara is pleased to hear of Susan Venditti receiving the T. Roy Adams Humanitarian award. The award recognizes Susan’s lifelong dedication to caring for less fortunate individuals in our community.
Susan has been a guiding light in the city and region for those experiencing poverty, homelessness, mental health issues, and other significant life challenges.
While we are pleased, we are not surprised. Susan has inspired countless staff and volunteers in our community to help stabilize the lives of those in need and to treat everyone with understanding, compassion, and dignity.
From Jim Bradley, Chair of the Regional Municipality of Niagara, “Susan Venditti is a life-long Niagara resident for whom volunteerism and service has been, and continues to be, integral to her life. Through her work with Start Me Up Niagara, as well as a host of other committees, events, and associations, she has left an indelible mark on Niagara and has improved the lives of many of its residents, and I am proud to recognize her as this year’s recipient of the T Roy Adams Award.”
Susan has been a guiding light in the city and region for those experiencing poverty, homelessness, mental health issues, and other significant life challenges.
Laura Dumas
Executive Director, Start Me Up Niagara
Here is the official announcement from Niagara Region
Susan Venditti has been named the 2021 recipient of the T. Roy Adams Humanitarian Award in recognition of her lifelong dedication to caring for those less fortunate in our community.
Venditti recently retired as CEO of Start Me Up Niagara, an organization she founded and has overseen since 1998. Her leadership and limitless energy has provided new opportunities for countless individuals experiencing poverty, homelessness, disabilities, addictions and mental health issues to increase their level of self-sufficiency and improve their quality of life.
Venditti has also been an inspiration to other volunteers in Niagara, identifying each individual’s unique gifts, and encouraging them to find ways to give back to their community. She has built a community of support for those in need while at the same partnering with other agencies and organizations to fill in the gaps.
Working Together. Moving Forward.
At Start Me Up Niagara, we offer services to support people facing significant challenges such as poverty, homelessness, unemployment, disabilities, addictions and mental health issues.
Our goal is to provide opportunities for these individuals to help them increase their level of self-sufficiency and improve their quality of life.
Our services range from community lunches, health care, and arts and gardening programs, to housing supports and employment development. Together, we are working to build a community where all are included.
Start Me Up Niagara currently resides on unceded land. Therefore, we would like to recognize and acknowledge the land we currently operate in the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples’ traditional territories.