Meet Our Volunteers

Local Calgary resident Salim Kassam loves to give back to his community. In 2014 Salim was diagnosed with Ushers Syndrome, a genetic disease that affects both hearing and sight. It was then that he originally connected with CNIB for support – and quickly fell in love with the community and cause.

As a Tech-Mate, Alan volunteers his time to work one-on-one with participants in the British Columbia area who are interested in brushing up on their assistive and accessible technology skills.

CNIB Lake Joe is lucky to have long-time volunteers, but not many are like Jess Bailey. She has been volunteering at CNIB Lake Joe for most of her life!

Le Conseil national des jeunes d'INCA (CNJ) offre à ses membres la possibilité d'influencer le changement et d'accroître la sensibilisation aux questions auxquelles sont confrontés les jeunes Canadiens vivant avec une perte de vision.

Everyone loves a good page turner, including Lynn Kennedy, who wanted to share her love of reading with others. In 2020, she started volunteering as a book club facilitator.

“CNIB has been a great source of support for my son, and I’m very grateful,” says Lynn. “I’ve taken a keen interest in learning how CNIB helps people with sight loss and the various programs that are available.”

Louise became a CNIB volunteer in March 2020 to provide support for people who are blind or partially sighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“It was a time of great need and total isolation for all of us. I wanted to give back to my community as someone with sight loss,” says Louise. “Using the Zoom platform regularly provided us with a feeling of connection. It also boosted our confidence with using the technology.” 

After losing his vision suddenly in 2011, Quebec City’s Louis Levesque began to volunteer as a peer support group facilitator.

“When I lost my vision, I could no longer do my job,” says Louis. “At 55, I was too young to be idle, so it seemed like a natural fit to help those who were facing the same challenges as me.”

With an incredible amount of empathy, Louis is committed to creating safe spaces that welcome the most difficult conversations related to sight loss.

Kitchener-Waterloo's Emer Ferguson volunteers as a cooking club facilitator. As someone with sight, she has learned a lot from people who are blind or partially sighted.

“Whether it’s using an Instant Pot, a slow cooker or setting aside more time for cooking, they’ve taught me that anything is possible in the kitchen,” says Emer.

As a CNIB Tech Mate, Vancouver’s Betty Nobel volunteers to help put the latest tech knowledge at people’s fingertips.

“People need to have hope that they can carry on living independent lives after losing their vision,” says Betty. “CNIB has played a big part in my journey to independence since birth, so I have always wanted to give back.”

Sandra started volunteering with CNIB as a Vision Mate, a program that connects volunteers with participants for friendly conversations. The first time she heard about CNIB Lake Joe was during a peer support group in her hometown of Newmarket.

Diagnosed with Stargardt's disease when he was a teenager, Kevin’s passion for self-advocacy was sparked at university. While engaging with an assistive technologist on campus, he met a friend who was a disability advocate.

As an assistant captain for his hockey team, Edmonton's Warren Wong knew what it meant to be a leader. He would also coach his brother and his friends, showing them drills to improve their skills. Due to the pandemic, Warren stepped into a different coaching role; a CNIB Tech Mate volunteer.

For Rositsa Ivanova of Toronto, volunteering with CNIB has been an incredible opportunity to learn new skills and make a difference in the lives of Canadians living with sight loss.

For Céline Garneau, volunteering at the CNIB Foundation isn't a job; it's a pleasure. The retired philosophy teacher joined our volunteer team in 2002, helping to create accessible audio books for people with sight loss in our recording studios

When Yuko first saw a posting to become a puppy raiser more than two years ago, she was intrigued. She had only just moved to Halifax and was looking for a way to engage with her new community.

In the summer of 2019, four nursing students from the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Okanagan campus enhanced the lives of individuals living with sight loss.

For Nancy Simonot, volunteering with CNIB Lake Joe, a life-changing camp that provides enriching experiences for Canadians with sight loss, is a family affair. Her journey with CNIB began when her son, Matthew, had a transformational experience as a volunteer counsellor.

Lloyd facilitated group technology sessions, but he also recognized the need for more personalized training for those new to technology, so he also began volunteering as a Tech Mate.

In her volunteer facilitator role, Kimberly runs programs designed by CNIB Foundation staff to teach youth participants life skills, like leadership, and resume writing.

Julie Morneault has volunteered with the CNIB Foundation since 2013. Since then, she has worked in several roles with the organization. While she volunteers at her local CNIB office, she also goes into the community to tell her story, and to talk about the importance of accessibility and inclusion.

Thanks to volunteers like Gary, a whole new generation of kids will grow up asking how they can help make a more accessible Canada!

Brittany Farrell, from St. John’s, Newfoundland, has been involved with the CNIB Foundation for longer than she can remember. From volunteering at events to helping around her local office, Brittany is passionate about staying involved with her community.

Wendy Schilka volunteers at the CNIB Foundation in Abbotsford as a facilitator for the Peer Support Group twice a month. This experience has inspired her – at the age of 64 – to go back to university to get her degree in counseling.

Darlene MacMillan volunteers as a vision mate for the CNIB Foundation with Stacie, a Moncton resident who has sight loss. The pair go on walks two to three times a week – even walking an indoor track during the winter months. They set fitness goals and work toward them together.

Cindy Antle drove past CNIB on The Boulevard every evening on her way home from work for 13 years, before retiring as a registered nurse. She knew about the CNIB but never gave the charity much thought after passing it on her daily commute. This changed after she lost her sight.

Genevieve began volunteering with CNIB in April 2011, starting as a vision mate and event volunteer. Three years later she was asked to begin teaching a person with sight loss who wanted to improve their braille. She accepted and has been volunteering as a braille teacher ever since.

Michael Warren provides administrative support at the Toronto Community Hub. Always with a smile on his face, he's often the first point of contact for visitors. He says he felt like he was part of something from the beginning.

Ales Janosik had never known someone who is blind, but now he can’t imagine life without his good friend, Roger. Since 2014, Ales has been a Vision Mate volunteer to Roger – a Charlottetown man who is blind.

Because of the help he received from peer group, Bob no longer puts limits on what he can or can’t do and he hopes the group is doing the same for others with vision loss. “Thanks to them I have more confidence when I leave my home and the world is not such a scary place anymore. I want others that are struggling with vision loss to know it gets better.”

“My primary job was to train volunteers on how to interact with, and what to expect from their blind and partially sighted “mates”. Through sharing my own story and experiences I was able to help put them at ease with regards to their vision mate role.”

Dorothy raises funds that make new programs possible!
Dining and Wine-ing in the Dark, Night Steps to Bakesales! “If I can help raise funds and raise awareness of how CNIB has helped me and can help others, it is worthwhile”

Vision Mates like Carol directly help individuals in their community!
Barely a month into my new role, I can’t imagine post-employment life without Verna and Buster.

I’m a recent graduate of the University of Windsor’s biological sciences and psychology program. It’s been seven months since I started volunteering and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my experience and the relationship we’ve developed. For more of Alex's story

Giving Back – Charlene Young's Story
For Charlene Young giving back is more than just a passion, it has given her life more meaning.

Group facilitators like Veronika change lives!
"It helped me make sense and find a purpose for my pain by knowing I was able to help others going through the same experience”