2025 Awards
Waterloo Region Community Foundation (WRCF) recognizes individuals and organizations in the community who have demonstrated their commitment to Waterloo Region and align with WRCF’s vision that “as Waterloo Region grows to one million residents, our communities are equitable, connected, and sustainable; and people are thriving”.
In September 2025, following a call to the community for nominations, WRCF recognized three individuals and one company whose exemplary volunteerism and contributions to local communities have made a positive impact in Waterloo Region. We are pleased to share the recipients of those awards, and some of the ways they have provided support:
From left to right: Sam Nabi, Tara Ross, Eric G. Martin (artist), Eric Avner (WRCF President & CEO), Eric Strassburger, Stephanie Soulis (Little Mushroom Catering & Dining Lounge).
Walter Bean WRCF Community Volunteer Award
This award was created in memory of the founder of Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation (KWCF). It has been updated to recognize individuals who best exemplify and reinforce WRCF’s vision of ensuring our communities are equitable, connected, and sustainable; and people are thriving; someone who has made a continued, long-term volunteer commitment to WRCF.
2025 Recipient: Eric Strassburger
Eric volunteered with KWCF between 2007 and 2022. During that time, he was on the Board of Directors for 12 years, was a member of the Audit Committee, Granting Financial Review Committee, Social Finance Committee, and the Impact Investing Taskforce. While Eric was a member of the Board, he significantly contributed to KWCF as the Chair of KWCF’s Investment Committee. It was during his tenure as Chair that KWCF developed and implemented an Impact Investment strategy that to date has deployed over $21M in local impact investments.
Eric has volunteered his time and expertise extensively with local charities for many years. Examples of organizations he has supported include: House of Friendship, KidsAbility Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Waterloo Region, Trinity Village, and St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Kitchener.
Ken Murray WRCF Community Catalyst Award
The Ken Murray WRCF Community Catalyst Award was created in memory of the first President of Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation, to recognize individuals who are demonstrating their commitment to Waterloo Region by “doing more good”. The award recognizes a community volunteer or philanthropist who demonstrates character traits evident in Ken Murray’s life, including living a life with purpose and generosity, leadership, mentorship, and the ability to creatively tackle issues of today, with an eye to the future, by utilizing innovative philanthropic approaches and solutions.
2025 Recipient: Tara Ross
Tara demonstrates the character traits of generosity, leadership and mentorship through her volunteer work with several organizations. She has provided leadership and mentorship as a coach with the Kitchener Ringette Association for many years and as Vice President of the Board of the John Howard Society Waterloo Wellington. Since 2024, she has volunteered over 200 hours as a Team Leader with Victim Services of Waterloo Region.
Tara has been a Lead Mover with Shelter Movers since 2022, contributing more than 650 volunteer hours, providing reliable and responsive support to survivors of gender-based violence and family violence.
David Borges WRCF Organizational Goodness Award
The David Borges WRCF Organizational Goodness Award was created in memory of the former Chair of the Cambridge & North Dumfries Community Foundation. This award recognizes businesses or organizations located in Waterloo Region that are committed to building and supporting our community through “doing more good”. This support could be demonstrated through corporate philanthropic giving, the encouragement and motivation of employees to become involved in community, and/or community leadership in local projects and initiatives.
2025 Recipient: Little Mushroom Catering & Dining Lounge
Little Mushroom is a Certified B Corp. and Living Wage Employer. As a member of the Impact Network of Sustainable Waterloo Region, Little Mushroom actively works to keep a low carbon footprint and minimize food waste. They are Feast On certified, sourcing at least 50% of their food products and almost 90% of all beverages from within Ontario.
Little Mushroom partners with local organizations to provide employment opportunities and experiences to people with barriers to employment. They host community events that fundraise for local nonprofit organizations and provide additional support through sponsorships and donations. Little Mushroom champions volunteerism among its employees by organizing paid volunteer opportunities at least twice a year and encouraging employees to engage with local organizations on their own time.
WRCF Social Infrastructure Champion Award
This award recognizes individuals or organizations in the community who are demonstrating innovation, excellence, and/or ongoing commitment to advancing social infrastructure in Waterloo Region. In 2024, the WRCF Social Infrastructure Champion Award was presented to an organization that is actively focused on social infrastructure, someone who is already leading the way by making a noticeable impact in Waterloo Region.
2025 Recipient: Sam Nabi
Sam is a small business owner, hip hop artist, and community organizer who advances social infrastructure in Waterloo Region through his involvement in many projects and collaborations across the region. Sam is involved with Gaukel Block, Hold The Line, the Mel Brown Festival, Meanwhile Spaces, and Tri-City Hip Hop.
As Project Coordinator for One Million Neighbours Waterloo Region, Sam led the effort to co-create a community-driven vision for the future of Waterloo Region through eight roundtable discussions with nonprofits and community groups. The project is strengthening the social fabric of Waterloo Region by building relationships between neighbours and organizations over a shared vision. One Million Neighbours is now working with municipal staff to embed the vision into strategic planning, land use decisions, and local policy, and is tracking progress on the vision’s indicators through a partnership with CivicTechWR.
WRCF’s 2025 awards were designed by Artist, Eric G. Martin.
