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Jonathan Massimi

Jonathan Massimi
Jonathan Massimi is a Supervisor of Community Centres with the City of Kitchener. Jonathan has worked in a variety of neighbourhood settings and is a seasoned Asset Based Community Development practitioner. In 2017 he completed his doctorate where he explored the relationship between ABCD and communities of faith. His supervisor was John McKnight.

Recent Posts

Local Business Benediction

Posted by Jonathan Massimi on April 19, 2021

In this COVID economy, some local businesses have been able to weather the storm, while others have been swept away by the waves. Even in a non-pandemic year, it’s a tough go. This is something I learned from my hometown, where, in 2012, the typical lifespan of a new business was two years. As a parish, we wanted to do something to help, so we started what came to be known as “Businesses We Love.”

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A Good Place is Better Than No Place

Posted by Jonathan Massimi on October 1, 2019

Over the last couple of years I have had the opportunity to work with a number of communities.  This work has involved a great deal of listening; giving ear to people’s stories, dreams and laments. As I reflect on these experiences, I have come to see two impulses at work, the nostalgic and the utopic. The nostalgic focuses on “the good old days,” memories doled out like cups of sugar and lined with white-picket fences. Recollections of a time where things were simply “better.” 

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Community Adhesive: A Discussion on the Work of Aristotle and John McKnight

Posted by Jonathan Massimi on February 11, 2019

I love reading, unfortunately, I can’t commit to reading one book for an extended period, thus leaving many suspended mid-chapter. Outside of cluttering my nightstand, such a practice allows me to bring a variety of thinkers into unlikely conversation. A recent conversation featured Aristotle and John McKnight. Surprisingly, I found a strange affinity between their work, particularly, Aristotle’s discussion on friendship, and John McKnight’s emphasis on gifts.

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