Walter Sendzik, Mayor of St. Catharines is a driving force behind his city’s initiative. Compassion, he says is “a philosophy of care plus action” which is brought to life through the day-to-day actions of organizations as well as residents of all ages. This focused effort to intentionally foster a culture of compassion is the first ever city-wide effort of its kind in Canada.
Mayor Sendzik’s idea for the Compassionate City Initiative was inspired by meetings and conversations with the community as well as from attending Tamarack’s poverty reduction conferences. Compassion, he believes, begins as a lens through which you look at your community. It’s a choice to consider the situations you observe daily from a place of caring rather than simply indifference, frustration, anger or blame. He describes a compassionate city as “one in which no one is left behind, no one is standing outside of the circle. We’re all inside the circle, no one’s invisible, we see everybody, it’s about the wealth of our community being defined by the health and well-being of everybody.” The initiative also focuses on policies where the city can have a direct impact, especially transit and affordable housing.
The St. Catharines Compassionate City Initiative features three inter-related areas of focus:
Steve Boese, a St. Catharines resident and champion of the Compassionate City initiative, believes that compassion can be shown in little ways, “saying hello, hold the door for someone; including someone into your group” together these small things can make a big difference. Another community champion, Jessica Potts, puts it this way, “I hope this project is met with open minds and hearts and encourages everyone to think about how compassion has touched them, and how we can all be more inclusive and supportive in our day-to-day lives and interactions. Just a smile and a hello can make a difference.”
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