This week is National Volunteer Week (April 19 – 25), ALS Canada is honoured to recognize, celebrate, and thank our incredible volunteers who support our mission, raise funds, and help move the needle toward a world free of ALS.
This year’s theme is Ignite Volunteerism, highlighting the power of collective action to spark change within our communities. From nationwide initiatives to local events, the actions of our volunteers inspire progress toward our shared goal of changing what it means to live with ALS. We’re grateful for every moment our volunteers spend positively impacting the lives of people living with ALS and their circle of support and care.
To celebrate the stories of our community members, we are pleased to highlight a few dedicated volunteers whose efforts have made a lasting impact.
Elizabeth Gandolfi, ALS Canada Board of Directors
“Volunteering is my way of honouring my father and turning loss into impact,” says Elizabeth. “It gives purpose to something deeply personal. Volunteers are critical because they extend the reach of the organization, strengthen the community, and ensure no family feels alone in their ALS journey.”
Mahek Kaur, ALS Canada Walk to End ALS Volunteer Committee member
“I volunteer with ALS Canada in memory of my mom, who passed away from ALS in 2017. This experience means the world to me because it is a way to remain connected with the ALS community, share stories about our loved ones, and contribute to a future without ALS,” says Mahek. “Volunteers are essential for fundraising and awareness activities that support research for a cure for ALS and essential services for ALS patients. Volunteers also play a large role in uplifting the ALS community and helping to inspire hope, through events like the Walk to End ALS.”
Harry Joosten, ALS Canada Board of Directors
“Considering myself to have been fortunate in life, volunteering is a way to both pay back and pay forward. ‘From those to whom much has been given, much is expected.’ Additionally, volunteering gives me a sense of self fulfillment, a chance to learn new things, and meet the nicest people who are both like-minded and generous,” says Harry, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2025. “Volunteers leverage and multiply the benefits that the organizations they serve can deliver to society and community. With their time and talent, their insights, experience, and expertise, volunteers enable not-for-profit organizations to be not just more efficient and effective but also to be publicly regarded as credible and inspirational, worthy of additional support from all sectors of civil society – public, private, and social.”
Thank you to all our incredible volunteers who, in 2025, contributed a combined 5,094 hours to supporting ALS Canada and our community.
Find out how you can take action and volunteer with ALS Canada today.