CMHA staff member honoured with Heart of Kindness Award for 30 years of service
A Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) North Bay and District staff member has been recognized for three decades of kindness, leadership and service to the community.
As the third annual Kindness Week wrapped up on Friday, May 29, Peer Support worker Arif Majeed received the Mary Davis Heart of Kindness Award in honour of his 30 years of dedicated work in the Peer Support community.
The impact of Majeed’s work is felt every day in the quality of care that people experience in Peer Support programs. Colleagues say he is always looking for ways to help and support others and to build the self‑confidence, self‑respect and sense of worth of each person he works with.
“Among our staff, Arif is recognized for his kindness, compassion, empathy, humility and loyalty,” said Mary Davis, CEO of CMHA North Bay and District. “His ability to genuinely reach out and connect with the people we serve is inspiring to us all. Arif is a big part of why our Peer Support program exists in the way it does and why it is as successful as it is.”
Recognized by colleagues across Canada, Majeed received the PeerWorks Lighthouse Award in 2025 for his strong advocacy for peer‑to‑peer support and his leadership in the local Peer Support community.
“Arif has spent more than 30 years supporting this community and helping service users live their best life,” said Jeanette Geisler, Director of Programs and Services at CMHA North Bay and District. “He was recently celebrated by his colleagues and every tribute began with a comment about his kindness.”
The Mary Davis Heart of Kindness Award was created in 2024 as part of the inaugural Kindness Week. Each year, The Kindness Project steering committee looks for someone whose actions stand out as a powerful example of the impact of kindness. Previous recipients include Mary Davis herself, for the creation of The Kindness Project, and Sheri St. Martin, an employee of Homewood Suites by Hilton, whose quick actions helped save a guest’s life.
Representatives from The Kindness Project and CMHA North Bay and District presented Majeed with the award at the Kindness Week community lunch, where colleagues, service users and community partners gathered to celebrate his contributions.
CMHA North Bay and District and The Kindness Project thank Arif for leading with kindness and showing what 30 years of quiet, consistent care can mean for a community.
About The Kindness Project
The Kindness Project is powered by CMHA North Bay and District and supported by a steering committee of community partners, volunteers, and Clark Communications. Built around a one-week campaign each spring, it is based on the simple yet powerful idea of “Do good. Feel good,” the science of kindness, and its positive impacts on mental and physical health. It encourages everyday acts of kindness as a way to build a stronger, more connected community.
