Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence named Community Changemaker of the Year by March of Dimes Canada

The Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence (CCCE), founded by the Azrieli Foundation, has been recognized as the Community Changemaker of the Year, awarded by March of Dimes Canada (MODC). The award recognizes CCCE’s work to strengthen supports for people with disabilities, family caregivers and paid care providers across Canada.

“Care is interdependent, and our systems need to reflect that. Supporting people with disabilities to live the lives they choose means building systems that recognize their autonomy while also supporting the people and networks involved in care. We are honoured to receive this recognition from March of Dimes Canada and look forward to continuing this work together.” – Liv Mendelsohn, CEO, Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence

“Through CCCE and our work supporting neurodevelopment and neurodiverse initiatives, the Azrieli Foundation has been long committed to supporting the needs of people with disabilities in Canada, and this national recognition is very meaningful to everyone at the Foundation.” – André Beaulieu, CEO, Azrieli Foundation

Since its launch in 2022, CCCE has worked to transform how Canada understands caregiving, recognizing it as essential social infrastructure and bringing the voices of people with disabilities, caregivers and care providers into conversations about policy and systems change. Central to that work is a disability-informed understanding of care, one that recognizes the autonomy of people receiving care and the interconnected role of the people and networks around them.

CCCE has helped advance this vision through national initiatives including the National Caregiving Strategy, convening the National Care Champions Table and the Canadian Caregiving Summit, bringing together governments, researchers, community organizations and people with lived experience to build momentum for change and encourage the federal government to Act on Care.

CCCE has also invested in organizations working directly with underserved communities, including MODC. In 2025, CCCE supported MODC to help people with disabilities and caregivers access the Disability Tax Credit and Canada Disability Benefit. The initiative has included national research with people with disabilities and caregivers, accessible educational resources and awareness campaigns to help eligible Canadians access financial supports.

“CCCE and the Azrieli Foundation have been important partners in helping us expand our ability to reach people with disabilities and caregivers and ensure their experiences inform the work we do. Their support has helped us address immediate barriers to accessing benefits while also contributing to the longer-term policy and systems change needed to build a more inclusive Canada.” – Len Baker, March of Dimes Canada, President and CEO

From supporting Indigenous caregivers and families of children with disabilities to advancing caregiver wellness, sibling peer networks and leadership in the developmental services sector, CCCE amplifies voices too often left out of conversations about care.

This award recognizes CCCE’s role in a growing movement to build a Canada where caregiving is valued, caregivers and care providers are supported, and people accessing care are central to the policies and practices that shape their lives.