The Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia is beyond proud to announce its President and CEO Starr Cunningham has been awarded the Canadian Progress Club Women of Excellence Award for Philanthropy. The award recognizes Starr’s outstanding contribution to philanthropy, most specifically as a Mental Health trailblazer in her work with the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia.
“Mental illness is prevalent in our community and it required being brought to the forefront with a spotlight on it,” says Mental Health Foundation Board Member Faten Alshazly. “With Starr leading the efforts at the Foundation, we see it getting the attention it direly needs from corporate and personal philanthropy directed to it, to education and awareness and to of course clinical and community care. Starr has been a tireless champion and certainly well deserving of this award.”
In addition to her professional career, Starr serves on the Bell Let’s Talk Community Fund Advisory Committee – Atlantic Region, the St. John Ambulance Nova Scotia & Prince Edward Island Board of Directors, and has recently completed a two-year mandate as Co-Chair of the Minister’s Panel on Innovation in Mental Health and Addiction. Over the past three decades, Starr has volunteered her time and talent to numerous charities and organizations including several years as Emcee for the Canadian Progress Club Halifax-Citadel Women of Excellence Awards.
As a highly-skilled communicator and passionate community volunteer, Starr is an inspiration and mentor to many. This award is a testament to Starr’s commitment to changing the way people think while raising funds and awareness for mental health programming and services across Nova Scotia.
Starr will officially receive the honour Thursday, April 4, 2019 at the 29th annual Progress Women of Excellence Awards in support of Phoenix Youth Programs. Starr will be recognized alongside several other outstanding community leaders at the pinnacle of their professions.
If you’d like to congratulate Starr, please help her in her ongoing efforts to #changethewaypeoplethink by making a donation at mentalhealthns.ca/donate.