We are delighted and humbled to announce that Strong Start was named the 2025 Diamond Award winner in the Non-Profit/Foundation category of the Waterloo Region Readers’ Choice Awards. Diamond represents the highest honour in the category, awarded to the organization selected as the community’s first choice.
This marks Strong Start’s sixth consecutive Readers’ Choice Award and our fourth Diamond Award, a milestone made possible through the dedication of our volunteers, donors, partners, and community champions.
“This recognition is so exciting and a reflection of the inspiring efforts our community makes to help Strong Start create lifelong readers,” shared Chief Executive Officer Machelle Denison. “We share this award with our volunteers, supporters, and partners, and thank them for their commitment and shared passion for our mission.”
This First Place distinction reinforces Strong Start’s purpose and momentum as we continue expanding our impact and reaching more children with early literacy support. With community collaboration at the core of our work, we remain focused on ensuring more children have the strong start they need to succeed in school and in life.
Thank you to the Waterloo Region community for this acknowledgement. We also extend our congratulations to the Platinum and Gold winners in our category, along with the other outstanding organizations honoured in this year’s Readers’ Choice Awards. You can watch a special thank you message from CEO, Machelle Denison here.
About Strong Start
Strong Start® is a Canadian charity that helps young children learn to read. For 25 years, we have helped young learners build the skills and confidence they need to become lifelong readers. Our programs are grounded in research, aligned with curricula, and delivered through powerful community partnerships with schools, educators, community hubs, families, and thousands of trained volunteers. Together, we are helping young children reach their potential and strengthening communities.