YWCA Hamilton’s Women of Distinction Awards – Nominations Open for Halton Region

There is a new initiative that will help celebrate the remarkable women in Halton Region.YWCA Hamilton has announced that it is expanding its Women of Distinction awards into Halton for the first time in 2021.  This season, YWCA Hamilton is hosting a virtual awards ceremony that will particularly honour the work of women during the COVID-19 pandemic.Scheduled for March 4, 2021, these awards will feature categories for front-line workers, healthcare heroes, COVID-19 innovators, and more.FROM YWCA HAMILTON:This has not been a typical year for YWCA Hamilton, or for women in Hamilton and Halton. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit our community hard. Women across the globe have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, with 56 per cent of women holding occupations within the 5 Cs: caring, cashiering, catering, cleaning and clerical functions.As a result, more women than men have had to risk their health and safety for the overall good of our communities.YWCA Hamilton’s 45^th annual Women of Distinction awards shine a light on the women in Halton and Hamilton who have rolled up their sleeves in response to the pandemic. This special edition event will honour women who have shown courage in the face of COVID-19 through reimagined award categories highlighting frontline workers, innovators, advocates, change-makers, young trailblazers, and everyday heroes.Nominations are open until Jan. 11, 2021.Nominate a woman and learn more at www.ywcahamilton.org/women-of-distinction-awards.MY TAKE:As you know, the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected women and girls. Since the pandemic began in March, women have faced increased economic hardship, rising domestic violence rates, and unbalanced child-care responsibilities, among other challenges. These awards are an opportunity not only to highlight the incredible accomplishments of women in Halton during COVID-19, but offer an opportunity to combat the effects of COVID-19 on women by raising funds for YWCA Hamilton’s important work in our communities.I am very happy to be partnering with YWCA Hamilton to promote the Women of Distinction awards, and we will be doing everything we can to share this opportunity with Burlington residents.