Chatham-Kent's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice Strategy

The Chatham-Kent Asian Cultural Association cordially invites all Chatham-Kent residents and families to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights that symbolizes the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.

October 25, 2025, 7:00 - 10:00, Ursuline College, 85 Grand Ave W, Chatham

Dance, music, and art for a celebration of culture, colours, lights, and community connections! The programming portion of the event is free.

Optional dinner available 5:00-6:30 for those interested, at a cost. Adults $20, ages 11-18 $15, children under 10 free. Payment e-transfer ckaca.events@gmail.com Dinner pre-order only before October 20th.

RSVP and learn more on their google form.

Chatham-Kent Public Library is pleased to host Dean M. Jacobs at Chatham Branch (120 Queen St.) on Thursday, November 4 at 6:30PM.

Mr. Jacobs, with Walpole Island First Nation’s Heritage Centre, will draw on his over 5 decades of public service working to help protect natural and cultural heritage and promote community well-being of the Walpole Island First Nation within its homeland. This presentation focuses on pre-Confederation Treaties between the British Imperial Crown and the ancestors of Walpole Island while addressing 'Truth and Reconciliation' based on mutual trust and respect.

All are welcome to attend this presentation.

Treaties Recognition Week in Ontario is an opportunity to learn more about our collective Treaty rights and obligations. The week helps create greater understanding and nurture relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples and communities.

About Dean Jacobs:

Dean Jacobs has dedicated over 52 years to serving the Walpole Island First Nation (WIFN), specializing in Land Claim and Hosting Agreement negotiations. A former Chief of WIFN, Dean has played a pivotal role in governance, policy, and advocacy.

Beyond his leadership within WIFN, he is an Adjunct Professor in the Interfaculty Program in Public Health at Western University, contributing to academic discourse on Indigenous governance and environmental policy. His scholarship includes a prize-winning article on Indigenous history, recognized by the Canadian Historical Association in 2021.

Dean has served on esteemed boards, including the University of Windsor’s Board of Governors, the International Joint Commission’s Great Lakes Water Quality Board & Research Managers Council, the Ontario Heritage Foundation, and the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (Mexico/USA/Canada). His contributions to environmental stewardship and Indigenous rights have had a lasting impact.

Honored with two eagle feathers and three honorary doctorate degrees, Dean’s legacy is deeply rooted in leadership, scholarship, and advocacy. His work continues to shape Indigenous governance, environmental policy, and the preservation of cultural heritage.

“WIFN’s journey is one of strength and vision—asserting Indigenous governance, honoring our Treaties, nurturing our relationship with the land, and building meaningful partnerships to shape a sovereign future.”

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent has launched CKAlert, a new emergency notification service.

Signing up for this service will allow residents to receive important public safety messages in the event of a major emergency in the community, such as flooding, boil water advisories, major road closures, and more.

Learn more about the service and sign up on the Municipality of Chatham-Kent's website.

Reach Out Chatham-Kent (R.O.C.K) has designed a Homelessness Response Toolkit for local businesses, organizations, and area residents better understand and engage with local homelessness response efforts. The goal is to provide practical guidance, reduce stigma, and encourage compassionate and informed interactions with individuals experiencing homelessness.

The kit includes a quick reference postcard with information on who to call in specific situations, including phone numbers for outreach services, sharps clean-up, shelter, and other essential resources, ensuring that businesses and community members have immediate access to support when needed.

Digital copies can be accessed at www.reachoutck.com/resources.

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent's Employment and Social Services program has created a website with information for people who may need food assistance, including resources like:

• food banks
• little free pantries
• soup kitchens
• food voucher programs
• drop-in/outreach services.

Visit www.chatham-kent.ca/EmergencyFood or scan the QR code above to go to the website.

These services are here to support individuals and families in our community. Whether you're in immediate need or looking for ongoing assistance, there are options available to help you.

At the February 2025 Board of Health meeting, CK Public Health released a report about household food insecurity in Chatham-Kent. A few key findings included:

• 1 in 5 households in CK are food insecure
• Many people in CK don't have enough money to buy food
• The root cause of food insecurity is poverty
• Emergency food charity is not a long-term solution.

The report calls on community members and organizations to learn about food insecurity, talk to friends, family, and colleagues about the true causes of food insecurity, and advocate for income solutions.

Find the full report, the above infographic, and more information on the CK Public Health website.

CK Victim Services has launched a new online tool to report incidents of hate or discrimination in CK.

This new tool will give people an option to report outside of going to the police. Many people don’t report experiences motivated by hate or bias to police. The intention of this new tool is to 1) ensure that people can get access to supports if they need it, and 2) use the combined data to get an idea of trends in the community.

Key points:

• The tool is available on Victim Services website http://www.ckvictimservices.com/report-hate
• People can also call Victim Services at 519-436-6630 and leave a message saying they want to make a report. Calls will be returned within 3 business days.
• People can report their own experiences or experiences they witnessed.
• People have the option of submitting an anonymous report or providing their contact information and indicating that they would like support from Victim Services.
• Hate or discrimination could include things like (but is not limited to) harassment, intimidation, threats, denial of services, witnessing or seeing vandalism aimed at a person or the broader community because of a person’s race, ethnic origin, language, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disabilities, or other identities.

We are pleased to share with you the 2023-2027 Human Resources (HR) Strategies, which include the People and Culture Strategy, Mental Health and Wellbeing (MHW) Strategy, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) Strategy!

We appreciate the collaboration and input many employees and partners have provided tour team since 2021 to develop these Strategies.

Many action items have already been started and many more are on the horizon to achieve our objectives by 2027.

We look forward to sharing the Municipality’s progress and celebrating accomplishments along this path of continuous improvement!

The Chatham Alzheimer Society is rolling out a new initiative throughout Chatham-Kent. The program is called “dementia friendly communities” and the goal of the program is to give Chatham Kent businesses the skills and knowledge to better serve our dementia community. After a 1-hour education session with our education manager, your business can become certified as a dementia friendly supporter. With this designation you will receive a special decal for your display and advertising on the Alzheimer Society of Chatham-Kent’s website and socials. You can learn more about the program here: Dementia Friendly Communities Ontario | Alzheimer Society of Ontario

To receive the designation, 75% of frontline staff must complete either the in person education course (1 hour) or an online e-module course (1 hour) (if you cannot get all employees to attend the in-person course).

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact the Alzheimer Society of Chatham-Kent directly at 519-352-1043 ext. 221 or email info@justasck.ca

New! Unbound Book Club.

For people who may feel bound by the lack of accessibility in our works, join to explore new worlds, unique stories and meet new characters through the word of books.

For young adults (18+) who have a disability or are an ally for the disability community.

September Book Club Pick: The Reading List, by Sara Nisha Adams.

Books chosen based on availability in both print and audiobook formats.

September 18, 2024, 7-9PM. Turns & Tales Bookstore. 213 King St W, Unit 2, Chatham.

For more information contact 226-626-6585 or erin.genge@gmail.com

Future meeting dates:

October 23, 2024; November 20, 2024; December 18, 2024.