Northern Lights recipient – Jän Vicente

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Location: Calgary, Alberta

Jän Vincente may be a newcomer to Canada, but he is right at home when it comes to helping others.

The isolation and anxiety of COVID quarantine that he himself had experienced early on in the pandemic convinced Jän that there were others that likely needed help in getting through a similar situation, particularly other new arrivals to Alberta. Partnering with Fiesta Filipino, a Calgary non-profit supporting the local Filipino community, Jän helped to deliver hundreds of 'care' packages to those isolating to prevent the spread of the COVID virus.

More than just delivering essential items, Jän helped to ensure that those dealing with illness, including seniors, single moms and temporary foreign workers, felt less alone, often volunteering as many as 14 hours in a day. For this newcomer, there is nothing new about demonstrating kindness and concern to those in need.