A better life award Finalists 2021


2021 Award Recipient

2021 award recipient Becky and ABL staff
photo of inukshuk trophy

Our 2021 A Better Life Award Recipient: Becky (ABL Employment – Hamilton) 


We are very honored to present Becky with this award!

Becky started out with our client at the Mt Hope Airport in Hamilton in November 2019, after finding that retirement from her Steel Mill career left her with too much time on her hands: she felt she had so much more to give!

She started working as general labourer, but quickly showed her leadership, drive and passion. Becky learned the client’s processes inside and out, and has been such amazing support not just for ABL but also for our client’s internal staff as the shift coordinator for ABL onsite. Becky has worked countless hours – people would joke they should just get her a bed in the facility because she was always there! 

Becky is one of the most caring people we know. She is always thinking about how she can make someone else’s day better.  Even when she was dealt a bad card and diagnosed with cancer, she was determined to get strong again, and come back to work after her recovery period. Her team needed her, and she missed them terribly!

Becky, we can’t thank you enough for all your hard work and dedication. You  truly do deserve this award, not only have you created a better life for yourself, but you have created a better life for those that get to work side by side with you daily. We know you’ve already put that $1000 award to good use!

Maizib photo

2021 Award Runner Up: Maizib (ABL Employment – Stratford) 

Maizib began working for us in April 2021 when she was faced with another layoff due to Ontario’s third lockdown. For 10 years before that she managed a busy nail salon in Waterloo. Not wanting to go back on CERB Maizib decided to obtain temporary work to continue to help support her family of 4.

Over the months we received plenty of positive feedback from her supervisors and co-workers. When we told her supervisor we were nominating her for the A Better Life Award and asked him to write a few words about what made Maizib special, he said “Write something? Hell, I’ll come help you present the award!” He describes her as consistently friendly and cheerful and he calls her his social butterfly. If he could only hire one person it would be Maizib.

In August Maizib found out she was expecting a baby girl much to the excitement of her husband Fong and 11- and 15-year-old sons. She went on to work for us until the fall when she was placed on maternity leave due to high blood pressure.

Two weeks before Maizib’s due date she received another surprise. She wasn’t expecting a girl after-all, she was going to have a full set of boys!
Her 3rd son was born on November 27th by emergency c section. Upon hearing the news, her supervisor joked that they were so keen to have her come back that she can come back and bring her baby to work. She was a great employee and were both sad to see her go on Mat Leave.
These past couple years have been a bit of a whirlwind for most of us, especially Maizib and we are proud to present her as a nominee for the A Better Life Award.

Have fun spending your $250 award!

Jacob photo

2020 Award Runner Up: Jacob (ABL Employment – Woodstock) 

Jacob definitely embodies the spirit of the A Better Life Award, “as an Individual Who Has Made An Active Outbound Effort To Create A Better Life For Themselves And The People In Their Lives.” Jacob lived in Hong Kong for 15 years as a refugee, and found the experience to be extremely frustrating and sad, as you cannot work, study, or volunteer in that country as a refugee, or you would face imprisonment or deportation. Being the kind of person Jacob is, this must have been a very demoralizing time for him.

In February 2021, he was granted the opportunity to immigrate to Canada, and given the ability to legally seek employment right away. This is when Jacob’s story takes a wonderful turn. Within a month of settling in Canada, he was signed up with ABL and out working on an assignment. He feels so happy that he can finally make a meaningful contribution to his adopted country of Canada, in the forms of both employment and volunteering.

Jacob is one of those people that always brightens your day when he calls because he is so upbeat and positive. He brings a smile wherever he goes. Jacob walks 34 minutes each way to and from work: even during the worst rain or snow storms, you can be sure that Jacob will be at work.

His communication about how his assignments are going, and if there are any issues coming up, is really excellent, and he is genuinely excited about his placements. We’ve entered him into no less than 4 monthly lucky gift-card draws as part of our A Better Life Award program during 2021, because of the ways he goes above and beyond to make things better and easier for our client companies.
We nominated him because he takes initiative, has a problem-solving attitude, and his dedication and positivity has a terrific impact on the work environment for anyone who works around him. Enjoy your $250 Award Money, Jacob!

What Is The ABL “A Better Life Award”?

You can watch ABL’s founder and president, PJ Ferguson, explain the concept around the “A Better Life Award” here:

ABL’s “A Better Life Award” recognizes an individual who has made an active outbound effort to create a better life for themselves and the people in their lives.

View Past Finalists & Runner-Ups