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Oshawa, Ontario, has been named a global JustServe city in recognition of its strong commitment to community service. The designation was celebrated on August 22, 2025, when representatives from the online volunteer platform visited Oshawa to acknowledge Mayor Dan Carter’s leadership.
“I can’t thank you enough,” said Mayor Carter. “We’re so proud. [This designation] really represents who we are and what we believe. We are very much customer-centric, and JustServe reminds us each and every day to serve.”
Heath Bradley, global manager for JustServe, commended the mayor’s dedication. “When we were looking at our JustServe cities [and asking] who’s doing an outstanding job at not just doing service but talking about the principle of what it means and how important it is, your name came to the top of the list,” Bradley told the mayor.
Mayor Carter attributed Oshawa’s success to its residents. “We’re lucky,” he said, “because we are a community that really has a social conscience. And I think that what’s happened is people are seeing where they can serve. It’s about volunteerism, it’s about fellowship. It’s about inspiration. It’s about hope. It’s about bringing communities together.”
Carter also shared his personal journey from homelessness to public office as motivation for his focus on service: “I lived on the streets, and 34 years later, I’m a mayor of a city. Who could have ever imagined that? I'm so blessed. I’m a living example of people that have been compassionate and kind for no other reason, except for they saw someone that was broken and lost and was living in darkness.”
The event also highlighted Gregory Waclawek as JustServe's millionth user. Waclawek works with A Greener Future, an environmental nonprofit focused on cleaning up litter along Lake Ontario's shores. On August 21, Waclawek joined other volunteers in picking up trash at Frenchman’s Bay.
“[JustServe is] a great way to reach out specifically to people in different communities,” Waclawek said. “We’re trying to reach out to people of varying demographics. JustServe makes it easy to show where things are happening and have people know about them.”
At a local congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—the sponsor of JustServe—children assembled boxes with activities for hospitalized children.
“The boxes have activities for the kids to do,” said Lisa Whitsitt, a local Church leader. “It helps fill their time while they’re in the hospital. I think it’s wonderful to see the children serving other children, and it warms my heart that they’re excited about it.”
Whitsitt added: “It’s when you volunteer with an organization and with other people that you are able to form friendships and be able to support that organization in their work... It definitely brings communities together because you’re doing something that is helpful, whether it’s uplifting another person or a group of people.”
Elder Levi Miller, a missionary participating in the Frenchman’s Bay project, reflected on his experience: “Coming from Alberta, being Canadian myself, I’m so happy to serve the people of Ontario and truly show them the love of God and the love that He has for everyone by serving and just even cleaning up a beach.”
Alex Walcer, president of Oshawa's stake for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke about JustServe as more than just an initiative: “I think that the Lord establishes programs to teach us how to think and see things... But I don't think at the end of the day it's the program that saves souls. I think it’s where our hearts are centred.” He concluded by saying expanding JustServe worldwide "lays the groundwork for how to think, how to serve, how to act in ways that are going to be helpful to those who have the greatest needs."
JustServe began operations in 2012; today it operates in 17 countries across five languages.
For more information or opportunities visit https://www.justserve.org/.
