June 2024
Wendy Schneider

A passionate advocate for social justice, a caring and compassionate community leader rarely seen without a smile on her face, Cindy Richter is this year’s recipient of Federations’s CeCe Schreiber Volunteer Leadership Award,  named for one of Hamilton’s most respected and accomplished volunteers. Richter is best known in the community for her five-year stint as president of Beth Jacob Synagogue and her role as coordinator of the Jewish community’s Out of the Cold program, a position she’s held for 17 years. 

Richter’s heart and mind is almost always on the needs of those she serves.  “None of us will truly know the extent of Cindy’s volunteering as her anonymous mitzvahs are too many to count,” wrote her friend, Carolyn Molot, who nominated Richter for the community’s most prestigious volunteer awards. “She visits unwell community members and Out Of The Cold clients who are in hospital. And not just once, but weekly, all while ensuring their privacy, dignity and friendship.”

Richter’s connection to Judaism runs deep. An avid participant in a weekly Torah study group, Richter lives her Jewish values through daily acts of kindness, hospitality and tireless efforts towards bettering the lives of others. 
Molot credits  her friend for making her and other volunteers, “more caring members of our Jewish community and an inspiration to do and be more ... None of us will truly know the extent of Cindy’s volunteering as her anonymous mitzvahs are too many to count. I feel truly grateful to spend time with Cindy every week. She faces her leadership challenges with optimism and grace, always inviting others to join in her pursuits but never judging their decisions.”