Sometimes care looks quiet.
This February, Thank You for Care‑O‑ing invited our community to pause, notice, and name the everyday ways colleagues show up for one another. Building on the Care‑O initiative many recognize from Care‑O Bingo, this year’s focus shifted from simply noticing care to actively naming it through Care‑O Candy Grams shared across the college community.
Over the course of the initiative, staff and faculty were invited to write short, handwritten messages recognizing a colleague’s care, strength, or quiet contribution. These messages were returned and delivered as Care‑O Candy Grams, small, tangible reminders that care is seen, valued, and appreciated.
Why Care‑O‑ing Matters
Care is not always loud or visible. Often, it lives in consistency, empathy, patience, and support that happens behind the scenes. Thank You for Care‑O‑ing created space for those moments to be acknowledged, not in abstract terms, but in specific, personal ways.
By naming care directly, participants helped reinforce a culture where strengths are recognized, contributions are valued, and people feel seen for how they show up, especially when that care might otherwise go unnoticed. This aligns closely with trauma‑informed values of trust, transparency, and acknowledgment, which emphasize the importance of recognition and relational safety in our daily work.
A Collective Effort Across Campus
This initiative was made possible through collaboration between the Teaching and Learning Innovation Hub and the Wellness Committee, with support from school and department offices across campus who hosted cards, posters, and drop‑off locations.
Cards were available in department offices, the Hub, and the Glenn Crombie Centre for Accessibility, Counselling and Wellness, making participation accessible and visible throughout the college. Completed cards were collected and distributed on February 13th, ensuring messages reached the individuals they were written for.
Behind the scenes, there was clear enthusiasm and momentum, from departments requesting additional cards as participation grew, to messages shared expressing how meaningful it felt to receive unexpected recognition.
The Impact of Small Gestures
While Care‑O Candy Grams were simple by design, their impact was anything but. Over 375 Care‑O cards were written, and 209 candy grams were handed out across campus. A few handwritten lines were enough to brighten someone’s day, affirm their efforts, and remind them that what they do matters. As one message shared during the initiative noted, the joy came not only from receiving a card, but from realizing that care given quietly had been noticed all along.
These small gestures collectively strengthen our workplace culture, reinforcing connection, belonging, and mutual appreciation in ways that ripple far beyond a single note or moment.
Carrying Care Forward
Thank You for Care‑O‑ing may have been a time‑bound initiative, but its intention extends well beyond February. The practice of noticing and naming care can continue in meetings, emails, conversations, and everyday interactions.
As we move forward, let’s keep naming the strengths we see in one another and recognizing the care that sustains our community, because care, when acknowledged, has the power to build confidence, connection, and collective well‑being.
Thank you to everyone who participated, supported, and helped bring Thank You for Care‑O‑ing to life.