Maria Esteves is 54 years old, married for 37 years to Henry and mother to Silvie, an accomplished Medical Aesthetician, Professional Make-up Artist and Instructor, Latin and Ballroom Instructor and Performer. Maria has been battling Lupus for the past 31 years. Throughout the years Maria has held positions in the banking, medical, governmental and entrepreneurial fields. For the past 25 years Maria has been involved in a great number of volunteer efforts by implementing, organizing and promoting the following events:

 Adopt-a-family

This program was responsible for providing clothes, toys and food hampers for Oshawa area families referred by The Salvation Army.

 Toy Drive

Responsible for the collection and distribution of toys to less privileged children in the Oshawa area.

Walk-a-thon of Hope

Fundraiser for The Salvation Army of Oshawa.

Portrait of a Teenager

Writing contest for high school students in the Durham Region and sponsored by The Denise House (shelter for abused women and their children).  This project promoted awareness of domestic violence.

The Long Dark Tunnel

This play was written and enacted by the Theatre Arts senior class of a high school in Oshawa.  The play was produced in order to promote awareness of domestic abuse in our society.  This project was also sponsored by The Denise House.  It was so successful it was presented to various high schools throughout the Durham Region and Metro Toronto.

Murder Mystery Night

Actors from a local high school in Oshawa wrote and enacted this fundraiser for the Denise House.

Spaghetti Night Out

This program was created for the benefit of the residents of The Denise House.  Every Thursday night the Moose Lodge hosted the women and their children to a night of relaxation with a delicious dinner out.  This program ran for 12 years.

Convention

One hundred and fifty volunteers were lead by Maria over the period of three days ensuring the smooth running of a major federal political party convention.

Community Liaison Representative

Served as Liaison between community and federal cabinet minister for his riding association.

Neighbourhood Block Parent Captain

Powerfest Craft Show and Sale

While serving on the School Council at Michael Power/St. Joseph High School in Etobicoke Maria created this fundraiser (which continued for several years after Maria left the school council) with the proceeds provided to awards and bursaries for deserving students at the school.

Pasta Night

Annual fundraiser for the awards and bursaries program at Michael Power/St. Joseph High School.

However, it is BREAKFAST WITH SANTA    FOUNDATION that has touched Maria’s heart and soul and is the pride and joy of all the volunteer programs Maria has created, organized, implemented and promoted.  BREAKFAST WITH SANTA FOUNDATION was created 18 years ago, with Henry’s loving support, in Oshawa as “Breakfast With Santa” and it really became quite successful 10 years ago in Etobicoke and surrounding area.  To-date Maria’s BREAKFAST WITH SANTA has helped bring Christmas to approximately 5,000 children over the 18 years and thousands of nutritious meals to children who needed them.  Maria is very proud to have accomplished Charity Foundation status for her passion, is very dedicated and determined to reach as many children in need of the Foundation’s programs as possible.

Maria has won the Volunteer of the Year award for her convention work.  She was nominated for the 1999 Modern Women Magazine/Flare Volunteer Awards and was nominated for the 1999 Women on the Move Volunteer Awards of the Toronto Sun.  Maria has written a children’s story/colouring book and a Bridal book/manual.  The proceeds from the sale of the colouring book are donated in total to BREAKFAST WITH SANTA FOUNDATION and 10% of the sales of her bridal book/manual are also being donated to the Foundation.

Currently Maria is writing a cook book based on traditional Portuguese cuisine.