Chavé Jackson | Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity Recreational Coordinator

I am beyond grateful for the opportunity I had at Helping Hands this summer. It was a learning experience for me as this was my first time ever planning and throwing an event by myself. I was blessed with the opportunity of having my first placement with this organization and during those four short months, I truly fell in love with this organization. So, when I was told they had summer job opportunities, I had to apply and try my shot, hoping for the best and that is exactly what happened.

This experience was amazing. My position during the summer was the Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity Recreational Coordinator, and my main job was to plan an event where newcomers can adapt to Canada easier, and as an immigrant myself, I felt as though it was something more important to me as I know firsthand the struggles of adapting to a new country. My main goal was to help people in ways where I did not necessarily feel I had that help when I had first moved to Canada. I feel as though I had succeeded in my main goals. It was exciting to see how invested people were during the event and it made me feel as though I may have helped at least one person, and that is all I wanted.

One thing I think I could have improved on would be being more organized. Before starting this job, I had no idea the amount of planning it takes to throw a successful event. I was quite unsure and nervous about how I would have been able to succeed. Without the help of the staff at Helping Hands, I truly do not believe the event would not have been successful as it was, and I am incredibly grateful for that. Now that I know what steps that I must take to throw a successful event, I believe in the future, I will be more prepared. Overall, it was a wonderful experience, and I am blessed that I had the opportunity to spend eight weeks working with Helping Hands.

TJ McGibbon | Media Coordinator

I was so quickly welcomed as a friend here at Helping Hands. It took less then a week before most of the regulars knew me, and they’d ask where I was if I wasn’t there. It was so special to be a part of this community and to be known by friends here. There is so much to learn about friendship from everyone involved in Helping Hands. They are kind, hilarious, and always made sure I knew they liked having me around—even if they weren’t fans of social media. I see our city differently now. I’ve learned so much from talking to friends about what it’s like to be unhoused in this city, what it’s like to try and access resources, and what privileges I’ve taken for granted. When I see an alert for a heat wave, they are the first people I think of. Watching those storms roll in over the past few weeks, I immediately thought about my friends. Everything looks different now because it’s not just about challenges affecting my city—it’s about challenges affecting my friends.

Overall, my time at Helping Hands has been a period of significant growth. From developing content strategies and learning about SEO to enhancing my editing techniques, the skills I’ve gained here are invaluable. More importantly, the friendships I’ve made are precious. It has been a pleasure to work here. Thank you for inviting me to be a part of this community.

Thank you so much to Chavé and TJ for lending us your expertise and wisdom for the summer! We’re so grateful for your work and will be praying for you both as you journey toward the future.