Staff and Leadership
Alice Plug-Buist
Executive Director
Alice joined Helping Hands in 2018 as a volunteer, and took the lead as Executive Director in 2019. She appreciates Helping Hands as a place where people can safely come together in community, to forge friendships, support each other, and engage in hope-filled conversation together. Alice loves to engage people in discovery of how each person is a valuable image-bearer of God and how they can live into that reality.
Samantha Togeretz
Friendship Coordinator
Samantha was first introduced to Helping Hands through an ad in her church’s bulletin. She began working here in a part-time capacity that quickly grew to a full-time role as our Outreach Worker. You will often find Samantha sharing her gift of writing on our blog and using her gift of connection to continually build meaningful relationships with our friends here at Helping Hands.
Kristina Ivanovic
Hospitality Coordinator
Kristina was first introduced to Helping Hands Street Mission through her field placement while completing her Social Service Worker Diploma at Mohawk College. She loved the experience so much she continued to volunteer after her placement was over. She strongly believes in and respects the mission’s values and vision. Through her position here she has been given the opportunity to continue building positive relationships with our friends as well as helping those in need with the services that are provided at Helping Hands.
Lauren Galenkamp
Executive Projects Assistant
Lauren began working at Helping Hands with a Canada Summer Jobs grant as an Administrative Assistant. She quickly found the role of assisting Alice very fulfilling. Through her work of assessing and rebuilding organizational systems internally, she found that Helping Hands was a place that she wanted to continue to invest in. Lauren then took on the role of Executive Projects Assistant on a part-time basis while she completes her Bachelors in Community Development.
Lisette Sayes
Community Engagement Manager and Project Hope Lead
Lisette was born and raised in Hamilton to parents of Guatemalan descent. She studied at Redeemer University with a major in International Development and a minor in Political Science, hoping to one day use her experience to be a missionary. As part of her studies, Lisette was required to complete volunteer hours and chose to do so at Helping Hands Street Mission. After having a great experience, she went on to become a summer intern at Helping Hands in the summer of 2016. Since then, Lisette has worked in both non-profit organizations and in political offices, always focusing on social justice work. Lisette loves the friendship-based support of Helping Hands, and ultimately wanted to expand the capacity of Helping Hands so that God’s love would reach more people in the Barton Street community. She’s excited to see what God will be doing this next year in her role as the Community Engagement Manager and Project Hope Lead.
Our Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors provides governance to Helping Hands Street Mission as a registered charitable organization. They set strategic goals and hold the organization accountable to fulfilling its mission and vision. Each member comes with their own unique perspective, and together they seek the flourishing of people in the Barton Village community and the expansion of God’s kingdom here.
Phil Beck, James Joyce, Jessica Koning, Kevon de Jong, Lynn Bruulsema, Peter VanDyk, and Gordon Hornsveld.