Staff and Leadership
We're Hiring! Scroll to the bottom for more information about our Canada Summer Job Positions
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.
Eli Navas
Friendship Manager
Eli is our new Friendship Manager! His journey with Helping Hands began with a life-changing experience in his first week, igniting a deep love for the impactful work we do. With over 20 years as a Worship Pastor in El Salvador, the USA, and Canada, Eli blends academic prowess in Theology, Music Education, and Performing Arts. Recently graduating in Immigration Assistance from CDI College in Toronto, Eli brings a dynamic skill set to his role. Eli’s passion for worship and community engagement sets him apart, making him an ideal candidate for roles requiring a mix of spiritual leadership and practical experience.
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 in May of 2022 as an Administrative Assistant. As her role developed, she was able to work on several projects aimed to aid Helping Hands in communication through different creative storytelling methods. This has included the development of the new website, fine-tuning impact tracking systems, leading the development of video storytelling materials, and developing vision for our annual Gala for the past 2 years. Lauren loves being able to continue to learn how to be a good neighbour and a good friend in the neighbourhood where she both lives and works.
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 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.
We're Hiring! Canada Summer Jobs
DEI RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES PROGRAM COORDINATOR
The DEI Recreational Activities Program Coordinator will plan and implement social connection activities prioritizing the engagement and welcome of newcomers to Canada in a way that aligns with Helping Hands Street Mission’s mission, vision and values. The DEI Recreational Activities Program Coordinator will particularly engage with newcomer community members, will explore their interests and connection desires, and will engage them in program and activity planning and implementation. The goal of the project will increase diversity, equity and inclusion at Helping Hands Street Mission particularly as it relates to the welcome of newcomers to Canada, and will strive to incorporate the principle of “nothing for us without us”. This project will prioritize opportunities for newcomers to use their gifts, skills and interests to benefit the community both at Helping Hands and beyond through: exploring volunteerism at Helping Hands Street Mission and other local service providers, engaging in community initiatives – small on-site projects and events that newcomers want to help to organize (based on principles of asset-based community development), and focusing this year’s annual community building event on encouraging cultural learning and equitable welcome in our community. The program coordinator will build skills of adaptability, collaboration, communication, creativity & innovation, digital skills, numeracy, problem solving as well as language and leadership skills to coordinate and evaluate programs through client-focused planning, team implementation, community advertising and post-event evaluation to ensure the most appropriate DEI focused programming for our community.
Hiring preferences: black/racialized or indigenous youth (up to age 30); bilingual (French & English; additional languages considered assets)
This is a Canada Summer Jobs position – we have applied for 16 weeks, 35 hrs/week – still waiting for confirmation. If we receive funding for all 16 weeks, this position will begin ASAP.
Remuneration: $20.80/hr
MEDIA COORDINATOR
The Media Coordinator will assist in the development of Helping Hands Street Mission’s social media strategy, manage and schedule posts for Instagram and Facebook accounts, brainstorm with Community Engagement Manager about content ideas, create, edit and publish consistent content alongside the Community Engagement Manager to better communicate who Helping Hands Street Mission is, research and suggest ways to better our exposure through social media, work with staff to post for key donation needs, integrate the friends of Helping Hands into content as much as possible, assist in taking pictures and creating posts to thank major donors, and assist in the coordination and ongoing coverage of online fundraising campaigns. The Media Coordinator will also support story telling production work by participating in shoot days with
Videographer/Production Manager, attending bi-weekly meeting with Videographer/Production Manager to be mentored in how to capture and create compelling content, capturing video, photos
and quotes to be used in future content, and assisting in the transition of larger scale media to social media platforms. During events, the Media Coordinator will manage social media accounts through livestreams, stories and content creation during events.
As with all staff at Helping Hands Street Mission, the Media Coordinator will be required to align with Helping Hands Street Mission’s mission, vision and values, have an interest in social service work and seek to promote equity, diversity and inclusion in all the organization’s service and advocacy work. Education and experience in media/broadcasting/marketing related program would be considered assets. The Media Coordinator will build skills in adaptability, collaboration, communication, creativity & innovation, digital skills, problem solving, and technical skills as well as deeper understanding of the importance of DEI in our sector in addition to poverty & homelessness advocacy work through story telling by engaging community members, planning and implementing social media strategies, and supporting production work and content creation.
Some office administrative tasks will also be included within tasks and responsibilities.
This is a Canada Summer Jobs position – we have applied for 16 weeks, 35 hrs/week – still waiting for confirmation. If we receive funding for all 16 weeks, this position will begin ASAP.
Remuneration: $20.80/hr