Sometimes all it takes is one person recognizing your potential to inspire a new path and vision for your life. We create that support system. Our community acts as an extended family. Staff and volunteers serve as passionate leaders, listeners and encouragers. When a young person needs help with schoolwork, writing a resume or getting their driver’s license, we’re there.
Hope Is Freedom An income A Second Chance Belonging
Our Vision
To be a movement motivated by radical love where youth at risk have the opportunity to become healthy people with connected families in hope-filled communities.
Bridge diverse communities
Break down barriers
Broaden perspectives
Build opportunities
Find belonging
Bridge diverse communities
Break down barriers
Broaden perspectives
Build opportunities
Find belonging
Our pillars
Youth
Development
We seek to provide youth with life skills and encouraging relationships so that they can flourish.
Community Engagement
We involve and educate individuals in our community to build lasting mentorship relationships with youth at risk.
Inspiring
Leaders
We believe that an effective program is built on confident and committed leadership.
Quality
Food
We bring people together to share a homemade meal and support one another.
The Mackie’s Place Story
In 2014, Bobbi-Rhea Mackie and Favian Kleine sat together, dreaming of ways to support at-risk youth in their city. Inspired by their desire to see all youth feel valued and encouraged, and drawing from their experiences working in social services and the city’s school district, the two began drafting a vision for a youth hub. Their shared passion grew into an idea: a space where people from diverse communities could walk together, grow, and be transformed. Inspired by her own experience with fostering their son, Sylvia Shury quickly joined the vision, rallying her community to get involved in providing financial and volunteer support to bring Mackie’s Place to life.
On January 19, 2017, Mackie’s Place opened its doors for the first time. With a team of volunteers and enough food to serve 75 young people, Mackie’s Place saw one youth visit the hub that day. That youth has since grown into a young man who remains closely connected with members of the Mackie’s Place team.
While the number of youth Mackie’s Place serves has grown exponentially since that day, the heart and vision of the organization has remained the same — providing young people with barrier-free access to nutritious food, opportunities to learn life and job skills, and a healthy, supportive community.
“There is something fundamental about sharing a meal. It’s more than food. It’s people coming together in the most basic human experience, to share a space where divisions can drop away, and the light of our common humanity can shine through.”
Bruce Reith, DIRECTOR OF Hope Mission
WE’RE THE SUM OF AMAZING PARTS
Directors
Tresha Iype
Executive Director
Favian Kleine
Co-Founder & Director of Care
Sylvia Shury
Co-Founder & director of philanthropy
Staff
Amanda Budd
head Baker
Amy Brandscombe
baker
Chris Boyko
youth worker
Emma Bleasdale
culinary operations manager
Gabriella Shury
Project Manager
Gemma Stobbe
Operations Manager
Jenessa Canlas
youth worker
Lavinia Wong
Youth Worker
Marco Canlas
Youth Worker
Meranda Verhnjak
cook
Michelle Jager
Donor Relations & Finance Administrator
Nyasha Chikwanda
youth worker
Prince Moore
primary worker
Raisa Monteiro Wilson
program manager
Sophonie Priebe
program facilitator
Tsion Mulatu
youth worker
Board of Directors
Donald Konrad
retired, Chartered Professional Accountant
Favian Kleine
Co-Founder & Director of Care, Mackie’s Place
Kimberly Franklin – Board Chair
Former Dean of Education, Trinity Western University (Retired)
Linda Peters – Board Secretary
Retired, Long-Time Volunteer at Mackie’s Place
Peter Schouten
Director, AGI Investments
Robin Johnson Yee
Former Director of Real Estate Marketing, Century Group (Retired)
And so many volunteers that we couldn’t do without!
WE TEACH Real-world
jOB SKILLS
