When Ashley moved to Kitchener in 2017, a few friends told her about the Ray of Hope Community Centre. She came as a guest, hoping for a place that felt safe and familiar. What she found was community.
“I liked it right away,” she says. “People were nice. I could hang out with my friends. I felt like I belonged.”
Ashley’s parents had always encouraged her to stay involved in the community, to stay busy, and to keep out of trouble. That advice stayed with her. In 2019, Ashley made a choice that changed her direction. She joined our Work it Forward Program, where Community Centre guests can sign up to volunteer. Her first role was on a Wednesday night meal team. It was a small beginning, but it gave her structure and purpose.
“I like helping,” she says. “I like getting to know people and making friends. It feels good to do something that matters.”
Two years ago, she approached Zack, our Kitchen Coordinator, with a question that shaped her new routine. “Do you need extra help in the kitchen? I want to be busy. I want to do something good.” Zack welcomed her in, and she started with two shifts a week. Before long, she was doing much more.
Today, Ashley volunteers in the kitchen at the Ray of Hope Community Centre, Monday through Friday. She has just completed an incredible 1151 volunteer hours since 2019. She chops vegetables. She serves meals. She cleans dishes. She checks in on people. And she brings a steady warmth and friendly greeting to every guest, staff member, and volunteer she meets.
“I like being needed,” she says. “I like knowing people count on me.”
Ashley is now dreaming about working in a restaurant kitchen one day. She is beginning to connect with our Employment Services program, which supports people who face barriers to finding and keeping work.
“I am proud of how far I have come,” she says. “I want to keep going.”
Ashley’s story reminds us that when people find belonging, steady encouragement, and a place to grow, hope can take root and lives can change.