Stories

Transforming lives begins with something as simple as a friendly smile and a non-judgmental ear.

That’s why Our Place believes in offering a hand up rather than a hand out. The lives that have been transformed because of the love, support and friendship that radiates within our building is incredible. See a few of our stories below, plus more stories can be found on our Donor Impact and Gratitude pages.

May 5, 2021

Tim’s Story

Story
/
Tim Dafoe never thought he could have a new start, nor if he was even worth it. Between the ages of 10 and 21, Tim spent 9 years…
March 23, 2021

Leslie’s Story

Story
/
From Victoria to Paris and back again, Leslie has lived a whirlwind life that saw her climb the peaks of happiness to the valleys of…
February 16, 2021

Tony’s Story

Story
/
The one word that has followed Tony around for his entire life is ‘Trouble’. He doesn’t know if his birth parents loved him…
October 14, 2020

Forest’s Story

Story
/
Without a lone moment of kindness, Forest may have fallen deeper into the depths of addiction. After moving to Vancouver…
June 15, 2020

Benoit’s Story

Story
/
“It’s a blessing to be able to help the person I used to be.” — Benoit Growing up in Montreal, Benoit had a very typical…
June 15, 2020

CEO Julian Daly Welcome

Story
/
It seems there is no place quite like Our Place, and I feel truly blessed to have the chance to work alongside such dedicated and compassionate…
April 22, 2020

On the Frontlines – Jordan Cooper

Story
/
Ever since he was a teenager, Jordan Cooper has been working on the frontlines of poverty, homelessness, addiction, and the unpredictability…
April 9, 2020

A Changing Landscape

Story
/
A Changing Landscape By Grant McKenzie Our Place is not the same today as it was the day before, and it won’t be the same tomorrow. In…
January 9, 2020

Stingrays Story

Story
/
At 63, Stingray is finally finding a measure of peace in his life. A violent childhood led to a violent adulthood, but he has discovered…
January 2, 2020

Scooter Repair

Story
/
Art is someone who feels deeply for others, and when he heard the stories of people struggling with basic mobility, he knew he needed…
September 16, 2019

Robert’s Story

Story
/
Robert is no stranger to diversity. Life has placed many obstacles in his path, and yet he battles them all with a joke on his lips,…
September 16, 2019

The Diverters

Story
/
In Victoria, the sight of a returnable bottle or a discarded paper cup being placed in the trash can ruin someone’s perfectly nice…