Why I came here...

I joined the Samaritan House team last October when I came on board as Business Development Manager for Clean Street Team. In this role, I am responsible for securing contracts for Clean Street Team, a transitional employment and training program for individuals in our employment readiness program. Team members work collecting litter, clearing drains and performing general grounds maintenance services for municipalities, private companies and non-profits.
Before accepting this position, I worked as an account executive in the advertising industry where I earned a high salary and enjoyed a beautiful office space near my home. It was a great job but I couldn’t help but be bothered by the fact that the work I was doing was counterproductive to the change I’d like to see in the world. I am, after all, disheartened by consumerism and hyper-commercialism. With so much strife and suffering in the world, I felt it was my duty, as a citizen of this planet, to expend my time and energy on something more positive; so I was very happy to find this job and join the non-profit sector.


One of the many differences I’ve noticed between working in the business world and the non-profit sector is the attitude of my co-workers. I’m constantly impressed by their compassion and dedication to our mission of helping to transform lives and make the world a better place, rather than being dedicated to the accumulation of personal wealth and material goods. It is refreshing and inspirational to me to work alongside individuals who understand that our prime purpose in life is to help others.


I’m also inspired by our guests. As a Buddhist practitioner, I believe our guests can serve as spiritual teachers. Despite the fact that they are facing great obstacles in life, they are working to get back on their feet and improve themselves. I, on the other hand, have never experienced many of the challenges they might be facing: addiction, broken families, abuse etc. They help me keep my own challenges in perspective and provide me with an opportunity to practice compassion. Only through compassion can true inner peace and happiness be obtained.