Vivian truly has a heart for the most vulnerable. As a shelter worker, Vivian works directly with those experiencing homelessness every day, offering clean clothes, a meal, or a listening ear to anyone that walks through The Mustard Seed’s doors.

Basic needs like clothes, underwear, hygiene items and food may seem small, but to someone that just walked off the streets into The Mustard Seed, they mean everything.

“A lot of people don’t have access to showers, a lot of them wear the same pair of pants, even the same underwear for months,” says Vivian.

One day, a guest walked into the Community Impact Centre (CIC), alone, limping, and covered in dirt. He signed in and immediately went to sit alone on the floor. Vivian walked over to check on him and see how he was doing. The guest began crying and yelling at Vivian, voicing his anger about his day. She saw that he wasn’t mad at her, so she listened to his frustrations and then offered him some food and clean clothes. Once he changed and washed his face, the guest was like a new person. He sat calmly with Vivian and ate, thanking her for her help.

“He was saying that he feels like no one cares for him and that nobody really sees him,” says Vivian. “He was injured and had no bandages and had no clean clothes. I wanted to show him that I was there to help, that this was a safe place.”

Every day, Vivian sees situations like this – a small action being the difference in someone’s day. Your donations make it possible for front line staff, like Vivian, to keep supporting guests as soon as they walk through our doors.