Humans Of Support

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Humans Of Support

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Humans Of Support, #607-55 east Cordova Street, Vancouver, BC.

Humans Of Support is a global initiative where creatives come together to photograph and celebrate the front-line workers that are the real heroes of the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020.

12/14/2021

Meet Mandy Karpoff, today's Human of Support. Mandy is a florist, artist and the owner of Plush Floral Studio in North Burnaby, BC.

1) What do you do, and how long have you done this?

I maintain quarterly community outreach projects and have been doing this for approximately eight years. This one is the Christmas Stockings project. I distribute empty holiday stockings from my flower shop and ask people to return them before Christmas filled with ponchos, gloves, hats, undershirts and clothing, basic toiletries, no-prep snacks, oral and personal hygiene items, feminine hygiene products and a personal note or any personal touch. Filled stockings are hand delivered by myself and anyone who wants to volunteer directly to residents of the streets and drop-in centres in the downtown east side.

2) What impact has Covid-19 had on you and your efforts during the pandemic?

I am grateful to say that people have continued to enthusiastically participate in the projects! Social distancing, and basic fear, have made some of the behind-the-scenes parts a little trickier and fewer people have been able to help, but overall, it has continued to be a heart-moving success in my books.

3) Is there anything you'd like to share or wish people were aware of right now?

I think the little things matter more than we maybe speak to or give attention to.

In the past classrooms and daycares have gotten involved, having the children write cards and fill stockings etc. Also, many families have made this an annual tradition. Some companies and Friend Groups have decided to shift away from white elephant-type ideas to filling stockings instead. These acts of service, gestures of kindness, acknowledgement of the struggles and reality of how difficult this world can be and continues to be on people and putting our own feelings of gratitude into motion by giving back - we are rippling love into the world! Even if we don't immediately see the impact, I believe it is there, and I believe it is important.

4) How can others help you in your efforts to support your community/this cause?

We have less than three weeks to go to fill stockings and I am super grateful to anyone who wants to get involved in any of the following ways:

Share the posts and spread the word! People can come in, grab a stocking and fill it up!

If you don't live in Vancouver or are running low on time, monetary donations are greatly appreciated. I will fill a stocking for you! You can also do this in your own community and gift a stocking to someone who is out on the streets this Christmas near your own home. Many of my family members have been doing this in other cities.

If you do live here and prefer to donate your time, volunteers are needed to shop with donation money, sort stockings, and of course, distribute them!

I can be reached at plushfloralstudio@gmail.com Plush Floral Studio

Photography: Erich Saide Erich Saide Photography

Do you know someone who is making a difference in your community? Nominate them by sending an email to submissions@humansofsupport.org. Please include their name, contact information and a brief description of what they do!

08/31/2021

Meet Susan Kotyk, today's Human Of Support!

What do you do and how long have you done this?

My name is Susan Kotyk. I’ve been an Emergency Department trauma nurse at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Health Sciences Centre for 21 years.

What impact has Covid-19 had on you and your efforts this past year?

In the beginning, Covid-19 caused quite a bit of anxiety for me in my work and personal life. I worried constantly about my father Willard who is a physically fit, and independent 87 year old. My biggest concern was getting infected with Covid-19 and spreading it to him. I didn’t want to stop seeing my father as he is one of the most important people in my life. Every moment with him is precious. During the first phase I would go and visit him with an N95 mask on and wouldn't touch him or anything in his house. He would ask for his "Bluebird" - our affectionate kiss goodbye - when I was leaving, I would only kiss him through my N95 mask on the top of his head. In my work life there was increased anxiety as well, constantly hoping and praying every day that myself or any of my colleagues would not become infected. There was also quite a lot of anxiety when donning and doffing our PPE, hyper-focusing on not contaminating yourself and thus others. This made the stress level quite high. Working with an intense amount of anxiety increases your level of exhaustion 100%!

How have you been finding joy these days?

I always try to find joy in every day. Being a Trauma Nurse, you see how things can change in the blink of an eye. The things I like to do are spend time with my dad and my loved ones. I enjoy going to the cottage and being outdoors. Shopping! We can't forget shopping! When things were locked down, I became a pro at online shopping!

What positive things have you seen or experienced during this time?

That’s easy! Front-of-the-line privileges to get into stores as a frontline worker, especially the LCBO! It’s an incidental thing but is certainly appreciated by all of us! On a more serious note, I have to say that Covid-19 brought a different dynamic to my workplace. We were all living in fear, and we all needed to depend on one another for each other’s safety. My colleagues and I became much closer and had to work together to get through this. We’ve had many conversations, leaning on each other to unload the stress and anxiety. I’ve also noticed in my own personal life a lot of people coming closer together that had grown apart. Some were reaching out to people who had experienced losses, and some were coming to me with questions as a nurse. I found there was a lot of rebuilding and renewal of friendships.

Describe a moment that has truly affected you.

What has affected me the most during the pandemic are the people. It broke my heart not being able to let family or visitors in to see their loved ones. I just can’t imagine how painful that is on both sides. I honestly found this all-consuming mentally.

One story that stands out is that of an elderly woman from a nursing home who arrived with shortness of breath. She kept asking to see her family and didn't understand why she was at the hospital. She did not understand what Covid-19 was, she did not know that her facility had an outbreak. I recall explaining to her, this beautiful soul, a bright-blue eyed 90 something year old woman about the pandemic and the changes to her healthcare. I told her with tears in my eyes why her family could not come in. All I could think was, this should not be, I did not sign up for this! This was traumatic for me. She was in shock about the pandemic. I am sure someone had told her about it before, but when you're 90 years plus and you suffer from dementia the short-term memory is gone so you just keep reliving the nightmare as if on replay. There she sat Covid positive alone in an empty room… I started to bag my cell phone after this in order to share it safely. I'd call my patients families from inside the room so they could talk to or at least hear one another. Families need to feel they are involved, and the patients need to feel their presence. Although I was doing this for them, it was also for me in some strange way.

Is there anything you’d like to share or wish people were aware of?

I would like people to be aware that the emergency room nurses are doing their best with the resources that they have. We do not make people wait for fun. We care and we want everyone to be attended to. Most of us are in the field because we are compassionate people, so please be kind to us. This is also a place of business, don't barge in and don't utter threats. There is a system in place, and we are professionals here to help you. We are doing the best that we can, we are giving "our all" every time we step into the hospital. Most importantly, be kind to one another because you don't know what each other are going through. We will come out of this pandemic united and stronger!

Bonus Question: Tell us something funny, lighthearted or quirky that’s made you smile during this trying time.

Out in the community you see some crazy things! The funny get-ups that people make to protect themselves, like bottles on their heads! At work what always makes me laugh is when my patient care manager would come into our lounge with her arms spread wide yelling, "personal spaces everyone, personal spaces!" It may not sound funny here, but if you could see her all righteously dramatic and all of us like deer in the headlights, it's quite comical! This is always in our best interest of course. I'm a light-hearted soul, I like to make my colleagues day brighter by sharing jokes and bringing out their smiles.

Photography by John Weight Photography

Do you know someone who is making a difference in your community? Nominate them by sending an email to submissions@humansofsupport.org Please include their name, contact information and a brief description of what they do! ❤️

08/23/2021

Meet Dan Gibson, today’s

Q: What do you do? How long have you done this?

A: I’m the Director of Community Engagement Regeneration Outreach Community in Brampton, Ontario. I have worked at Regen since 2018.

Q: How has Covid-19 changed your job?

A: Covid-19 has had a huge impact on how we provide services and support to our amazing guests. We strive to be a community - a family even - to our guests who are often struggling with social isolation, mental illness and addiction. During this time the way we support them has had to change for everyone’s safety. However, we have managed to find ways to provide care, love and dignity for them despite the challenges caused by the pandemic.

Q: How are you finding joy right now?

I find joy in seeing people accomplish their goals, even when they are faced with unspeakable challenges and traumatic experiences. I find joy in seeing the community come together to support those who are struggling and to see our team at Regen; our staff, our guests and our amazing volunteers lean on each other - more figuratively right now as we maintain safety protocols – doing this great work.

Q: What positive things are you seeing right now?

A: I am seeing many people find creative ways to solve problems. I am seeing people working together for the greater good. I am seeing glimpses of hope for people, even during a time that has been such a challenge. Hope goes a long way!

Q: Describe a moment that has truly affected you?

A: We received a call from a woman who was caring for her two young grandchildren. She had some serious health concerns and was housebound due to the risks associated with Covid-19. She had very little money left over and was fearful from a personal health perspective to go to a food bank. The Regen team of volunteers quickly put together a package of groceries, ensuring that this family received cereal, milk and a variety of meats and vegetables to help them get through a tough time. When I delivered the package of groceries, I was met by tears of joy and gratitude. I could not believe how impactful this simple act of kindness was for this small family.

Photography:

Do you know someone who is making a difference in your community? Nominate them by sending an email to submissions@humansofsupport.org. Please include their name, contact information and a brief description of what they do! ❤️

07/13/2021

Meet TJ Conwi today’s Human of Support

Q: What do you do, how long have you done this?

A: I’ve been a chef in Vancouver for 23+ years and climbed up the culinary ladder all the way to being Executive Chef at Delta Vancouver Suites by Marriott. I now have a Kitchen Consulting company. onovancouver.com . I focus on helping small business including non-profits improve their kitchen systems. Just before Covid, I helped set up the kitchen and learning systems for an initiative to help bring healthy food and teach students within the VSB called https://lunchlab.ca . When Covid started I started thinking about those same students and their families and their access to good food specially the ones that rely on the school meal program for their one proper meal of the day at school. So me and a group of chefs stared cooking surplus food from suppliers and restaurants looking to have an outlet for their expiring food. We kept cooking since then and have been able to help over 10 charities in Downtown Vancouver cooking good nutritious Chef-made meals including delivering to vulnerable kids and their family set up through VSB for 4 month during the height of Covid. To date with the help of my dedicated team an a network of charities fighting food insecurity in Vancouver, we’ve been able to cook 200,000+ meals and diverted over 6 tons of surplus food and feed those that need it the most.

Q: What impact has Covid 19 had on you and your efforts this past year?

A: I found out through all of this experience that there is a need for Chefs like us to be involved in helping curve food insecurity in Vancouver. We can divert food surplus and make the most impact with it because of our skills and turn it into nutritious meals for the most vulnerable people in Vancouver specially with the added financial hardship brought by Covid-19
I am now concentrating on the longevity of what we’re doing and turn this into a social enterprise that will keep employing and hire laid-off Chefs continue to contribute with their skills through a social enterprise business. Stay tuned and follow me on instagram for more info.

Q: How have you been finding joy these days?

A: That there are people out there whether in the streets, low income housing or shelters receiving our Chef made meals feeling the love from having a nice nutritious restaurant quality food that we make... even just for that moment when they receive our meals.

Q: What positive things have you seen or experienced during this time?
A: The power of community, growing up in Manila, we never had much but we can always count on the community for help. I didn’t get a sense of this until I started working with all of the charities we work with that has been doing this in the community for so long. Shoutout to Coho Commissary, A Loving Spoonful, Vancouver Food Runners, Freshroots, Growing Chefs, YWCA, Yen Bros. Foodservice, UBC Farms and the other 7 charities that distribute our meals weekly.

Q: Describe a moment that has truly affected you.

A: Hearing feedback from the people we serve is always very heartwarming… One young 12 year old from our LunchLAB chefs for families program said… “I have never been in a restaurant before but this is what I would imagine restaurant food would taste”… One lady from the shelter we send food to said “this is delicious, I have not held a chicken drumstick in 10 years”

Q: Is there anything you’d like to share or wish people were aware of?

A: That YOU have something to give within your skillset. Find out how you can contribute and you’ll feel all the feels. Reach out to me and I can connect you to one of the charities we work with, they always need volunteers.

Q: Bonus Question: Tell us something funny, lighthearted or quirky that’s made you smile during this trying time.
A: In the kitchen everyday is almost like a black box cooking competition. We don’t really know what we’re cooking until we receive the surplus food from Yen Bros. Foodservice and other sources. One time we were making an egg drop soup that turned into a hot and sour soup after all 4 chefs added their own touch and ingredients to it. After we served it someone asked for a recipe, We all just started laughing knowing what an organized messed it was to create it and there was no way we can write a recipe

!

Photography by:

Do you know someone who is making a difference in your community? Nominate them by sending an email to submissions@humansofsupport.org. Please include their name, contact information and a brief description of what they do ❤️

06/06/2021

Meet Jeanette Dobmeier today’s Human of Support. Jeanette is an RMT in Vancouver.

Q)What do you do? How long have you done this?

A)I am a Registered Massage Therapist. I have been an RMT for 20 years and a certified sport massage therapist or CSMTA Sport Fellow for 10 years. I work with a wide range of clients, from infants and kids, from novice to professional athletes and from seniors to your average person. I am also on the National Board of Directors for the Canadian Sport Massage Therapists Association. I have also been involved in the education of the next generation of massage therapists. The variety of my work is what I find interesting.

Q)How has COVID-19 changed your job?

A)Once we were able to reopen after the initial lockdown, COVID-19 introduced more procedures to my daily routine. I am cleaning more surfaces more frequently and both my patients and myself are wearing masks and other PPE. I am also not working sporting events like I normally do throughout the year, as COVID-19 has suspended most sporting events.
The PPE has made it challenging to connect with new patients when many of the non-verbal cues are masked. But we all seem to be adjusting as best we can to it.
Q)How are you finding joy right now?
A)I think like many, I am finding out what is truly important. One thing that I have been meaning to start doing again is running. Thus, I have started running consistently again. Although I am not sure joy is the right word for my agony at restarting this activity.

Q)What positive things are you seeing right now?

A)Not all things about this pandemic have been negative. As much as being off work and not knowing when we would go back to work has been stressful, I have noticed that many have found ways to contribute to their family, neighbours or community. The saying that ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ has never been more true.

Q)Describe a moment that has truly affected you?

A)I get great joy in my profession on a day-to-day basis when something works. I often get asked what is your favourite body part or type of client to work on. I know many of my clients expect me to say the high level and professional athlete. But for me it is not about the professional athlete or the weekend warrior. For me it is about the success I am able to achieve with treatment. When the client on my table is able to finally tie their shoes for the first time in 2 weeks, when the athlete can finish the marathon without foot pain for the first time in a long time, when my client can finally see straight as the headache they had is gone or when we find the source of the pain that they have been searching for the past 3 years.
When we were in lockdown, I would get emails from clients checking in with me to see how I was doing. That is normally my job, checking in with clients and helping them navigate their pain. It was very unexpected to have these roles reversed.
When we were able to start back after the lockdown, the delight and thankfulness my patients expressed to me about how I contributed to their well-being was overwhelming. And how they missed not only their treatments but seeing me on a regular basis. To know that I make that much of a difference in their lives has been very humbling.

Q)Do you have something you’d like to share?

A)I have been honoured to be chosen for this project. The word “support” is not one I would have applied to myself and what I do. Although, as I write this it seems an obvious word choice. My selection for this project has made me see myself in a different light. We can all learn something, even at the worst of times.

Photography by Josh Neufeld

03/17/2021

Meet Alex Hill today’s Human of Support. Alexandra is a barber in Vancouver volunteering with the charity Working Gear which helps people searching for a job look and feel their best.

Q: What do you do? How long have you done this?
A: I bartend/serve for half of the week and I barber the other half, partly for Working Gear and also for The Attic Hair Studio. I have been bartending/serving for several years. I recently finished school for barbering just last year. I attended The London School of Hair in Vancouver from January 2020 to October 2020. I started volunteering for Working Gear not long after my course completion.

Q: How has COVID-19 changed what you do?
A: When I started school in January 2020 I had no idea what I was in for. When I decided to take the program the industry was looking great and I was expecting to be entering a busy industry with many opportunities. It was within my first few months of school that COVID-19 shut down my school, my work, and everything else in between. I didn’t know what this meant for me coming out on the other side of graduation. Fast forward seven months later I completed my program and found myself with an education and a will to continue learning and honing my skills, but nowhere that was prepared to take a freshly graduated student on. That’s when my friend Sean, who previously volunteered his barbering services to Working Gear, referred me.

Q: How are you finding joy right now?
A: Right now I am finding joy by seeing the reactions of the people that sit in my chair at Working Gear. When they see their final look there is a change in the way they see themselves, a smile forms across their face and you can see the change in confidence within themselves. It brings me happiness knowing that I can help build someone’s confidence and make them feel more comfortable in their own skin.

Q: What positive things are you seeing now?
A: With COVID-19 situation slowly improving, more jobs are becoming available. I think this period in our lives has also given many people time to reflect as well. People spending more time with their families and doing random acts of kindness. Communities are coming together to support the people within them. Not taking “normal things” for granted and being more appreciative for the things we do have in life.

Q: Describe a moment that has truly affected you?
A: I lost my grandfather in December of 2020. My family is from Edmonton, AB and due to COVID-19, I was not able to fly home to say goodbye and mourn with my family. I held him very close to my heart. He was so giving, he was the type of person that would welcome you into his home with open arms no matter who you were or what you looked like. He always had only good intentions and wanted to put a smile on people’s faces. He would help in any way that he could, provide support, he joked around and loved to make people laugh. I think my desire to help people stems from him. He treated everyone with kindness. I’ll never forget who he was, how he was to others, and what he meant to me.

Q: Do you have something you’d like to share or wish people knew right now?
A: My grandfather would use the word “copacetic” all of the time. No matter the situation around us I would ask him “How are you, Grandpa?” and he would always respond with “I’m Copacetic!”
This word means “everything is in excellent order” I got this word tattooed on me years ago and whenever I am struggling I think about this. It’s not to say that everything is good all the time, but makes me believe that everything that is, is for a reason and in the end it will all work out. To keep your head up because nothing lasts forever, and things will always turn out as they should.

Laugh more, worry less. Do more of what makes you happy and remember it's always better to try and fail than to have never tried!

Photography: Erich Saide ERICH SAIDE Photography

03/12/2021

Meet Mary Hawk, today's

1) What do you do? How long have you done this?

My name is Mary Hawk; I am the CEO and Founder of the Sheen for She Foundation. I am also a full-time software engineering student at Arizona State University, double major in political science and psychology major at Glendon College, and working towards my private investigator and real estate licenses. I started the Sheen for She Foundation with my partner in 2018, from a need to introduce self-care into the fight for a better future for females. We offer medical esthetics, self-defense training, self-care training and healing circles, to women who are at-risk due to s*x trafficking, domestic violence, drug addictions, homelessness, and more, we call these women Queens. As the only women’s organization of its kind in Canada, Sheen for She responds to the unique health needs of women and expands female horizons.

2) How has COVID-19 changed your job?

First and foremost, we lost our space due to COVID-19 and it also indefinitely paused all of our in-person programming and left us searching for innovative ways to reach out to the women we serve. It was also the reason for the creation of the Perseverance Aid Kits (formerly known as The Love Box Project). We organized two successful phases of this project, starting in May 2019, and distributed over 3000 self-care packages to at risk women across the GTA, while simultaneously working with 50 women’s organizations. Our customized self-care packages addressed every aspect of women’s health care ranging from, but not limited to, hygiene, body care, hair care, nail care, skin care, physical health care and more. We delivered an ample supply to cover women for approximately three months. We also hosted the Love Bags Project, in which we designed mental health and hygiene kits for at risk children and distributed over 500 of them. Our services took a turn for the best, and while we were working outdoors from a storage unit during the cold winter months with a small team due to COVID-19 restrictions, our output and energy were exceptional and vastly impactful.

3) How are you finding joy right now?

My family gives me the most joy, hope, and peace right now. We love spending time together and use it to re-energize ourselves for the upcoming days.

4) What positive things are you seeing right now?

As an organization we are constantly advocating to introduce self-care as a public health matter that has a profound impact on all women’s issues. When I see people join our mission and speak out with us, it shows that times are changing for the better and our movement is getting stronger. We saw this during the first two phases of the Perseverance Aid Kits, and we are relying on our support to grow as we prepare for the third and largest phase of our project.

5) Describe a moment that has truly affected you?

We deliver self-care packages in a variety of ways, and one of those ways includes driving around the streets of Toronto, especially in the tent encampment areas. Firsthand, I have witnessed the pure gratitude and surprise on the faces of women who feel ignored or threatened on the streets. One moment that I distinctly remember is when a woman was in tears after receiving her package and she said we gave her the hope to start fighting for herself again.

6) Do you have something you’d like to share?

This year, we are preparing for the third phase of the Perseverance Aid Kits with a goal of distributing 5000 of them. We are aiming to go mobile and reach rural areas as well. We are making a community appeal for support by urging everyone to sponsor one kit for $60 or donate what they can to our GoFundMe campaign (gf.me/u/yx5gbw). If you can donate time, please consider joining one of our open remote volunteer positions. Further, if you know women who could benefit from any of our services, please encourage them to reach out to us.

7) Bonus Question: Please tell us something “Funny/lighthearted/quirky”

It was cold and windy at our storage unit, so we raced each other in the open to warm up our bodies.

Do you know someone who is making a difference in your community? Nominate them by sending an email to submissions@humansofsupport.org. Please include their name, contact information and a brief description of what they do! ❤️

Photography:

Address

#607-55 East Cordova Street
Vancouver, BC
V6A0A5

Telephone

+16048022508

Website

http://www.humansofsupport.org/

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Humans of Support - The Story

The vision is To Raise Awareness and Unite the Creative Community Globally to Support Essential Workers on Our Front Lines, inspiring others through the work I have started with the passion project ”Humans Of Support”

Like many others the global pandemic had me feeling very uncertain. My scheduled work, along with most other plans, got postponed or canceled leaving me with no clear path. Social media became flooded with fear and negativity as COVID 19 swept around the world.

At the same time I saw another side. I watched communities coming together like never before, groups being formed on social media by heart-centred individuals uniting to help by doing things like picking up and delivering goods to those in quarantine

Inspired to bring more positive content to social media, as I do believe that art can heal and so I use my photography to help others whenever I can. I decided to create storytelling imagery around our frontline workers – healthcare professionals, those providing our essential services, and all other good Samaritans risking infection to take care of us. These are the people I am the proudest to point my lens toward.