Belkin Communities of Hope

An Interview with Toto Toto works with Youth Unlimited, a non-profit helping teenagers grow into confident, capable leaders. Through service projects and volunteer placements, she opens doors for youth to step out of their comfort zones and connect with a broader, more diverse world. She admits it’s not always easy finding the right placements can be tough, and sometimes students come in with a sense of entitlement. But the wins make it worth it. Like the time Chef Masa told her that her students were “some of the best volunteers I’ve ever had.” Or when she watches a once-shy teen speak boldly with strangers after just a few weeks. What keeps her going? “My Christian faith teaches me to be compassionate,” she says. “And being a mother helps me understand each student a little better.” Toto isn’t just helping young people volunteer she’s shaping future leaders, one experience at a time. Interviewed on: June 24, 2025 Written by: Joshua Asumadu

The journey of hope sometimes begins with a simple step – or in this case, with wheels. The Salvation Army BC Division is honoured to announce a transformative partnership with the Wheels of Faith Foundation, which has generously donated 390 roller duffel bags to support our community members in transition. For the full story: https://salvationarmy.ca/britishcolumbia/2025/07/22/rolling-forward-with-hope/

Stories of Hope: Tanya’s Story – “I feel confident again, I feel calm again, I feel like anything that comes my way, I will be okay.” TANYA “I have identified as an alcoholic for 20 years or so and my recovery has had its ups and downs along the way. After a successful period of 5.5 years sober, I started a business, and then Covid came into existence. I relapsed on and off for 2 years and then decided that treatment was the only option. Today I am 2+ years sober, and my world is bright again.” “When I came to Belkin House, for the first 6 months or so, I didn’t do much. I was just trying to heal.” Tanya enrolled into the Personal Development Plan (PDP) Program at Belkin House in early 2023. Tanya spent the first few months focusing on her sobriety and healing journey by attending the PDP Living Skills classes. “I think it’s important for people to take the time to heal, especially if you’re coming from a recovery treatment center. You need to be kind to yourself.” “I went to see my parents, who I haven’t seen for a while. I’m very open with them about everything and they always support me so I’m very lucky to have a whole family that does all that. When I came back that day, up in the elevator [at Belkin House], there was a notice for Employ to Empower. So, it was a workshop they were doing and it was just a few days after that I went to see what that was all about.” “I’ve been making soaps as a hobby for quite some time. I did do a little bit of selling in 2018 and then I had to move, so for about 3 years – almost 4 – I didn’t do any of it. When I came here, when I went through the course, which was filled with wonderful information, from picking out a name to branding to marketing to everything- doing budgets – it brought me back into the thought of [running a business]. “Lara and Alberto were my instructors. I did an in-person class [the Employ to Empower Business Skills Training Program] – I encourage anyone to do the in-person class. There were maybe 8 of us, nice and small. Both Lara and Alberto were great. It did make you think and challenge you a bit.” The Employ to Empower Business Skills Training Program is a 10-week program designed to provide people who are faced with barriers, such as low-income, addictions, and health issues, the resources and tools to explore entrepreneurship. LARA “We have different topics each week and each week builds on the previous one. What are your business values? What is your vision? Our goal is to provide self-employment resources, information, and tools for participants to help them figure out their business vision. In the program we talk about mission statements, ideal audience, branding, marketing, finances, and at the end, each participant will create a business summary, and a basic business plan. Everyone will do a presentation about their business vision and we bring in external panelists who have entrepreneurial experience or who have specific business knowledge.” “I remember Tanya,” Lara, the Employ to Empower Business Skills Training Lead reflects. “She’s so gifted at making soaps and coming up with creative designs. It really is about creating more structure and thinking about the business side of things. That’s where the structure of the Business Skills Training comes in…thinking about the whole process. We hope to provide more structure and clarity for participants to think about how they run their business and want to offer their products or services.” “She [Tanya] went through the whole 10 weeks. I remember practicing with her [for the presentation] and when the article came out with Small Business BC, it’s really awesome to see she started this. She showed up to classes, she put in the work, she created this for herself.” TANYA “Making soap is therapy for me,” Tanya says. “It’s so much fun.” Tanya was commissioned for a soap order while staying at Belkin House. “There’s a lot of stuff I need to put in the room to do that [make soaps]. It all happened here [Belkin House]. “I had to make 50 or 70 soaps for Christmas, and it’s been crazy since then.” Tanya has been invited to present numerous soap-making workshops. She would prepare soaps, clean and prep the kits and work on her presentations. Reflecting on her time at Belkin House, Tanya has found comfort in the fact that her journey is always a work in progress. “The major goal I’m working on is permanent housing. [Also to] keep going to counselling, keep working on myself– in fact I know that will never end– it’s a constant and that’s ok. I’m a curious person, I like to learn, that will keep going.” Date of Interview with Tanya: May 8, 2024 Instagram: @_belkincommunitiesofhope for more Stories of Hope.