Reflections on the Year – A Message from CEO, Tim Veresh
Greetings!
As the holiday season approaches, I find myself reflecting on the year we’re about to leave behind.
What stands out most are the simple acts of kindness, courage, and compassion I see every day at PLEA. Together, they reveal the hope, resilience, and trust that define our work and remind us why it matters.
This year, ten memories stand out to me. Each tells its own story, but together they highlight the common threads of connection, care, and the difference we make when we show up for each other.
1. 40 Years of Lifechanging Mentorship through KidStart
This year, we celebrated KidStart’s 40th anniversary! For four decades, caring volunteers have mentored children and youth, offering not just time but guidance, encouragement, and a chance to succeed. Research shows the lifelong impact of mentorship – from academic success to stronger communities. To every mentor, coordinator, supporter, and donor: thank you for 40 years of lives changed and relationships built.
2. 30 Years Keeping Kids Safe from Sexual Exploitation
This March marked 30 years of our commitment to protecting young people from sexual exploitation. From grassroots beginnings to one of BC’s most respected prevention programs, our Children of the Street program has delivered thousands of workshops, advocated for legislative change, and offered vital resources. My gratitude goes to founder Diane Sowden, facilitators past and present, and all partners and supporters who have built awareness, safety, and hope across our communities.
3. PLEA Staff Long Service Awards
This year, we celebrate the dedication of our longest-serving colleagues, including one team member reaching 35 years and four others marking 30 years. While these milestones are remarkable, they sit within the broader commitment shown by all PLEA staff. Every person, whether they’ve been with us for one year or several decades, plays a part in our strength as an organization and in the impact we make every day. Our staff’s dedication strengthens our culture, our impact, and our reputation as an employer of choice and I’m grateful to each and every one!
4. Legacy Funds: Funding Our Future
We continued to make the necessary investments to the Children of the Street & KidStart Legacy Funds this year, and we remain on target to achieve our goal. The dividends from these Legacy Funds will one day provide a financial safety net for our these important prevention programs, which rely on grants and donations to operate.
5. Understanding the Impact of Our Work
We’re now in the second year of our impact-measurement project, and the progress we’ve made has been both meaningful and energizing. We’ve completed eight literature reviews to help ensure our practices align with the best available evidence, developed nine theories of change that clearly articulate how change happens and what success looks like in each of our program areas, and identified eight core domains that guide how we understand impact across our programs. They are:
- safety and stability
- health and well-being
- relationships and connections
- engagement and participation
- skills, independence, and growth
- hope, purpose, and future orientation
- program completion and positive transitions
- equity, inclusion, and cultural safety
Our next step is to define how we measure impact across these domains – selecting the right tools, refining our methods of data collection, and ensuring that evidence drives every decision. By focusing on outcomes rather than outputs, we are embedding a culture of learning, accountability, and continuous improvement into the fabric of PLEA. This approach doesn’t just strengthen our programs; it transforms lives. The true measure of success lies in the confidence our participants build, the personal goals they achieve, and the skills they carry forward into brighter futures. That is, and always will be, the heart of everything we do.
6. Commitment In Action: Staff Committees
In October, I attended a networking and appreciation event for the PLEA staff who generously contribute their time and expertise to our internal committees. The work they do on these committees goes well beyond their regular roles; they help shape agency policy, develop programming priorities, activities and approaches, and strengthen health and safety. Their collaboration strengthens all of us and the communities we serve.
7. Supported Housing for Youth
This year, we created a two year pilot project to provide safe, affordable housing for an 18 year old former participant. By creatively using a PLEA owned home in Maple Ridge through an independent living agreement, this new mom now has a home she can afford alongside wraparound support from our team.
I’m very excited about this pilot, as it is the first time we’ve independently supported someone who is aging out of care. It will hopefully provide a replicable framework for us to provide similar support to young adults in the future.
8. Pride in the Park 2025
In June, PLEA hosted our most successful Pride in the Park yet, with record attendance, vibrant drag performances, and opportunities to connect through art in a safe, supportive space.
Pride is more than a celebration; it’s a commitment to inclusion, dignity, and belonging. Together, we helped affirm that everyone deserves to live authentically and to be valued for who they are.
9. Reconciliation: Deepening Our Commitment
Reconciliation is not a destination but an ongoing journey. With more than one third of those we serve identifying as Indigenous, we remain committed to listening, learning, and acting.
This year, 55 staff and 12 caregivers took part in guided visits to St. Mary’s former residential school site, where tours provided powerful opportunities to reflect on history and deepen understanding. In addition, our annual National Day for Truth & Reconciliation event fostered new dialogue with institutions connected to the residential school system — both courageous steps toward accountability, healing, and lasting change. I am deeply proud of our staff for leading this important work.
10. The Big Picture
My final top 10 memory of 2025 has to be the extraordinary reach and impact of PLEA:
We had the privilege of supporting almost 50,000 people this year.
Behind that staggering number are distinct lives shaped by their own challenges and strengths. They are people who found safety in our homes, guidance through counseling, hope in justice programs, strength in addiction treatment, and encouragement through mentoring. Behind every single person lives a story of resilience, growth, and transformation that we are privileged to support in the work that we do at PLEA. Together, these stories form a powerful testament to what we can achieve when compassion meets commitment.
And none of this would be possible without the people who stand behind PLEA. To our staff, volunteers, donors, grantors, partners, and community supporters – thank you. Your dedication, compassion, and collaboration are the foundation of every success we celebrate.
As we close the year, may this season bring warmth, joy, and renewal, and may the year ahead be filled with hope, shared success, and the continued strength of community.
