Karin recalls how she first came to know about Aunt Leah’s. Karin and her family regularly attended one of the Community Meals where Aunt Leah’s offered pre-employment training in restaurant service skills to youth at risk. As a board member, Karin found herself caught up in the passion of the other board members as they worked together on vital issues within the organization.

Jim and Anne McCullum have been involved with Aunt Leah’s almost since our founding in 1988. They have been monthly donors since 2001. Anne finds this a very useful way to donate, “because once you get things organized the right way, it just happens and it seems to me you can give more money at the end of the year than if you were sitting down to write a cheque just one time.”

David McCullum first heard about Aunt Leah’s through his children, and today his company, Digitally Hip, is a corporate donor to the organization. Digitally Hip provides technology support services to Aunt Leah’s, Aunt Leah’s pays for these services, and then Digitally Hip gives Aunt Leah’s a donation for the equivalent amount.

Lois Walker is a long-time supporter of Aunt Leah’s Independent Lifeskills Society. Aunt Leah’s Society values that support very much, and wanted to ask Lois the reasons that she has continued to donate to Aunt Leah’s so consistently over the years. “I’ve been watching Aunt Leah’s for a long time,” she says. “I have always appreciated the creativity, the spirit that says we can find our way through difficult things.”

“The people at Aunt Leah’s are so wonderful,” says Jocelyn. “Everybody, starting right with Gale and her family, are such genuine, caring people.” Jocelyn was an active volunteer at the Aunt Leah’s Gallery on Marine Drive when it was in operation. She enjoyed the contact with the young people as well as seeing the local creations. She also worked with training young people in the coffee cart and helped to look after the garden at the Gallery.