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About Us

Our Staff

Our team is dedicated to helping children and youth who face challenges at home, at school, or in the community.

Jo

Jo is a KidStart Coordinator for the Vancouver area. She has worked in social services her whole career and has worked for PLEA since 2017. She started in Tri-Cities as a youth worker and then moved to Vancouver as an ISSP worker. Jo has been an active MANDT trainer for the agency since 2018, and loves facilitating trainings.  She enjoys supporting children and youth to help them discover their strengths and thrive. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, camping, and attending live music of all kinds.

Khesro

Khesro is the KidStart coordinator for the Tri-Cities area. He started working with PLEA as a youth worker in 2014, and prior to that was a KidStart volunteer for many years. Khesro enjoys spending time with his son, fishing at local lakes and car camping in the summer with his family. Khesro finds the preventative work that is KidStart very rewarding.

Kevin

Kevin is the coordinator for KidStart Fraser and has been with the program for more than 35 years! When not at work, you can find him coaching rugby or spending time with his family.

Lak

Lak has been a coordinator with KidStart in the Vancouver area for more than 10 years. Laughter is important to Lak…”For me, laughter is like a cup of coffee…I need it everyday!”

Erika

Erika is a coordinator with KidStart. She has been at PLEA for over 10 years and is a former KidStart volunteer mentor herself. Outside of work, you can catch her spending time with family, friends, and her two dogs.

Michelle

Michelle is the KidStart coordinator for the Ridge Meadows area. Michelle enjoys spending time with her family, is an animal lover, and has an array of various pets at home.

Julia

Julia is the manager of KidStart for Vancouver Coastal. Born and raised in Vancouver, Julia is a champion for programming that meets children and youth where they are at and is agile and flexible enough to respond quickly to their unique needs and circumstances.

Ethan

Ethan is KidStart’s fundraiser and has been with the program since September of 2019. In his spare time he enjoys drinking coffee around Vancouver and playing board games.

Our Donors

We are extremely thankful to have such incredible supporters who have donated funds to us over the years. Our donors have been vital to our success and growth as a program. Large or small, every contribution has helped provide life-changing mentorship to children across the Lower Mainland.

We truly appreciate all current and past support, here we specifically acknowledge the following who gave $500 or more this fiscal year:

  • Community Partners

  • VRCA Young Construction Leaders (YCL)

  • United Way of the Lower Mainland

  • Corporate

  • Dayhu Investments

  • First West Credit Union

  • G&F Financial

  • Josh Bath – Personal Real Estate Corporation

  • Porte Industries Ltd.

  • Vancouver Fire and Radius Security

  • Foundations

  • Ames Family Foundation
  • Andrew Mahon Foundation
  • Gordon Fund, held at the Vancouver Foundation
  • Mackay Family Fund, held at Fiera Capital Foundation

  • RBC Foundation

  • Stewart Fund, held at Vancouver Foundation

  • Volunteer for Children Fund, held at the Vancouver Foundation
  • Provincial

  • We gratefully acknowledge the financial assistance of the Province of British Columbia.

  • Municipal

  • City of Vancouver
  • Individuals

  • Ann Alexander
  • Ardyth Macquarrie

  • Donald Gordon

  • Einat Stojicevic

  • Jen Graham
  • Joan Andersen
  • Joyce Preston
  • Kevin Michael Taylor

  • Mike Jeffreys

  • Nancy Gordon

  • Sandra Sengara

  • Sharmani Pillay

  • Scott Campbell

  • Tim Agg
  • Tim Veresh
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