About

Building With Purpose:

The Long Road Toward the LIFE Transitional Housing Project

Over many years, I worked quietly on a plan—an idea rooted deeply in love, compassion, and a genuine desire to help others. When I first began, I did not know what it would be called. I only knew what it needed to stand for. Over time, that vision evolved into what is now known as the LIFE Transitional Housing Project, but the heart of it has always remained the same: creating real, practical pathways toward dignity, stability, and long-term wellness for those most in need.

From the beginning, I understood something that shaped every decision that followed. If this work was going to remain true to its purpose, it could not be controlled by political agendas or corporate interests. That meant it had to be self-sustaining. It needed to raise its own funds, remain accountable to the community it served, and protect its independence. In simple terms, it needed to function as a business—one where most of the profits would be directed back into programs designed to help people rebuild their lives.

I also knew that relying on a single funding source would never be sustainable. Stability requires diversity. Over time, I planned for five distinct funding models, each built carefully and gradually. These models are designed to work together—combining community donations, volunteering, and revenue generated through ethical, community-based business activities. For security and long-term protection, many of the details remain on a need-to-know basis. This is not secrecy for control, but stewardship—protecting years of creative work, testing, and lived experience from being misused or taken.

Some of this work required deep creative problem-solving and long-term testing. Out of that process came Crafted With Purpose—a platform that blends community awareness with locally made products, where a portion of proceeds directly supports the work. It is both a fundraising tool and a way to uplift local makers, artists, and crafters.

I also launched $3 – $2 – $1 – Free, a fundraising model that raises funds while directly providing clothing and essential items to individuals connected to the Not Just A Food Program. This approach respects dignity while meeting immediate needs, ensuring support is both practical and humane.

Now, these efforts are expanding into the next phase. We have begun fundraising for Wellness Without Barriers Oshawa—a free community space dedicated to Growing, Learning, and Nourishment for all. This space is being built as a practical, welcoming hub where people can learn hands-on skills related to food, health, and wellness, without the barriers created by homelessness, poverty, or lack of access. It represents a critical step between street-level support and the longer-term vision of the LIFE Transitional Housing Project.

Handmade products are another part of this ecosystem. From lip balms to future lavender baskets and other wellness-focused items, each product is designed with purpose—supporting health and wellness while using sustainably grown ingredients. Growing plants year-round, including indoors, is central to this vision. These plants are not only for nourishment but for learning, healing, and creating opportunities.

I have also begun work on methods to build and maintain greenhouse-style units that will one day share fresh produce directly with the community. This part of the vision is still years away, and for now, it remains intentionally private. Some ideas need time, space, and the right conditions before they are ready to be shared publicly.

A core principle throughout all of this has been duplication and education. Every part of this system is designed to be easily taught, replicated, and adapted. The goal is not just to provide support, but to expose individuals to new skills—skills with real-world value. These skills can lead to personal growth, employment opportunities, or future business expansion that feeds back into the overall mission. In this way, those who pass through the LIFE Transitional Housing Project can also become part of its future sustainability.

My drive to learn has shaped everything I do. I seek hands-on learning, taking joy in discovering how new skills can connect with old ones. Many of my abilities are self-taught, built over more than 15 years of active service to others. Assisting those most in need—without judgment and with understanding—brings me the greatest sense of fulfillment. It is where I find purpose, joy, and meaning.

My background is a mix of simple beginnings and rediscovered passions. I grew up with knowledge of wild edible plants, where spring meant abundance. Later, as I moved into larger communities, those skills sat unused for years. Eventually, they resurfaced—first through gardening to provide free food, then through a deeper understanding of the barriers many face, especially those without private or secure growing spaces. These realities pushed me toward small-space indoor gardening, which evolved into year-round hydroponic growing—practical, accessible, and transformative.

Along the way, my love of butterflies and photography opened doors to new skills in storytelling, social media, and community engagement. Earlier experiences with basic web design, HTML coding, and early Microsoft tools quietly supported this growth. Everything connected—old skills meeting new needs.

My own health journey also reshaped this work. A major stroke and open-heart surgery brought challenges that demanded better nutrition and intentional recovery. The solutions I found became part of the broader vision—proof that health and wellness improvements can be practical, affordable, and achievable with education and support.

Today, these solutions are central to what I am building. There are still years of learning ahead, and many goals remain known only to me. That is intentional. As the saying goes, the more successful you become, the more people will try to take from that success. Limiting access to full details protects the work and ensures it unfolds as intended.

Each step forward now brings greater awareness of what is being built. This is not about recognition—it is about manifestation. It is about following through, adapting in real time to real needs, and building flexible systems grounded in lived experience.

Everything I do is driven by one guiding principle:

LIFE – Love Is For Everyone

And through love, compassion, and steady action, that vision continues to grow—step by step, skill by skill, and life by life.