As I sat in the purple-walled living room at the Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood house listening to Joyce tell the team about the DTE-NH’s philosophy and what they do for the community, I felt truly astounded. There are people who aren’t apathetic, who want to make a difference, who are willing to sacrifice the society construct of success for their own version of the word. At that moment, I just wanted to beg Joyce for a job and stay here for the rest of my life. Yep, me, someone who thought I’d never give living in Vancouver a second chance.

I never expected the DTE-NH to have such a warm, cosy, and vibrant energy. I expected it to be dingy, dark, white-washed walls, with greasy food smells. My bad. Joyce, the coordinator introduced us to the small space made available for people to drop in, akin to the community centers in your neighbourhood.  Fairy lights, brightly painted mugs and teapots, healthy organic food offered with fair trade coffee, I instantly took to the place. What I found so refreshing about the DTE-NH as a community center for the less fortunate was its philosophy towards food security. While I can understand how people would rather get some food than none, regardless of the nutritional values (and I suppose if its tasty, just like most cheap disgusting fast food, all the better if its going to be their only meal of the day), I think its important for organizations who want to help the impoverished to ensure proper nutrition for them. All the more if they are well funded and can afford to.

The DTE-NH is a wonderful example of bringing people together and feeding them with delicious, healthy food. The volunteers host community kitchens using local organic foods, they hand out bananas (not candy! REAL fruit!) to people waiting outside for their welfare cheques in the cold, the center has wholegrain bread and roasted soy beans on the table – these people actually care about the nutritional status of the community as well as the environment (by using organic and local food). I am inspired and encouraged by the fact that we can still try help others while saving the environment.

I want to start up a place like the DTE-NH.

I don’t ever want to lose my passion.

I don’t ever want to sell-out, work for some company which has values I don’t stand for.

I don’t ever want to work for a company which has stakeholders and CEOs and bosses whom I don’t even know.

Well, at least this much I’m clear.