May 08, 2009
A number of years ago, Yaletown resident Richard Deacon decided that instead of ignoring the Downtown Eastside, he would try to understand it. So he began volunteering at Union Gospel Mission and what he experienced, profoundly affected his life."On my very first night of volunteering in the kitchen, one of the guys in the recovery program asked me what I'd be doing after my shift. I said, 'I'll probably go home and listen to the hockey game and play with my dog.' The guy said, 'wow, you are so lucky.' As I was about to ask him what he meant when, it hit me how fortunate I was to just have a home to go to." This was the beginning of a journey that has led Richard to explore many aspects of volunteering with Union Gospel Mission.
Richard has since also volunteered with the children's program called "Treasures After School." In keeping with his entrepreneurial nature, Richard is working with senior UGM staff to help implement a youth mentorship program. Richard has had the privilege of being mentored by the likes of Joe Segal, David Bentall and Peter Legge, and wants to offer young members of the Downtown Eastside community a chance to establish similar mentorship relationships.
"Children are the pillars of any community and deserve access to the same resources and safe environments of learning and fun that I remember enjoying as a kid," says Richard.
Richard is currently volunteering his time to lead a $3M fundraising initiative with UGM that will provide the community with dedicated support to women and children.
"I think we should all see volunteering as a duty," says the young businessman, "but the truth is that we get a tremendous amount back from doing. It's my return on investment.
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