SustainHOPE

The HOPE HOUSE Capital Campaign

As our city grows and our social issues become more complex, the work of HOPE House becomes more critical than ever.

Crippling social issues like poverty, hunger, homlessness, mental health and addiction are persistent. As our community emerges from the pandemic and begins its recovery, these issues will be even more prevalent and potentially catastrophic for many people.

Now is the time for HOPE House to secure its place in our community, address vastly increasing demand for our services, and help more individuals move towards their goals. This can be accomplished in part with a permanent home that is accessible and reliable.

The Sustain HOPE Capital Campaign will help HOPE House unlock our full potential.

Early in 2020, we purchased our home, a 184-year old former church in downtown Guelph. Now with a permanent home, HOPE House and the community members we serve can rest assured our services will continue there.

With this $2 Million fundraising goal, HOPE House will pay off the purchase of our building and complete essential renovations to ensure accessibility and safety, as well as establish a reserve fund for future maintenance so that we can be assured this is well in hand.

This will allow to direct $50,000 annually towards direct community service rather than overhead. And, with 30,000 square feet of usable space, HOPE House will also have the potential to expand our impact to be an even more significant and essential charity resource in the Guelph community.

HOPE House is an independent local charity that is funded entirely by our community and does not receive government dollars.

We would love to see you participate in this campaign.

Your gift will change lives.

Reach out to Mary Jackson
directly to discuss the campaign

Donate Here

Meet the Capital Campaign Leadership Team

Marissa Teeter

Senior Vice President
Financial Services
IG Wealth Management

Read about Marissa's Involvement
Marissa’s entrepreneurial spirit, relentless energy and “do what it takes” mentality make her a natural campaign chair and valuable resource for HOPE House staff, community members and supporters.

As an active philanthropist, Marissa has served on many charitable boards over the years. She was recognized as a 2015, 2016 and 2017 YMCA-YWCA Woman of Distinction for Business and Entrepreneurship and Community Champion and was also the 2018 and 2019 Honorary Chair. Additionally, Marissa was named “Top 40 Under 40” for 2015 and was selected for the 2015 Mayor’s Award for her philanthropic achievements.

In addition to her extensive history as a volunteer, Marissa brings more than 15 years of business development, wealth management and marketing experience to the campaign. Prior to joining IG Wealth Management, she helped build and run a boutique wealth management firm, consulted for Fortune 500 companies and has helped build start-up companies as well. She graduated with a business degree (Administrative & Commercial Studies) from the University of Western Ontario, which she achieved with honours. She also earned a Bilingual Business Degree from the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry and was recognized as one of the program’s top international graduates. Marissa was recognized in 2018 as the IIAC’s Top 40 Under 40 for investment industry professionals.
Marissa is passionate about the mutually beneficial opportunities that happen when corporations and non-profits work together and shares her knowledge as a highly sought-after speaker on the importance of fostering these partnerships. She also enjoys coaching and mentoring business professionals and remarkable women to help them achieve their greatest potential in business and in life.

In Marissa's words...
“I am thrilled and honoured to have the opportunity to do some amazing work with my community to ensure we all have a place to call home. HOPE House is very close to my heart, a place that supports our neighbours and our co-workers, people we see every day that are quietly struggling and in need of our support. We can make their journey a little easier and I’m happy to play a small role in that.”

R. Jason Ashdown

Co-Founder &
Chief Sustainability Officer
Skyline Group of Companies

Read about Jason's Involvement
Jason is a business executive, philanthropist, community volunteer, and advocate for corporate social responsibility and sustainable practices in the Canadian rental housing and commercial real estate spheres.
In both a business and philanthropic capacity, Jason works to improve the social, economic, and environmental health of communities across Canada. A board member of Shelldale Family Gateway in Guelph, he provides advisory services to help hundreds of local children and families. Jason also advocates for social change to improve quality of life for Canadian renters through board membership of the Federation of Rental Housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO).

Jason is a founding partner of Skyline Group of Companies with 25+ years of experience in real estate asset management, development, construction, and building systems. His focus centres on sustainable real estate practices to enhance business performance and reduce Skyline’s environmental footprint. Jason applies a three-prong approach to sustainability: environmental, social, and economic. He ensures that Skyline is an industry leader in each aspect and is at the forefront of innovation, efficiency, and community service in the Canadian real estate sector.

Ariana Christie

Sales Representative
Capstone Real Estate Professionals

Read about Ariana's Involvement
Ariana has been an advocate for charitable organizations and volunteer work since she was young. She advocates and believes that equity is a necessity in life, and she strives to ensure that everyone is given the opportunity to set high goals and push their boundaries. Ariana has travelled to Kenya and Cambodia to work with organizations which help underprivileged communities in a sustainable way. She supports The Foundation of Guelph General Hospital, and is a member of the Joy Home Tour Committee in support of HOPE House. Ariana also successfully hiked 100km through the Sahara Desert to collectively raise over $1.1 million for women’s shelters across Canada.
Ariana is a Real Estate Sales Representative for Capstone Real Estate Professionals with Royal LePage in Guelph. She uses her impeccable communications capabilities, knowledge of the market, and care for her clients to ensure that results are being met and people are receiving the service that they deserve. Ariana also graduated from the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of Applied Science specializing in Child, Youth, and Families, and minored in Psychology. She understands and has an immense amount of care for others, and with this ability, she has accomplished many of her goals.

In Ariana's words...

Michael Christie

Sales Representative
Capstone Real Estate Professionals

Read about Michael's Involvement
Living in Guelph his entire life, Michael has volunteered for many charitable organizations and events for over 10 years. His leadership qualities have flourished through his active participation in the Guelph community, as he strives to help local businesses, charities, and events. Some of these include volunteering to run and promote the Hillside Music Festival, being a volunteer coach for the Guelph Giants Special Needs Hockey League for 4 years, and as a member of the Giving Tuesday committee. On top of all of this, Michael continues to raise money for many charity events and organizations.
Michael is the Team Sales Lead for Capstone Real Estate Professionals and is a huge advocate for growth. In his professional life, Michael thrives on the communication aspect of his career. He finds joy in helping others find their dream homes and in creating a safe environment. Michael has always had a strong work ethic as he sets and reaches high goals for himself and those around him. At the young age of 22, he became an entrepreneur and started his own successful property management company. He realized he had a passion for real estate a few years later and started The Capstone Team.

In Michaels words...

Eve Claxton

Broker of Record
Eve Claxton Realty Inc.

Read about Eve's Involvement
For over a decade, Eve Claxton has been selling high-end properties and transforming homes for resale in the Guelph area. Consulting on the design and construction of custom homes is also a specialty of hers. She dedicates herself to a small selection of clients at a time, allowing her to focus on providing personalized service and delivering the highest returns. Eve approaches her work with a passion for the industry and market trends, and an eye on the big picture.
Eve believes that many of us, at some point in their lives, need a helping hand and a strong support group, and also believes everyone has the capacity to give back and support their community in some way. She has been active volunteer and supporter of various charities for several years. Eve Claxton Realty and Timberworx Custom Homes have together been a supporter of the HOPE House Joy Home Tour since 2012, and she currently sits on the board of St. Joseph’s Health Centre Foundation Guelph.

In Eve's words...

Karla Diaz

Client Relations &
Marketing Specialist
Mezcon Construction

Read about Karla's Involvement
Karla is the Client Relations and Marketing Specialist for Mezcon Construction. Karla thrives in this position because of her great communication and interpersonal skills. Mezcon Construction is a company that specializes in new home building, residential renovations and light commercial projects servicing Guelph, Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and the Muskokas. Karla previously worked in the golf industry planning and executing world class events including the Mayakoba Golf Classic, Manulife LPGA Classic, the RBC Canadian Open and the CP Women’s Open as well as various junior golf programs across Canada. Karla’s passion for events also led her to work at the Elora Mill managing and executing special events, building strong relationships and leading a team.
In addition to being passionate about event planning and client relations, Karla is also passionate about giving back to the community and has been a HOPE House supporter for the past few years. Last year, Mezcon Construction had the opportunity of being the presenting sponsor of the Joy Home Tour and also had their whole team volunteering with the HOPE House Christmas Hamper Delivery program.

In Karla's words...

Tracey Curtis

Investment Advisor
Richardson GMP

Read about Tracey's Involvement
Tracey has served on the board of Bracelet of Hope, an organization committed to ending the AIDS pandemic in Lesotho, Africa, since 2012 and is currently the Chair. She is also serving as President of the Rotary Club of Guelph, has been a Rotarian for just over 4 years and loves how she is able to creating lasting change with such a great service organization. In the past Tracey has sat on the board of 10C, donated time as a Rhyze mentor to Women starting new businesses and supports many community initiatives such as packing food with The SEED.
Tracey has been a financial advisor for 30 years, providing families and businesses with solutions that support their changing financial needs. She is driven deeply with a genuine interest in helping people and creating peace of mind with trusting, long-term relationships. Tracey holds her Chartered Financial Planning designation and is working towards her CIM to be completed in 2020. Tracey completed her Family Enterprise Advisor designation to help families transition multigenerational wealth both through technical and emotional challenges.

In Tracey's words...
“Being part of this capital campaign and supporting HOPE House is an honour. We need to provide a foundation and demonstrate appreciation to every member of our population includes those who are vulnerable. This requires us to stand strong together so that no one is ever left behind. I believe supporting HOPE House is the most effective way for this to be accomplished. I am proud to be a Canadian, I am proud to be a Guelphite and so very proud to serve on this campaign with the team”

Tessa Kampen

Business Strategist &
Leadership Training

Read about Tessa's Involvement
Tessa is a business strategist with years of experience in Personal Development, Leadership Training and Business Development. Her ability to connect and relate with her clients has allowed her to build strong relationships and trust, contributing to her success. Tessa is a certified Leadership Trainer, Speaker and Coach with the John Maxwell Team and a certified Behavioral Analysis Trainer using the DISC methodology.
Tessa serves as Chair of Fundraising for Cornerstone Christian School, supports numerous community initiatives and is an active volunteer. Giving back to her community has always been a part of who she is and she has supported organizations such as Bracelet of Hope, HOPE House, Givesome, Michael House and Guelph Women in Crisis. She was the recipient of Guelph’s 40 under 40 in 2015.

In Tessa's words...

Matt Nelson

Commercial Account Executive
Brokerlink

Read about Matt's Involvement
Matt has been an active community volunteer for almost 10 years. He recently completed 8 years serving on the Board of Directors for Big Brother’s Big Sisters of Guelph where he was involved in numerous programs and events in the city benefiting youth in need of finding a strong mentor. He has also run his own golf tournament fundraiser for several years and to date has raised more than $50,000 for local charities.
Matt has also been a commercial insurance broker for over 10 years and is licensed to sell insurance across Canada. As a Commercial Insurance Account Executive, he provides insurance solutions for a variety of industries and professions. He specializes mostly in the construction and real estate industries and works with companies from the ground up to ensure all gaps and exposures in his clients’ businesses are covered. He has achieved the Canadian Accredited Insurance Broker designation and is a York University graduate with a major in Psychology and minor in French.

In Matt's words...

Brett Robinson

VP Of Sales
CanPrev Natural Health Products
Managing Partner
Robinson & Associates

Read about Brett's Involvement
Brett has been part of the ownership group of the vitamin and supplement company CanPrev since 2015. CanPrev manufactures four different brands of premium supplements, impacting the health of millions of Canadians daily, something Brett is passionate about. Since 2013 he has also consulted with companies on strategy and sales through his firm, Robinson & Associates, where he is the Managing Partner.
As a member of Speed Lodge and Wellington District of the Freemason’s, Brett helps coordinate and participates in many charity events focused on improving the quality of life of Guelph residents. Brett is a member of the committee for the N.R. Richards Masonic Bursary, providing financial relief to exceptional students graduating high school and pursuing further education

In Brett's words...
“I came to know HOPE House through my Masonic work and was immediately drawn to the passion of its members and tremendous work they do in impacting people in need. HOPE House is a fantastic platform to enlarge efforts of community support and expand into new areas of need. I look forward to helping HOPE House increase its goodwill endeavors and continue to set an example of what a group of kind and committed people can accomplish.”