Meet the Founder

Stratford has been home for most of my life. I moved here from Mississauga with my family when I was 10, and this is where I built my career, raised my son, volunteered, and became part of the community.

I have worked in the financial and real estate industries for more than 25 years. At this stage in my career, I am fortunate to be able to slow down a little and spend more time giving back.

Over the years, I have served on several local boards, including Optimism Place, the Humane Society, and the Multicultural Association, and served as Chair of two community boards.

In 2019, I founded Hearts4Paws Senior Cat Rescue, a volunteer-run, foster-based rescue here in Stratford. Since then, we have helped rehome more than 200 cats whose owners could no longer care for them, had passed away, or moved into long-term care.

Being a member of 100 Brokers Who Care gave me the idea to create 100 Feline Friends Who Care. Since 2021, that annual fundraiser has helped support spay and neuter programs, emergency veterinary care, foster care, and other rescue needs.

It also showed me how much can be accomplished when a group of people each gives a little.

That got me thinking: what if we could do something similar for people in our own community who need a helping hand?

As I learned more about homelessness in Stratford and the people and organizations already working to help, the idea for Stratford Cares 100 began to take shape.

Stratford Cares 100

The idea is simple: bring together at least 100 people who pledge $100 a year and use those donations to support local organizations and initiatives helping unhoused and vulnerable people in our community.

But once I started talking about the idea, people began reaching out who wanted to do more than donate. They had ideas, experience, connections, and wanted to help.

Those conversations led to the Stratford Cares Citizens Council, a group of local residents volunteering their time to connect people, share ideas, identify needs, and help turn those ideas into action.

Stratford Cares has grown into more than the original fundraiser, but the idea behind it is still simple: neighbours caring for neighbours.

No one person or organization can solve every challenge in our community. But when enough people are willing to help in whatever way they can, we can make a difference.

Thank you for being part of it.