Tina Bender

Position: Coordinator of Documentation

Ext: 214 Email: tina@citykidz.ca

Best City Kidz™ Moment: After singing “No more monkeys jumping on the bed”, Liam, one of our Kinder Kidz said, “Oh, Tina, please don’t jump on the bed, you might fall and get hurt. We love you too much!”

Favourite Quote: "Be the change you want to see in the world.” Mahatma Gandhi

Profile: As one of the original members of City Kidz, Tina’s role has changed continually over the years. City Kidz has been able to count on Tina to do whatever it takes to keep the mission on track. Formerly the Kinder Kidz Coordinator and prior to that, the Home Visits Coordinator. Tina’s new role is Coordinator of Documentation for our City Kidz staff. One of the keys to duplicating City Kidz across the country is to clearly document the processes required to run the organization. Her job is to understand the processes, look for efficiencies and create a written standards that the organization will hold itself to. Way to go Tina!

Jeremy Curry

Position: Creative & Design Specialist

Ext: 224 Email: jeremy@citykidz.ca

Best City Kidz™ Moment: When I started volunteering at City Kidz over ten years ago, I started visiting kids with a man name Richard. The time I spent with Richard, as I got to know him, and him me, I cherish those memories highly. He became a role model, a mentor, and most importantly, a dear friend

Favourite Quote: “Good is the Enemy of Great – Jim Collins

Profile: Jeremy grew up in the inner city of Hamilton and attended City Kidz as a child himself. After a term looking after the City Kidz Saturdays program, Jeremy traveled to England for a six month program at Capernwray Bible School. What brought Jeremy back to us is his skills and knowledge in the area of Design. When we want a poster created, our logo updated or our newsletter to present a message in a way which is both clear and appealing, it is Jeremy to whom we turn. In many ways he literally puts the face on City Kidz! Way to go Jeremy!

Nathan Ellis

Position: Associate Director of Ministry and Programs

Ext: 219 Email: nathan@citykidz.ca

Best City Kidz™ Moment: We often say that City Kidz is addictive. There are so many moments that draw you in and force you to love more, give more. When I walk through the neighbourhood where I visit, the kids shout my name, or shout, "City Kidz". When I hear their anticipation for Saturday's, I am reminded of my purpose. When I am in the theatre, and we are singing and dancing, acting and teaching, and I look into the audience and see the children hanging on every word, every moment, I realize the the responsibility we have to bring hope to kids at every opportunity we can. Home Visits, Kinder Kidz, Jr. Leadership, City Kidz Saturdays, Gift of Christmas and Summer to Remember are all excellent ways to bring hope to children who so desperately need it.

Favourite Quote: “Do not think that love in order to be genuine has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired. Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” - Mother Teresa

Profile: Each week Nathan and his team provide the most exciting, entertaining and effective experiences on the planet (in our opinion)! Providing a program for 900 children each week is a demanding job for even the best of the best. It’s Nathan’s mission to make sure each child experiences all that God has for them each and every Saturday. His number one responsibility is to deliver important life building lessons and create a fun, exciting atmosphere, where kids can be kids. Nathan’s goal is to make every day at City Kidz the best day of the week and he has become one of the most recognizable faces amoungst the kids in the inner city. Nathan is also the captain of his own City Kidz route, visiting over 100 children each and every week. Way to go Nathan!

Carley Ellis

Position: Coordinator of Curriculum and Content

Ext: 203 Email: carley@citykidz.ca

Best City Kidz™ Moment: Dancing and singing with the kids every Saturday. It is where they have taught me how to be a kid again and worship God with child like faith.

Favourite Quote: “I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.” Mother Teresa

Profile: Carley’s passion and love for each child is evident by the commitment she makes each and every week to the children of City Kidz. Carley is back in action in a part time role. Her time is split between being a full-time Mom and creating the content for the City Kidz Saturday shows. She leads a writing team to create 28 life changing shows each year. In addition to creating programs for City Kidz in Hamilton, she works to make them usable for the branches in Ottawa and Regina.

Keneisha Gardiner

Position: Youth Leadership Development Coordinator

Ext: 211 Email: keneisha@citykidz.ca

Best City Kidz™ Moment: During my first couple of weeks working here at City Kidz one of our Junior Leaders walked up to me, gave me a hug and told me “I’m glad that you’re here just for us. We needed someone here just for us”. This inspired me that everything we do here is important in the life of each child.

Favourite Quote: “And God is able to make all grace abound to me, so that in all things, at all times, having all that I need, I will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8

Profile: Keneisha comes to us from the Bahamas (making us oh so jealous). She is developing our youth program for those aged 12 to 16, which has grown to include 170 participants. She began by volunteering in our office and building relationships with the youth and has become a valued member of the City Kidz Ministry team. Keneisha brings a genuine love for young people and a calling to help them to achieve their full God-given potential. We love her enthusiasm and dedication. Way to go Keneisha!

Leanne Gaudreau

Position: Coordinator of Volunteer Development

Ext: 212 Email: leanne@citykidz.ca

Best City Kidz™ Moment: During a training session, we were talking about how engaging with our kids in the theatre and on the bus will help them to retain the memory moment and the songs. One of the Junior Leaders spoke up and said that when she was a City Kid she would go home every week with the songs stuck in her head and would sing them all week long. Great to hear that kids are going home with words of truth and life stuck on repeat in their heads!

Favourite Quote: Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve.... You don't have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love. ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Profile: Leanne is an expert at finding the right volunteer opportunity for new volunteers. She is responsible for new orientation, training and placement for all new volunteer. After this initial phase, Leanne works hard to ensure volunteers have all they need to excel, and that they are well taken care of.

Arlene Harten

Position: Data Entry Specialist

Ext: 208 Email: arlene@citykidz.ca

Best City Kidz™ Moment: Observing kidz engaged in the program as if nothing else is going on in the world except for what is happening on that stage at that moment.

Favourite Quote: "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Matthew 6:5-6

"I believe!"

Profile: If there is information to be recorded, or data to be tracked you can be assured that Arlene is in the middle of it. Looking after the details of those who support the work of City Kidz™, and dealing with sensitive information, it’s Arlene’s talents and skills that keep us out there on the front-lines with our kids. Arlene is the captain of her own bus route, visiting over 80 children each week in their homes. Arlene has been with City Kidz for nearly ten years, and she has become a mother figure to all of us. Way to go Mom!

Susan Lamont

Position: Director of Fund Development

Ext: 213 Email: susan@citykidz.ca

Best City Kidz™ Moment: One of the children I visit was having trouble with lying and stealing and I didn’t know how to deal with it. God spoke to my heart – “You love her, I’ll change her”. And He did!

Favourite Quote: I have called you by name … and you are Mine. Isaiah 43:1

Profile: Prior to joining our staff, Susan was one of the top sales representatives at Aloette Cosmetics, and after serving several years as a volunteer team captain, she joined the City Kidz™ Fund Development team. Susan lends her expertise and talents to connecting people and resources to the mission and vision of City Kidz. Best known for her enthusiasm and encouraging words, Susan has become one of the key motivaters behind moving the vision of City Kidz forward. Susan continues to be the captain of her own City Kidz route, visiting over 100 children each week. Way to go Susan!

Tania Lotimer

Position: Coordinator of Administration for the Ministry Team

Ext: 215 Email: tania@citykidz.ca

Profile: Tania has taken up the challenge to maintain all of the administrative projects for the ministry team. This is more difficult than it sounds. Whether there is a new child to enter into the database, rosters to be printed, Kinder Kidz name tags to be created, Home Visit clipboards to be assembled, survey results to be tallied, or a shoulder to lean on, Tania is there! She is quickly becoming the engine on the Ministry team train. Choo! Choo!

Nicole Main

Position: Coordinator of Finance and Administration

Ext: 204 Email: nicole@citykidz.ca

Best City Kidz™ Moment: Seeing the kidz jumping for joy and waving when they see the bus turn the corner to pick them up!

Favourite Quote: Children will follow the example instead of the advice.

Profile: For the past 3 years Nicole has served as a volunteer team captain, leading her team to minister to nearly 100 children each week. Joining our staff in the Summer of 2008 Nicole brings both experience and expertise to the finance and administration team of City Kidz. Nicole provides both leadership and direction to the finance and administration team of City Kidz and does an amazing job keeping our offices running timely and efficient. Way to go Nicole!

Melissa Manahan

Position: Core Projects & Community Initiatives Coordinator

Ext: 205 Email: melissa@citykidz.ca

Best City Kidz™ Moment: My favourite moments with City Kidz are connecting with families who are from all over the world and hearing their stories about how they got to Canada. I love learning about their cultures and seeing their deep love for their families and communities. It constantly reminds me to put people first and not my list of tasks. There are two girls who are on my City Kidz route who have been in Canada for less then a year. They do not know English very well, but every week we are able to connect through the simple means of laughter. When I drop them off at the end of a Saturday we'll race to their apartment building and down the hall to their door. As we are running the girls always glance back to see if I am still running after them. Their huge smiles and laughter as it echos off the walls is forever engrained in my memory.

Favourite Quote: "But God doesn't call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn't come through" - Francis Chan

Profile: Melissa joined the City Kidz Team to assist in carrying out the Summer2Remember program on a short term contract. She has since earned herself a full time position to deliver all Ministry projects, including the Gift of Christmas, Operation Birthday Child and our Summer2Remember initiatives. Melissa brings a great deal of care and enthusiasm to her role, especially when it involves children. She can can be found dancing around the theatre on Saturday's with a giant smile, while giving out hugs and high fives. Melissa has been a perfect addition to the City Kidz team. Way to go Melissa!

Haley McCulloch

Position: Coordinator of Team Captains

Ext: 218 Email: haley@citykidz.ca

Best City Kidz™ Moment: In the theatre, watching the kids sing “I am not forgotten”. Everytime we sing this song, it’s powerful, hearing our inner city kids declaring that THEY are not forgotten, and God knows their name!

Favourite Quote: Courage is not always a loud shout or roar, but a quiet voice at the end of the day saying I’ll try again tomorrow. -Brian Houston

Profile: Haley got her first taste of City Kidz over 10 years ago, but became more active during Christmas of 2009. During Christmas she came on staff at the City Kidz “Toy Store” where gifts for children were stored and wrapped. After Christmas Haley came on as our Home Visit Coordinator, and now is Coordinator of Team Captains. Team Captains are the folks who pound the pavement every week to build meaningful relationships with the children through the Home Visit and Saturday programs. Haley oversees all of their activities, focussing on building home visit teams to bring hope to the neighbourhoods. She leads by example by leading her own team to visit over 80 kids every week! We are glad to have Haley and her bright smile a part of the City Kidz family!

Robert McCulloch

Position: Director of Operations

Ext: 206 Email: robert@citykidz.ca

Best City Kidz™ Moment: When the theatre is very quiet and Nathan prays with the children to ask Jesus for help and wisdom. To hear the kids pray is very special.

Favourite Quote: Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.

Profile: First serving with his wife Helen as co-captain for their bus route, it wasn’t long before the children of City Kidz moved him to further commitment.Whether it’s managing the staff, maintaining the facilities or overseeing the administrative and financial processes, Bob’s role is to ensure everything we do is done to the highest levels of excellence. Way to go Bob!

Jas Mogford

Position: Coordinator of Fundraising

Ext: 207 Email: jas@citykidz.ca

Best City Kidz™ Moment: I work with the KinderKidz on Saturdays. On my second Saturday I was sitting with a little boy. He turned, gave me a hug, and said “we’re best friends”. This is when I realized that all these kids need is someone to show that they care.

Favourite Quote: “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Harold R. McAlindon

Profile: As the Coordinator of Marketing and Fundraising Jas manages and oversees all the aspects of planning and implementing the City Kidz fundraising events. He assists the team in building relationships with the media, increasing the profile of City Kidz and helps to create and implement a public relations strategic plan each year. He will also help raise funds for City Kidz through our different approaches: child sponsorship, major gifts and corporate partnership. Welcome to the team Jas!

Trevor Thomson

Position: Full Time Volunteer – Assistant to the Executive Director

Ext: 230 Email: trevor@citykidz.ca

Best City Kidz™ Moment: Morning devotions at the office and having the opportunity to share our faith and our concerns with each other and with God.

Favourite Quote: I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.

Profile: As a retired school teacher, Trevor began volunteering for a few hours each week, but it wasn’t long before his passion for the work of City Kidz™ increased his time commitment. Trevor brings a vast amount of experience and expertise to the work of City Kidz™. Volunteering full time, Trevor’s primary roll is to work closely with Todd our Executive Director in various administrative and support roles. Trevor is best known for his servant style leadership and provides support and encouragement on a daily basis to all staff and volunteers. Besides working assisting Todd our founder and executive director, Trevor is a support and encouragement to each of our staff and volunteers, he is seen as both a mentor and friend, and valued by all! Way to go Trevor!