Like many of us, Ian (not his real name) wants to make a difference. At Hidden Treasures Thrift Store, he’s found that a friendly smile and a solid day’s work can do just that.
Ian has been on work release since last November. He’s staying at Chilliwack Community Correctional Centre (CCCC), a halfway house a few blocks from the store, where he’s been volunteering three days a week. He sorts and tags items, organizes the storage area, and helps wherever he’s needed. His favourite job, though, is accepting donations.
“I get to meet new people and interact with them,” he said. “I greet ‘em with a smile and say, ‘Hey, how are you doing today?’ That’s enjoyable. It’s a chance to make somebody’s day, cause they’re making mine, just by interacting with me. It makes me feel human.”
Ian’s road to Hidden Treasures was a winding one. He applied for work release in 2019, but the paperwork hit a snag and his application was delayed. By the time it was approved, work release programs were suspended because of the pandemic.
He remained at Mission Minimum, waiting for a chance to prove he can be a responsible, productive member of the community. For Ian, completing a work release is an important step toward day parole. It’s an opportunity to earn trust and interact with everyday people.
“It makes me feel part of something,” he said.
Ian said that everyone at Hidden Treasures—from volunteers to staff to customers—has embraced him. “They know I’m from prison. For me it’s come in, do the work, and let my work ethic speak for itself.”
Ian, a certified chef, also works in the kitchen at CCCC five mornings a week. He said he likes to keep himself busy and has spent his incarceration working and learning as much as he can. In the past he has volunteered as a dog trainer, worked in the sewing shop, taught WHIMIS courses, and even volunteered at the Abbotsford Hidden Treasures store in the mid-2000s.
“I could sit here and say, ‘Poor me.’ Why? What’s that going to get me? It’s going to make me feel sorry for myself, ‘Oh, I’m the victim here.’ I’m not. I created a victim and I’m paying the price for it. But I’m learning so much along the way. This is my way of giving back.”
Ian hopes he can volunteer at Hidden Treasures again once he is approved for day parole. “I’m grateful there are places like this. The people here are awesome, and they don’t mind helping.”
This story appears in our Spring 2022 newsletter.