Vanessa Guerrero - 50 Stories for 50 Years (Story # 3)
Vanessa Guerrero walked into Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House nine years ago hoping to get help finding work. Instead, she found a party.
The first people I met when I entered the house were a group laughing and smiling. When I saw all those people laughing, I just followed them. Why were they so excited? I wanted to join.
Vanessa had stumbled on a Chinese New Year celebration, something she’d experienced the year before in Kuala Lumpur with friends. As she watched, the familiar celebration brought back a sense of warmth and comfort she had been missing since arriving in Canada.
It was emotional.
At the time, Vanessa was waiting, permanent residency not yet in hand, engineering ambitions on hold, and the routine of looking after her family not quite enough.
Signing up for a mentor workshop, she heard a stranger speak her native tongue for the first time in months and life got just a little bit better.
When you move to a new country, hearing your own language and feeling understood means everything. You feel like anything is possible.
The generous help Vanessa received as a participant inspired her to volunteer, first with the Multicultural Cooking Club, then at the front desk, community events, and Newcomer programs. Her dedication caught the attention of staff, and she got hired as a consultant, teaching seniors how to use technology and online tools.
It was her first job in Canada.
The staff working at Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House are so welcoming, so warm, so well-trained in what they need to do, that you never feel unwanted.
Vanessa now works as an engineer. But she continues volunteering at Mount Pleasant whenever she can, especially with Women in Motion workshops, a free Spanish-language program for women who want to start or grow their small business.
If I could, I would come back and work for them.
Looking ahead, Vanessa hopes future newcomers continue finding the same sense of comfort and belonging she experienced when she first arrived at MPNH.
I really hope in 50 years, the same spirit, the same way to help people remains.
Story written by Signy Marcyniuk through an interview with the participant during her practicum placement at Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House.
50 Stories for 50 Years at MPNH is a collection of meaningful stories that celebrate the lasting impact our Neighbourhood House has had over the years. These stories come from long-time participants, families, youth, volunteers, community members, and regular visitors whose lives have been touched, supported, or transformed through our programs, services, and connections at the House.
