About Us
What We Do
LINKING HOPE is a registered Canadian charity serving Winnipeg and Northern communities.
We operate as a centralized distribution hub — connecting businesses and individuals with surplus supplies to local grassroots agencies that distribute these resources directly to those in need.
Our Process
Collection: We collect new and gently used surplus items — including clothing, household goods, mattresses, hygiene products, and food — from businesses and individuals.
Sorting: We sort, quality-check, and prepare items for efficient distribution in our warehouse.
Distribution: We coordinate with established nonprofit agencies and Northern communities to ensure items move quickly and responsibly to the community members who need them most.
Our Mission
To link businesses and individuals with surplus supplies, products, and volunteer time to grassroots organizations supporting community members in need.
Our Vision
A coordinated community of hope, where we unite to ensure no essential resource goes to waste.
Our Structure
LINKING HOPE functions as a coordinated supply chain, connecting essential items, volunteers, and support from businesses and individuals to nonprofit agencies assisting our community.
Linking Hope's primary functions include:
Supply Chain Management
We gather new and gently used supplies (e.g., clothing, household items), sort and decommission them as needed, and distribute them to community agencies directly connected to those in need.
Volunteer Support
Connect community volunteers to both Linking Hope operations and partner nonprofit agencies.
Strategic Support
Provide strategic guidance and collaborative support to nonprofit agencies where appropriate.
How This is Done
Thanks to dedicated volunteers, we maintain a streamlined process that includes pickup, sorting, decommissioning, organizing, and distributing items within 24 hours. Timely distribution is essential for meeting the immediate needs of individuals in our community. Our centralized warehouse enables efficient receiving, shipping, and resource access. Weekly agency pickup days ensure continuous supply movement year-round.
We partner with various agencies and have received grants, including support from The Winnipeg Foundation, to help cover our minimal operational costs. We also collaborate closely with organizations such as Winnipeg’s Downtown Community Safety Partnership (DCSP), N’dinawemak, CommUNITY204, and OPK (Ogijiita Pimatiswin Kinamatwin), enabling coordinated volunteer support and distribution efforts.
Why is This Important
Linking Hope collaborates directly with existing agencies that often lack the connections, time, volunteers, or storage capacity to collect items for community members in need.
Our impact is felt among a diverse group of individuals and families, including low-income households, single-parent families, refugees, immigrants, women and families escaping domestic violence, Indigenous community members at risk of homelessness, and those who are homeless.
Linking Hope provides a welcoming and respectful environment where individuals can choose the items they need without judgment. This is essential, as those we serve often feel marginalized and unsupported. By offering an inclusive environment, we restore dignity to our clients. Whether it’s a new shirt for a job interview, a dress for graduation, or necessary workwear for a new job, we strive to meet their needs.
With the support of unique donors and dedicated volunteers, Linking Hope assists where help is most needed.
Who We Are
Linking Hope is guided by an experienced team and Board of Directors with deep roots in Winnipeg’s nonprofit, corporate, and community sectors.
Director of Agency & Volunteer Programs
Métis, supports warehouse logistics, intake, and inventory coordination. He brings training in social work practices, crisis response, and de-escalation, along with experience that informs trauma-informed and culturally responsive engagement.
Volunteer Coordinator
Métis, contributes strong community engagement skills and lived experience that support culturally responsive operations and outreach. She is highly organized and dependable, playing a key role in coordinating day-to-day activities, maintaining structure within operations, and ensuring tasks are completed efficiently. Her attention to detail and ability to manage multiple responsibilities help keep programs running smoothly and effectively.
Agency Coordinator
Métis, supports warehouse operations and distribution coordination. Her lived experience and community connections help ensure the organization remains responsive to the realities faced by many individuals accessing services through partner agencies.
Agency & Volunteer Support Worker
Indigenous, serves as Volunteer Support for Linking Hope while also working as Donations Coordinator at N’Dinawemak. She brings strong cultural awareness, frontline community experience, and lived experience that informs compassionate and respectful engagement with volunteers and community partners.
Agency & Volunteer Support Worker
Contributes lived experience working closely with homelessness and community recovery. Her involvement helps ensure the organization remains grounded in the experiences of the people it supports. Tara is part of the Volunteer Support Team.
Logistics Coordinator
Supports warehouse operations, inventory preparation, and distribution coordination. His cultural background and background in business contributes to fostering an inclusive and respectful working environment for staff, volunteers, and partner agencies.
Director of Distribution
Spatch brings over 25 years of experience in the non-profit sector. He has established youth and cultural programs for organizations like MaMawi, West Broadway, Lord Selkirk Developments, and Bear Clan. Currently, Spatch serves as the Operations Manager for N’Dinawemak, an Indigenous-led shelter. Additionally, he is a member of the Juno Award-winning bands Eagle and Hawk, and the Juno-nominated band Indian City.
Board Chair
Kristie Pearson brings over 25 years of experience in fundraising, marketing and strategic initiatives, she has collaborated with numerous charitable organizations, including the United Way Winnipeg, Inclusion Winnipeg, the Riverview Hospital Foundation, the Children’s Hospital Foundation, Rainbow Resource Centre, the Y Winnipeg Downtown Capital Campaign, and Clan Mothers Healing Village & Knowledge Centre. Recently, Kristie co-chaired a successful campaign for the United Way of Winnipeg, raising over $22.8 million alongside her husband, Doug.
Board Member
Rob Crowley is a retired businessman with 40 years of experience in the clothing industry. For the past 20 years, he has been actively involved in providing essential apparel to underserved and vulnerable populations. Collaborating with over 15 national retailers and manufacturers, Rob has effectively repurposed both new and used clothing and footwear, distributing them to more than 30 charitable organizations across Winnipeg.
Board Member
Shannon Johnson is a professional manager with extensive marketing and sales management, operations management, communication, and program design and delivery expertise. She has spent 13 years in the financial sector at TD Asset Management and TD Waterhouse, where she held senior-level positions. Shannon has dedicated 18 years to Manitoba Hydro in various roles, including establishing Manitoba Hydro’s Affordable Energy Unit and overseeing the licensing processes for Bipole III and the Manitoba-Minnesota Transmission Lines. She now serves as the Director of Distribution Operations and Management for the City of Winnipeg. Additionally, Shannon has contributed her leadership skills as President of the Canadian Club of Winnipeg, a Board member of Fort Whyte Alive, a Board member of the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra, an auction committee member for the Rainbow Society, and a Board member at the Winnipeg Winter Club.
Board Member
Liz dedicated her career to the financial services industry, where she developed expertise in project management, marketing, and communications. Throughout the years, Liz has focused on giving back to her community and is a strong advocate for community service activities. She has served on various Boards and Committees, including Fort Whyte Alive, the Canadian Advocate for the Adoption of Children, and the Victoria General Hospital Foundation. Currently, Liz is involved with the DASCH Foundation, Winnipeg Winter Club, Thrive Community Support Circle, and Linking Hope.
How We Started
Linking Hope was founded in 2021, but our sourcing and distribution model has been informally used by Lawrence Mullhall (Spatch) and Rob Crowley for the past 20 years. It initially operated under ‘PROJECT ECHO’ and ‘Sam’s Christmas.’ Clothing and food hampers were collected, sorted, and distributed to more than 20 local agencies, in partnership with organizations such as True North, BISON Transport, Sturgeon Creek High School, Sportchek, and Mark’s Work Wearhouse.
Since COVID-19, Kristie Pearson has grown this grassroots initiative from her garage, collecting and distributing items with the help of her large volunteer network. She has built partnerships with various local businesses and agencies.
Many grassroots groups have contacted us, thanking us for our support and requesting assistance to meet their communities’ needs. We provide them with free services so they can focus on their vital work in supporting our community.
What began as a grassroots effort has grown into a year-round coordinated distribution model serving over 100 frontline agencies.
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