Working for a small but growing non-profit, my role has included everything from stuffing envelopes to meeting with local government officials. Some days I might be helping address property management concerns for a tenant while later that day could include working with an architect, other social agencies, or potential project partners. I'm comfortable in my role as a generalist.It is a mix and variety of work that keeps me fully stimulated, engaged, and provides a sense of purpose. Being part of something larger helps make our world a better place and is a good reason to get up in the morning. My primary role at Beyond Housing (formerly MennoHomes) is to foster an environment where all of our stakeholders (tenants, donors, volunteers, staff, board, and community partners) are engaged in the creation and ongoing sustainability of affordable housing. Beyond Housing is committed to providing affordable housing to households with low and modest incomes. We believe it is one of the most effective ways of addressing a variety of social and economic needs in our community and that it has a life-changing impact.For children, it means a safe and healthy environment that contributes to their health and well-being. For families, it creates a space where a house can become a home. For seniors, it provides them with the opportunity to live independently with dignity and self-respect.We welcome and invite partnerships with individuals, foundations, churches, businesses, governments, and other agencies. Our housing projects are economically and environmentally viable. They also include support services for our tenants.The work of Beyond Housing is to do more than just provide a place to live with low rent. We want to go beyond that. If you've read this far, I invite you to contact me to explore how you can join us in this work. Feel free to connect directly via email at ddriedger@beyondhousing.ca

My first job in the non-profit sector. (a bit of a cultural shift) My role in leading the Resource Development team provided me with the opportunity to meet or connect with many of the tremendously supportive donors and volunteers who "are" MCC. Helping to facilitate their generosity was a deeply meaningful experience.As a member of the Leadership Team for MCC Ontario, I helped to guide the organization through a number of transitions that culminated in the creation of the new building at 50 Kent Ave. in Kitchener. My time with MCC ended just prior to moving day but my new role with MennoHomes (now Beyond Housing) allowed me to move into their office space at 50 Kent just ahead of my former colleagues. ;-) We were able to still share lunch together until Beyond Housing moved to Elmira. Side Note - this is the first job I ever got after responding to a job posting. All of my previous jobs were cold calls. That might explain how I landed them. No competition... ;-)

Management Team member with supervisory responsibility for the Purchasing Department, Administrative Staff, and Project Management Personnel. When I started, there were only twelve of us, but there was a vision for something more. We all just worked hard in order to get the job done, and that grew the business. We were still issuing hand-created drawings out of engineering to the shop. My x386 computer cost $2,200.Yikes! Like the introduction of the fax machine, it took about 6 months to transition from "do you have email?" to "what's your email address?" How time flies.My roles over the years included everything from buying milk for coffee to project management for multi-million dollar automated assembly line installations. If I reflect on my years at Systematix, my time in Purchasing is where I felt most at home. I still have thousands a part numbers and spec's floating around in my head taking up valuable space. The pure joy of negotiating a good deal, and the satisfaction that came from overcoming production challenges, whether ours, our customer's, or our supplier's, was energizing. I thoroughly enjoyed my time but was also in a season of life when I felt drawn to invest my skills and energy in the non-profit sector, hence the transition to MCC.

Estimating, quoting, and sometimes actually landing a sale for exterior painting contracts to farmers and agri-business throughout South-Western Ontario. I met many really nice and interesting people, drove down countless gravel roads, and listened to almost every Blue Jays game for three seasons. My first cell phone was the size of a small suitcase and cost $2,000. It was hard to strap onto my pull cart when golfing. (kept tipping over due to the weight...). With a young family, it was time to find a job that allowed for more time with them. I was also interested in becoming involved in industry again so the opportunity to work at Systematix was perfect for me.

My first job "off-the-farm". I am forever thankful to Joe and Heather for giving me the opportunity. I looked 14 years old when I was 21 so dealing with customers all day over the phone was probably a wise decision. It was great fun. Our first fax machine cost $3,000. I recall that within 6 months, the question changed from "do you have a fax machine?" to "what's your fax number?"The opportunity to try my hand at sales and work with my brother was a challenge that I was eager to accept. I resigned from my first "real" job to join Glen Eaton Paints.Many industrial customers from that era are no longer in operation in South-Western Ontario. (think Massey Ferguson, Arrow Shirt, BF Goodrich, Kaufman Footwear, etc) To experience the tail-end of the older industrial age provided valuable insights and experience. It also makes me a little sad.