Streets Alive Mission (SAM), one of Lethbridge’s longest‑running support organizations for people experiencing homelessness, received a C$405,000 (US$300,000) donation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to help complete its new, expanded facility. The contribution funded essential electrical and HVAC installations, work that SAM Chief Development Officer Jennifer Lepko said was critical to opening the building: “This support has brought both literal and figurative light and warmth to those we serve.”
- 1-Jennifer-Lepko.jpeg
- 2-Kissik,-Atwood-and-Evanson.jpeg
- 3-Streets-Alive-Donation-Centre.jpeg
- 4-Streets-Alive-donation-cheque.jpeg
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
Elder James E. Evanson, General Authority Seventy and a member of the Church’s Canada Area presidency, emphasized that the work of SAM aligns with Christ’s teachings in Matthew 25 and praised Executive Director Ken Kissick and Manager Cam Kissick for their “tireless work in lifting the hands that hang down” throughout the community.
Elder Evanson highlighted SAM co-founders Ken and Julie Kissick, calling them “remarkable people who deserve all the support they can get.” He said, “They do this not out of any hope for recognition themselves, but because of who they are. I think, one day, they’ll stand in front of the Saviour and say, ‘When did we do that?’ And He’ll point out all the people they’ve saved and helped over the years.”
Ken expressed deep gratitude for the Church’s support: “They’ve partnered with us to make sure that the people of the community who are often forgotten and abandoned receive the services they need — but they also receive it with the love of God.”
Elder Evanson said this partnership reflects shared purpose: “The mission of Streets Alive — to bring physical, emotional and spiritual help and hope to people all around Lethbridge — aligns directly with our ideals of Christian values and our desire to bring hope and the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Ken led a tour of the nearly completed facility after a small ceremony marking the donation. He outlined the expanded services that will soon be available. These include a clothing bank, trusteeship‑based financial assistance, foot and hair care, drug recovery programs, halfway housing and a household goods donation centre. All services are provided free of charge and supported through volunteers and private donors.
Founded in 1989 in a small downtown building, SAM has steadily evolved to meet increasing community needs. In November 2025, backed by major donations, including this most recent gift, the organization moved into a modern facility opposite the Lethbridge Shelter and Resource Centre and the Lethbridge Soup Kitchen, enabling closer co-ordination of services. Because the Church’s donation will accelerate the completion of the new building, SAM expects to significantly expand its outreach and continue its mission of “Bringing Hope to the Hopeless.”
Last year, SAM assisted 1,200 individuals, delivering more than 16,000 services ranging from basic needs to recovery and reintegration support. With the completion of the new building, they expect to expand further and streamline services.
Elder Evanson concluded that supporting SAM reflects the Church’s scriptural mandate to care for the poor and vulnerable: “Service to ‘the least of these’ is service to the Saviour.”