Rachel Lo

Job Title
Coordinator, Volunteer Resources

Department/Location
VCH Community Volunteer Resources

How long have you worked at VCH?
7 years

Tell us what you do at VCH in one or two sentences:
I am fortunate to be working within Harm Reduction providing volunteers for our needle exchanges, and working with our Mental Health & Substance Use Teams to train and manage volunteers who run SMART meetings for clients in recovery. SMART helps clients to deal with urges and cravings, work on motivation, manage thoughts and feelings and create a healthy balanced life.

What’s your favourite thing about your work?
My volunteers continually amaze me with their generosity of their time and talents. I worked out recently that one of my needle exchange volunteers has contributed nearly 1,000 hours over five years of volunteering. That is such a fantastic gift to give and makes such a difference to the level service we can provide in health care.

Which True North goal does your work contribute to the most?
Promote better health for our communities

One thing we might be surprised to learn about you:
That I have never broken any bones! I don’t know if I’m just super lucky but fingers crossed that I never have to find out what it’s like!

Who or what inspires you?
My Mom inspires me. She is continually learning and developing, puts herself out into the world,  participates in activities that she loves, keeps working on eating healthily and exercising, is a kind, loving, generous person, and at the age of 70 has a better social life than I do!

Most healthy habit:
Tap dancing! Not only am I exercising but it is so much fun and I can totally immerse myself in the music and dancing to really be in the moment.

Favourite vacation spot:
I love travelling to new places when I vacation but so far my favourite trip was my honeymoon when my partner and I travelled to Cambodia and Thailand. The food was fantastic, the beaches beautiful, we met some amazing people and let’s just say there were some moments that involved snakes!