Be kind, look out for your community, and do something that is both intentional and meaningful.
For Jarvis Strong, it’s as simple as that.
Jarvis grew up in Kitchener, Ontario, and got his start working for Kitchener Playgrounds as a lifeguard and community drop-in leader at a very early age. It was a springboard into working with children, and it quickly became a big part of his life.
“It kind of became who I was,” he said.
As a teen, Jarvis went through a bit of a rough patch, running with the wrong crowd and getting into trouble. In Grade 11, a teacher took notice, and accepted Jarvis into a leadership phys-ed program — it was a “game changer.”
“I was a loner, I was a troublemaker. I was just not on a good path, and it got me on the right path,” said Jarvis.
After high school, he hit his second springboard accepting a job with Tim Hortons Foundation Camps, or as Jarvis calls it, “donut camp.” The job was based in Kananaskis, Alberta, unknown to Jarvis when he applied. It was his first time travelling and his boss and director quickly became a lifelong mentor.
“That first summer away from home… It was a pivotal summer,” he said.
In the fall, Jarvis returned to Ontario and started his degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies at the University of Waterloo, spending every summer back in Alberta working at the camp. Jarvis said he was “hooked on the mountains and hooked on working with kids.”
The majority of the children he worked with often faced certain socioeconomic barriers, and it became a cause very close to Jarvis’ heart. After graduating from university, he spent a decade running summer camps and outdoor leadership programs in Alberta, Kentucky, and Squamish, British Columbia. However, after spending seven years in Squamish, Jarvis returned to Ontario once more to begin a new chapter in his life. He shifted away from summer camp programs and took on the role of general manager at the Collingwood YMCA in an attempt to work in a more urban-based community setting.
“Camp was a community, but in this wilderness, isolated setting,” said Jarvis. The transition allowed him to incorporate community values in a different sense, which by this point, had become a key thread in his life — both personally and professionally.
Jarvis got offered the job before even living in the area, and not six months in, decided he wanted to create a life in Collingwood.
“I had driven through Collingwood, but never in my wildest dreams did I think I would live here,” he laughed. He moved up with his wife at the time and their young daughter ten years ago.
Since then, Jarvis has done quite the “tour of duty” in leadership roles at various charity-related organizations. After leaving the YMCA, Jarvis became the executive director of Big Brothers, Big Sisters, and then went and worked in fundraising for the Collingwood General & Marine Hospital.
“I have kind of done this community tour of not-for-profit organizations,” Jarvis laughed. Or, as his industry calls it, “social-profit and purpose driven work.”
Four years ago, Jarvis was introduced to Brandon Houston. He took a liking to the guy immediately and wanted to learn more about the Foundry. Shortly after, in September 2017, Jarvis left his role at the hospital and decided to try his hand at independent consulting for not-for-profits, helping other organizations “strengthen themselves and their strategic plans.” He became a full time member at the Foundry and ran his consultancy business, which he aptly named Strong Directions, for about two years.
Life happened, as it does, and despite not wanting to leave Collingwood, a job offer took Jarvis to Toronto.
“I loved consulting, but my clientele was non-profits and I was trying to get profits from them. It’s like trying to get blood out of a rock. It wasn’t working,” he said. “I also had a lot to learn, I was still quite new in my career.”
The job he was offered was as the executive director for a charity called Camp Quality Canada. He was back in the camping world, but this time instead of running the camps, he was running the business operations — and he loved it.
When Covid hit, Jarvis was still living in the city but had a weekend place in Collingwood. Working from home in Toronto wasn’t working for him, so he started spending more time at his place in town. But even then, he was “bored and unproductive,” so he started coming back to the Foundry part time last spring.
“I was reminded of how much I love being around productive, focused, social people,” said Jarvis, so he registered full time in July.
This past fall, Jarvis got offered a new position with another youth charity called DAREArts as the director of development. The organization was founded 25 years ago in the most underserved communities in Canada and specializes in using arts-related education programs to help students facing significant barriers develop the skills and confidence they need to see themselves as changemakers. Working for DARE has allowed Jarvis to continue facilitating youth programs, but deepen his involvement in the business, marketing and development side, and he said it’s the perfect fit.
“I am still quite new, but absolutely loving it,” said Jarvis. “I love finding a cause I truly believe in.”
He also loves that he can do this meaningful work from a space such as the Foundry.
“I leave home at home, I enjoy the eight-minute drive in, sometimes biking, getting the tunes going, and then when I set foot here… Even though we have our own businesses, everybody is so keen to see each other succeed,” said Jarvis. Most importantly, he said he loves being surrounded by other business owners who are driven by purpose.
“Charities and nonprofits… They are still businesses,” said Jarvis. “But often, organizations in the charity secretary… they don’t run like businesses.”
Jarvis said that being surrounded by entrepreneurs who have a very strong business acumen gives him “this extra motivation and creative, innovative edge” that he can bring to his sector. He has big plans for his new role, but when it comes down to it, what Jarvis really loves about the work he does is that every day he feels like he is doing something that is meaningful — something he will be able to look back on and know that he made a tangible difference.
“We spend most of our lives working and sleeping… We have to sleep, but you have control over what you do with your time at work,” said Jarvis. “Why wouldn’t you choose something that makes you money and gives you a good life, but also benefits the world?”
For him, it’s about doing well, by doing good.
Even outside of work, Jarvis spends most of his waking moments helping someone in some way. He sits on several boards and volunteers for a few different organizations, and he really loves the term “pay it forward.”
For Jarvis Strong, it’s as simple as that.
Jarvis grew up in Kitchener, Ontario, and got his start working for Kitchener Playgrounds as a lifeguard and community drop-in leader at a very early age. It was a springboard into working with children, and it quickly became a big part of his life.
“It kind of became who I was,” he said.
As a teen, Jarvis went through a bit of a rough patch, running with the wrong crowd and getting into trouble. In Grade 11, a teacher took notice, and accepted Jarvis into a leadership phys-ed program — it was a “game changer.”
“Camp was a community, but in this wilderness, isolated setting,”
“I was a loner, I was a troublemaker. I was just not on a good path, and it got me on the right path,” said Jarvis.
After high school, he hit his second springboard accepting a job with Tim Hortons Foundation Camps, or as Jarvis calls it, “donut camp.” The job was based in Kananaskis, Alberta, unknown to Jarvis when he applied. It was his first time travelling and his boss and director quickly became a lifelong mentor.
“That first summer away from home… It was a pivotal summer,” he said.
In the fall, Jarvis returned to Ontario and started his degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies at the University of Waterloo, spending every summer back in Alberta working at the camp. Jarvis said he was “hooked on the mountains and hooked on working with kids.”
The majority of the children he worked with often faced certain socioeconomic barriers, and it became a cause very close to Jarvis’ heart. After graduating from university, he spent a decade running summer camps and outdoor leadership programs in Alberta, Kentucky, and Squamish, British Columbia. However, after spending seven years in Squamish, Jarvis returned to Ontario once more to begin a new chapter in his life. He shifted away from summer camp programs and took on the role of general manager at the Collingwood YMCA in an attempt to work in a more urban-based community setting.
“Camp was a community, but in this wilderness, isolated setting,” said Jarvis. The transition allowed him to incorporate community values in a different sense, which by this point, had become a key thread in his life — both personally and professionally.
Jarvis got offered the job before even living in the area, and not six months in, decided he wanted to create a life in Collingwood.
“I had driven through Collingwood, but never in my wildest dreams did I think I would live here,” he laughed. He moved up with his wife at the time and their young daughter ten years ago.
Since then, Jarvis has done quite the “tour of duty” in leadership roles at various charity-related organizations. After leaving the YMCA, Jarvis became the executive director of Big Brothers, Big Sisters, and then went and worked in fundraising for the Collingwood General & Marine Hospital.
“I have kind of done this community tour of not-for-profit organizations,” Jarvis laughed. Or, as his industry calls it, “social-profit and purpose driven work.”
Four years ago, Jarvis was introduced to Brandon Houston. He took a liking to the guy immediately and wanted to learn more about the Foundry. Shortly after, in September 2017, Jarvis left his role at the hospital and decided to try his hand at independent consulting for not-for-profits, helping other organizations “strengthen themselves and their strategic plans.” He became a full time member at the Foundry and ran his consultancy business, which he aptly named Strong Directions, for about two years.
“I leave home at home, I enjoy the eight-minute drive in, sometimes biking, getting the tunes going, and then when I set foot here… Even though we have our own businesses, everybody is so keen to see each other succeed,”
Life happened, as it does, and despite not wanting to leave Collingwood, a job offer took Jarvis to Toronto.
“I loved consulting, but my clientele was non-profits and I was trying to get profits from them. It’s like trying to get blood out of a rock. It wasn’t working,” he said. “I also had a lot to learn, I was still quite new in my career.”
The job he was offered was as the executive director for a charity called Camp Quality Canada. He was back in the camping world, but this time instead of running the camps, he was running the business operations — and he loved it.
When Covid hit, Jarvis was still living in the city but had a weekend place in Collingwood. Working from home in Toronto wasn’t working for him, so he started spending more time at his place in town. But even then, he was “bored and unproductive,” so he started coming back to the Foundry part time last spring.
“I was reminded of how much I love being around productive, focused, social people,” said Jarvis, so he registered full time in July.
This past fall, Jarvis got offered a new position with another youth charity called DAREArts as the director of development. The organization was founded 25 years ago in the most underserved communities in Canada and specializes in using arts-related education programs to help students facing significant barriers develop the skills and confidence they need to see themselves as changemakers. Working for DARE has allowed Jarvis to continue facilitating youth programs, but deepen his involvement in the business, marketing and development side, and he said it’s the perfect fit.
“We spend most of our lives working and sleeping… We have to sleep, but you have control over what you do with your time at work,” said Jarvis. “Why wouldn’t you choose something that makes you money and gives you a good life, but also benefits the world?”
“I am still quite new, but absolutely loving it,” said Jarvis. “I love finding a cause I truly believe in.”
He also loves that he can do this meaningful work from a space such as the Foundry.
“I leave home at home, I enjoy the eight-minute drive in, sometimes biking, getting the tunes going, and then when I set foot here… Even though we have our own businesses, everybody is so keen to see each other succeed,” said Jarvis. Most importantly, he said he loves being surrounded by other business owners who are driven by purpose.
“Charities and nonprofits… They are still businesses,” said Jarvis. “But often, organizations in the charity secretary… they don’t run like businesses.”
Jarvis said that being surrounded by entrepreneurs who have a very strong business acumen gives him “this extra motivation and creative, innovative edge” that he can bring to his sector. He has big plans for his new role, but when it comes down to it, what Jarvis really loves about the work he does is that every day he feels like he is doing something that is meaningful — something he will be able to look back on and know that he made a tangible difference.
“We spend most of our lives working and sleeping… We have to sleep, but you have control over what you do with your time at work,” said Jarvis. “Why wouldn’t you choose something that makes you money and gives you a good life, but also benefits the world?”
For him, it’s about doing well, by doing good.
Even outside of work, Jarvis spends most of his waking moments helping someone in some way. He sits on several boards and volunteers for a few different organizations, and he really loves the term “pay it forward.”
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