About The Simplify Life Project
Compassionate support for real life challenges
Simplify Life Project is a nonprofit initiative committed to supporting individuals and families facing hardship. Discover how we’re helping people create stability, dignity, and a simpler path forward.
What are we putting forward
Our core values
Simplify Life Project began with a clear truth. When life becomes overwhelming, understanding support is often hardest to find. What started as informal help for people navigating mental health challenges, recovery, and major transitions grew into a focused effort to make care clearer and more humane. Our story is shaped by lived experience and by the people we serve.
Values that guide our work
We lead with empathy and respect. We act with honesty and care. We work alongside communities and partners who share our commitment to dignity, accountability, and responsible use of resources. We focus on support that lasts and helps people build stability over time.
Where we are headed
We envision a world where life’s challenges feel less overwhelming and support feels easier to access. We work toward communities grounded in compassion, stability, and opportunity. Our goal is simple. Protect dignity, restore hope, and help people build healthier, more fulfilling lives.
Purpose and direction
Simplify Life Project stands beside individuals and families facing hardship. We help people regain stability, dignity, and hope. Our work centers on compassionate support, clear guidance, and practical resources. We believe everyone deserves space to pause, rebuild, and move forward with confidence.
How we show up
We meet people where they are. We listen first. We focus on meaningful support rather than quick fixes. Through guidance, trusted resources, and community connection, we help simplify complex situations and create clear paths forward. Every interaction centers on dignity, empathy, and showing up with care.
Meet our team
Our driving forces behind The Simplify Life Project.
Sarah Camirand
Sarah Camirand is a compassionate leader driven by a deep commitment to helping people navigate life’s most challenging moments. With a heart for community support and meaningful change, she has dedicated her work to building initiatives that restore dignity, hope, and stability for individuals and families in need. Sarah believes in the power of empathy, practical action, and human connection to create real impact, and she continues to champion programs
Founder & CEO
Jennifer Smith
Jennifer Smith is the Chief Administrative Officer at The Simplify Life Project, bringing strong organization, steady leadership, and a deep commitment to service to everything behind the scenes. With over 20 years of customer service experience and hands-on knowledge managing the warehouse side of the project, Jen helps keep programs running smoothly so support reaches the people who need it most. Her connection to the work is personal. Jen has walked through the realities of addiction and recovery in her own family and understands what it means to need support — especially as a parent. Today, she’s deeply grateful for her husband’s long-term sobriety (over 10 years) and feels honoured to pay it forward by helping build something that truly strengthens the community.
Chief Administrative Officer
Clifford Burke
Clifford Burke a versatile leader with over 25 years of experience across the financial and media sectors. His career is defined by a commitment to operational excellence, strategic growth, and fostering strong professional relationships. Clifford spent a decade in the financial sector, notably serving as a Trading Representative on the floor of the Montreal Stock Exchange. He later transitioned to a 14-year career as a Technical Director and Operator of On-Air Master Control Operations for CFTO/CTV Bell Media. A lifelong learner, he was recently honoured as Valedictorian for his continuing education studies with the DDSB. Driven by his recent five-year journey now as a cancer survivor. A primary family caregiver for loved ones facing dementia and post-polio, Clifford brings a unique blend of high-level professional acumen and deep personal empathy to this new venture. He is dedicated to leveraging his skills in accountability and efficiency to drive meaningful impact for the cause.
Chairperson
Christine Southwood
With a career spanning more than 15 years as a Human Resources professional, Christine Southwood combines operational expertise with a heart for community service. Her background in governance includes a tenure on the Board of Directors for Girls Inc. of Durham, reflecting her dedication to fostering local leadership and social equity. Christine is known for her ability to align organizational goals with community needs, making her a powerful asset to the non-profit sector.
Chairperson
Leanne Keddie
Leanne Keddie is an Associate Professor of Accounting at the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario Canada. She earned her PhD in Accountancy from the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University in Montreal, QC. She is also a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA). Her research is in the area of sustainability accounting so she actively considers how organizations impact society and the environment. Her research has provided her the opportunity to engage with a variety of stakeholders including management, shareholders, regulators, and standard setters as interest continues to grow in social and environmental matters. Her work has received FRQSC and SSHRC funding, and has significant grant writing expertise. She also brings board of director expertise to the organization as she currently sits on the boards of 1) enuf Canada – a B-Corp social enterprise specializing in addressing waste; 2) Accounting Advisory Board for McGraw-Hill; 3) the Special Education Advisory Committee for the Ottawa Catholic School Board; 4) the Faculty Board at the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University and 5) numerous Editorial Advisory Boards for various peer-reviewed journals. Overall, she brings a wealth of accounting and governance knowledge to the organization.
Chairperson
Vanessa is a Housing and Support Case Manager with Trillium Health Partners, where she supports clients living with severe mental illness who are experiencing homelessness, at risk of homelessness, or transitioning to independent living in the Mississauga and South Etobicoke areas. She works alongside clients to help them build the skills, confidence, and support systems they need to live successfully in the community. Her work includes meeting with clients in their homes, in the community, or in the office, always with a person-centered and compassionate approach. Vanessa’s responsibilities include completing assessments to identify psychosocial needs, supporting individuals through the recovery process using a goal-oriented and skills-based approach, monitoring wellness and risk, and collaborating with treatment teams, physicians, and community resources. Psychoeducation is one of Vanessa’s greatest passions. She believes that while everyone copes differently, what connects us all is the complexity of being human. Compassion without judgment is at the heart of her work. She makes sure people feel seen, not reduced to their problems. For Vanessa, helping someone feel less alone is deeply meaningful, and being part of a person’s recovery journey is both an honour and a privilege. She believes emotional well-being is not just about treatment — it is also about connection, belonging, and hope.
Vanessa Fernandez
Chairperson
Our Volunteers
Our volunteers are the heart of Simplify Life. They are compassionate, dedicated individuals who give their time, energy, and kindness to support people when they need it most. Whether they’re helping organize programs, connecting with families, or simply offering a listening ear, our volunteers show what community truly looks like. Their generosity and humanity make our work possible and help bring hope, dignity, and real support to those we serve.
The heart of The Simplify Life ProjectGet involved
Join us in making a difference
Working together for lasting change
Through your support, Simplify Life Project can continue growing our programs and reaching more people who need stability, guidance, and hope.
Together, we can create meaningful change, strengthen communities, and help build a future where no one has to face life’s hardest challenges alone. This message highlights how our initiatives work together to create real, lasting impact and invites people to stand with us by getting involved, supporting, or sharing our mission.
Get involved
Join us in making a difference
Working together for lasting change
Through your support, Simplify Life Project can continue growing our programs and reaching more people who need stability, guidance, and hope.
Together, we can create meaningful change, strengthen communities, and help build a future where no one has to face life’s hardest challenges alone. This message highlights how our initiatives work together to create real, lasting impact and invites people to stand with us by getting involved, supporting, or sharing our mission.