By Joe Mancini
Published June 2026
On May 9th 2026, we celebrated Arleen Macpherson’s immense contribution to the development of The Working Centre community. For over 30 years from (1987 – 2017) Arleen offered unwavering commitment to support those who have been left out. Her work was marked by her natural ability to combine prayerful reflection with thoughtful action. Her practicality was demonstrated by taking on St. John’s Kitchen and creating a place of welcome and hospitality. This work stretched from organizing and cooking in the kitchen, to walking gently with those facing struggles, to writing and reflecting on poverty and relationships.
Arleen knew the importance of action in the midst of poverty. Her father had been injured in a mining accident. Consequently, she and her six siblings grew up at their grandparents’ small hotel in Gowganda in Northern Ontario. Money was scarce, as were jobs, and the family had to make do by pitching in together. Arleen was uniquely skilled to combine her life experience with her practical ability to organize and problem solve and could easily relate to the hundreds of people who came each day to St. John’s Kitchen for a meal. Many, like her father, were unemployed for years because of a serious injury. Many others struggled with the loss of family, alcohol, mental health issues, and Arleen was always there to listen and be supportive.
Arleen came to The Working Centre as a woman in her 50’s with highly developed spiritual and community leadership skills. The Working Centre was hungry for this kind of leadership. It was not long before Arleen was at the centre of The Working Centre project.
In the December 1994 issue of Good Work News Arleen explained the kind of community we were attempting to create:
“St. John’s Kitchen long ago became a place where people gathered for more than food. People come to socialize, meet friends, play cards, support one another and help with tasks. It is a rare place where people with strongly divergent points of view can spend substantial periods of time in relative harmony. It seems like the ideal place to develop and practice the virtues of gentleness, respect, love and inclusiveness that sometimes get forgotten in our competitive and often harsh world.”
Arleen retired as coordinator of St. John’s Kitchen in 1999 and two years later we invited Arleen to join the Board of Directors where she continued until she formally retired in 2017. The last three years Arleen was Board President, capping a long commitment to and with The Working Centre that stretched over 30 years.
When Arleen retired she used the words, belonging, laughter, understanding, gratitude, hospitality, and openness to describe St. John’s Kitchen. What she meant by those words was a description of the culture she encountered each day. “Food is an important part of St. John’s Kitchen,” Arleen wrote, “it is around food that we gather to recognize our common humanity and to establish a sense of belonging.” Arleen weaved hospitality, courage and generosity into the fabric of St. John’s Kitchen and The Working Centre. Thank you Arleen for the blessings you brought to our community.
View Arleen’s Good Work News articles
Under Home by David Macpherson
(This song was written in 1993 by David for his mother and he sung it in tribute at the memorial service)
Feed the children and put roofs over their heads
Put shoes on their feet and keep them warm
Give them love and understanding and
At the end of the day they’ll all come home
Feed the old and put roofs over their heads
Put shoes on their feet and keep them warm
Give them love and understanding and
For so many years they gave you a home
Won’t you please feed me and put a roof over my head
Put shoes on my feet and keep me warm
Give me love and understanding and
At the end of the day we won’t be alone
And I will feed you and I’ll put a roof over your head
Put shoes on your feet and keep you warm
I will love and understand you and
At the end of the day we will be home.
Feed the children and put roofs over their heads
Put shoes on their feet and keep them warm
Give them love and understanding and
At the end of the day they’ll all come home
