On July 3, 2006, Clea Moss was officially declared dead. After accidentally ingesting an opioid to ease the pain of a serious car accident, her heart stopped for 30 minutes. Remarkably, she woke up.

Clea’s life is a remarkable journey marked by miracles and resilience similar to this. As a youth, she found herself in a difficult place. At one point, she ran away from home, got involved in organized crime, and then became a travelling hippie. Along the way, many judged her situation, saying, “Clea will never change; she will always be a user and can never manage like others.”

Passion through Tragedy

Clea was responsible for raising her siblings for a time and once an aunty, quickly became number one in the hearts of her nieces and nephews. During this period, she became passionate about investing in the lives of the many young people she crossed paths with.

Tragedy struck when Clea’s nephew overdosed. Before he passed, Clea promised him she would save as many other youth as she could. It was a painful moment but one that brought clarity: she would dedicate herself to caring for the most vulnerable youth struggling alone.

Clea’s path has forged an incredible conviction to help youth in extreme situations because she found herself in those same places. “Every day I wake up and am amazed that I’m alive,” says Clea, “God is always doing miracles, but we just don’t notice.”
Empowering Youth

A few years ago, Clea crossed paths with YU’s work in Mission and decided to volunteer. She has been journeying with young people in the area ever since and, in her own words, has “had many adventures with these youth.” Sadly, many of these adventures involve heartbreaking realities: homelessness, family deaths, sexual abuse, crime, and complex trauma. She has built relationships with youth that, without her support, would not still be with us today.

Clea and youth often celebrate important milestones together
Youth are invited to cook dinner for themselves and peers at MY House

“God just puts certain youth on my heart, and I do what I can to help,” says Clea. She often finds herself in the cracks where social systems break down, doing whatever she can to advocate for and connect youth with the help they need.

Now on staff with YU, Clea’s supporting presence is foundational for many MY House youth. “I seek to understand, not to judge,” says Clea. She’s there when it counts most, such as holding back the hair of a detoxing youth. “They need people who are there the whole time. It’s important for them to see that my view of them doesn’t change,” Clea explains.

In addition to providing spaces of understanding, Clea is passionate about empowering youth by teaching practical life skills at MY House. Learning how to clean a bathroom, mow a lawn, or cook a meal helps these young people find a sense of belonging and purpose within the community.

One of the latest situations God has placed on Clea’s heart is a homeless encampment of six youths. Moved by the desperate and overwhelming need, she is working to find housing for all of them. So far, Clea has connected four of them to shelters in Mission.

Through her work, Clea has helped many young people in critically desperate circumstances like this and her steady support in extreme situations has become an invaluable asset to the MY House team.

It Only Takes One

Clea and many other YU workers often say, “Youth just need one person to believe in them.” Walking alongside struggling youth who have no one else in their corner is a key factor that can lead to personal transformation. Vulnerable youth in our communities – the ones sometimes labelled abrasive or scarred – need the support of caring adults who actively seek them out when their families or social services seem to give up on them. Building relationships and providing support is exactly what Clea and other YU workers are doing and will continue to do for the overlooked youth of the Lower Mainland.

Clea and the MY House team partake in ‘Coldest Night of the Year’ each February

 

Blueberry Fundraiser

Want to support youth while munching on delicious Fraser Valley blueberries? Thanks to a generous local family and their farm, YU’s annual blueberry fundraiser is back this July. New this year: Krispy Kreme joins the menu! Stay tuned for more details closer to the summer.
To get a personalized reminder before this years fundraiser: www.youthunlimited.com/blueberryreminder
 

 

Golf Tournament 2025

GVYU’s annual Golf Tournament is celebrating 35 years of community and competition on May 29. We can’t say thank you enough for all the support over three and a half decades. Our faithful partnership team of golfers, sponsors and volunteers continue to play a huge role in helping make the work we do in Greater Vancouver possible. To learn more about this year’s tournament:
www.youthunlimited.com/golf

Fresh Prints – Creative Life

In March, twenty local artists came together to showcase their work and support Creative Life. The night was full of laughter and incredible artistry, while also serving as a chance for the community to learn more about the impact Creative Life makes in East Vancouver. We are so grateful for our community’s unwavering commitment to the youth of our region. 

P.S. Prints are still available to purchase! To view: www.youthunlimited.com/freshprints

 
 

 

 
 

  

A NOTE FROM MARK

Stories captivate us because they reflect the journeys we all live. As storytelling expert Robert McKee teaches, it’s the “inciting incident”—that moment disrupting ordinary life—that sparks transformation.
At Youth Unlimited, we witness these transformative moments daily. One of my greatest privileges is hearing the personal stories of our staff—what led them to devote their lives to the transformational mentorship of vulnerable youth.
In this month’s newsletter, you’ll meet Clea, whose life-changing experience propelled her toward sacrificial service. Today, she makes an extraordinary difference in the lives of young people facing immense challenges. Her journey mirrors Jesus’ first followers, whose disrupted lives created a community focused on the marginalized and forgotten.
This remains our core purpose: that vulnerable youth experience abundant life in Jesus—freedom from trauma and marginalization, discovering their inherent value and knowing they are deeply loved by their Creator and our Youth Unlimited community.
We are profoundly grateful for every person who gives to Youth Unlimited, ensuring that spiritual mentors like Clea can continue this transformational work.
Thank you for helping us write this life-changing story, one youth at a time.



Mark Koop
Executive Director