Working “Alongside Hope” with Mark Hauck

Keeping our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus means including care for the world beyond our borders. That’s where the work of Mark Hauck and Alongside Hope (formerly The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund) comes in.

The Diocese of Niagara’s very own Mark Hauck, a parishioner of St. Mark’s Anglican Church in Orangeville and now the Board President of Alongside Hope, has always truly been working “alongside hope.” Mark has both a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto and a Master of Arts from McMaster University, in Political Science. He also has his Bachelors in Education from the University of Toronto and teaches for the Peel School Board. In addition to his teaching, however, Mark has over 30 years of experience in fundraising, marketing, and international development bringing a wealth of knowledge to Alongside Hope.

Mark has worked in a variety of settings as a former fundraising consultant on capital campaigns, including for McMaster University. His interest turned to international development working which eventually led him to Alongside Hope.

Mark describes international development as the most challenging field to fundraise for but notes that’s why he does it. “I have experience raising funds and working in the development field,” he says, “in international development spaces through my work with Oxfam and Habitat for Humanity in Canada.” He then reflects on a particular experience with Oxfam during the Rwanda genocide of 1994. The terrible acts of violence, destruction, and horrors were shocking for the world to witness in the news. Oxfam and other NGOs were fervently advocating for UN support and troops to put an end to it all. Rwanda was left in ruins. “In three months, we raised a million dollars, which was a tremendous success for an international development agency like Oxfam Canada.” He attributes that success to the urgency of the appeal, the devastation of the country, the work of Canadian peacekeepers, and leadership of General Roméo Dallaire which was broadcast across Canada at a scale that had not been seen before. “When I was there for this particular appeal,” he says, “we used strategic and creative marketing techniques that displayed the urgency of the appeal and how those funds were needed desperately to help the situation.”

Mark has now taken his previous experience and become involved with Alongside Hope for the past 4 years as chair of the fundraising committee, vice president of the board, and now board president since October of 2024. Being heavily involved in the work behind the name change from PWRDF to Alongside Hope, Mark is positive, and confident about the change. “The process to change was transparent. It involved a wide variety of stakeholders, board members, volunteers, staff, youth council, and diocesan representatives.” Mark notes that the change has been well received so far but adds “while the name has changed the work is exactly the same, and what is really important is the people who are helping behind the name.”

Alongside Hope has around 50 partnerships with civil society organizations across the world for their development work. In emergency, humanitarian crises they will find additional partners who are working on the ground “In Gaza, we work with the Diocese of Jerusalem, and the Anglican Alliance to provide support to them.” Sometimes, the Government of Canada, through Global Affairs Canada, identifies a need and looks for an international development agency in Canada that they can fund to collaborate with their partners to deliver the programs. Programs like the Solar Suitcase Campaign “It was providing a mobile child delivery apparatus,” Mark shares, “that provided light and all sorts of equipment that would allow rural clinics in Africa to be able to help deliver babies in the poorest regions of Southern Africa.” Mark laughs, “It literally looked like a suitcase.” Mark goes on to explain how this mobile setup is meant to be compact and packed like a suitcase for ease of transport.

When asked if this career path has always been his dream he shares “It’s the one thread in my life that has continued from my early working days with Oxfam, all the way through either volunteer, or working through volunteer opportunities, and working with Alongside Hope is like the culmination of everything I’ve done over the last number of years.” Mark will be heading to Africa in June for his next project, “Seeing the work, and the impact we make firsthand has made all the difference in my commitment to continue working in this difficult field.”

Mark noted that the Canada Post strike at the end of 2024 certainly impacted the donations they received recently but is appreciative of the support coming in so far in this early part of the year. Alongside Hope will continue to accept donations addressed to PWRDF for well over a year so not to worry if you accidentally make your donations out to the wrong name!

Mark reflects on his faith and the role it has in his work, “I’ve always felt that following the faith, and following Jesus’ example, working with the most marginalized people in Canada and the rest of the world, helps to provide a spark to my own faith.”