Meet Macey: A Heartfelt Voice at Our Front Desk

Lifeline's newest volunteer, Macey, understands the courage it takes to reach out for help.

When you walk through the doors of Chabad Lifeline, one of the first faces you may see is one of our brave volunteers, Macey. With a calm, gentle presence and a warm smile, she welcomes every visitor with genuine care. But behind that front desk is a story shaped by loss, healing, and a powerful desire to give back.

Macey is 23 and recently graduated from McGill University. Mental health advocacy has always been close to her heart—something her whole family has been passionate about for years. But their connection to Chabad Lifeline was born out of something deeply personal and painful. “I lost my dad after a long struggle with bipolar disorder,” she shares. “It was heartbreaking, and back then, we didn’t even know that places like Chabad Lifeline existed. Mental health was a taboo subject. We didn’t talk about it. We didn’t know where to go.”

That tragic loss led Macey’s mother and sister to Rabbi Bresinger. Through him, they discovered the work of Chabad Lifeline, and the support they didn’t realize they’d needed all along. For years, Macey kept an emotional distance from spaces like this, unsure how to step back into the world of mental health from a place of healing. “But now, I see how widespread and urgent these struggles are, and I want to be part of something real—something that brings light to people’s darkest moments."

That’s why Macey chose to volunteer, not just anywhere, but specifically at Chabad Lifeline. Sitting at the front desk, answering calls, welcoming new faces—she sees a side of life many people never do. “I’ve come to realize how many people are suffering silently. Everyone wears a smile, but behind closed doors, there’s often deep pain. At the front desk, I see the raw emotion, the vulnerability, the courage it takes to ask for help.”

And what makes Chabad Lifeline unique? According to Macey, it’s not just one thing—it’s everything. “First of all, it’s free. That’s so rare when mental health support is often expensive and inaccessible. But even more than that, it’s the way people are treated here. No one is turned away. The moment someone walks in, the team does everything possible to get them into a meeting or with a counselor that very same day.”

She describes it as an “end-to-end” approach, where each person is met with dignity and care from the first moment to the last. And none of it would be possible without the generosity of the community. “It’s truly beautiful to be part of a Jewish community that not only protects its own but opens its arms to everyone. That’s what mitzvahs are about. That’s how I was raised. And now I get to be a part of it.”

As she prepares to begin a new chapter in her life—a consulting role in the business world—Macey says this experience will always stay with her. “I want to keep building connections, wherever I go. Volunteering here has reminded me how important it is to show up for people. It’s something I’ll carry with me, always.”

We are so grateful for Macey’s time, her empathy, and her calming presence. Her story is a reminder that even in our most painful chapters, we can find the strength to help others write a better one.