The Union Gospel Mission’s annual Help-Portrait event provides free professional photos, hair styling and makeup services to individuals in the DTES community with the support of volunteers
On a crisp morning in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, Kayleigh Robertson stood holding the first professional photograph ever taken of herself and her seven-month-old daughter, Sequoia. The glossy image felt almost surreal — a small miracle, a symbol of something she had never imagined possible.
“She is so beautiful,” Kayleigh said, her voice trembling as tears wet the skin beneath her eyes. “I never got to do this with my first daughter.”
The pair’s portraits were taken as part of Union Gospel Mission’s annual Help-Portrait event, which provides free professional photos, hair styling and makeup services to individuals in the DTES community with the support of volunteers who donate their time and expertise.
“We’ve been hosting this event for a decade,” said UGM spokesperson Sarah Chew. “The photos are printed out and given to individuals to take home. For those without a fixed address or a cellphone to take selfies, some choose to mail their portraits to stay connected with their family each holiday season.”
At last year’s Help-Portrait event, the volunteer operation took portrait sessions for a total of 264 residents of the community.
For Robertson, it wasn’t just about getting a picture — it was about reclaiming something she had lost: the chance to be the mother she always wanted.
In the photos, Robertson and Sequoia were perfectly in sync, their bond clear in every frame — some showing Kayleigh kissing her daughter’s cheek or gently holding her hand. Kayleigh’s hair was styled in soft curls, and her makeup was professionally done — an experience she hadn’t had in years. Sequoia wore a red dress with roses on the front.
“I look so healthy,” said the 32-year-old, smiling as she looked at the image. She recalled a time when she was a size 0, her face sunken from years of crack cocaine addiction — a battle that began during an abusive relationship with a drug dealer. Before addiction took hold, Kayleigh had worked as a crisis manager in the legal field on the Sunshine Coast, her life filled with potential.
But an abusive relationship turned everything upside down.
Kayleigh remembers the day her life hit rock bottom nearly a year ago.
“I was sitting around, getting high and recovering from a blow to my head,” she recalled. “And then it hit me: I have a daughter. I have to get my life together for her.”
That moment was her turning point. Today, Kayleigh has been sober for a year. She recently graduated from UGM’s live-in supportive recovery program, Sanctuary, and is preparing to move into the charity’s transitional housing.
“I want my girls to have the best life they can have, to have every opportunity, love, respect and I’m the one to show them that, to show them healthy relationships,” said Robertson.
“I don’t see myself as a victim anymore, I see myself as somebody who overcame darkness and found my power.”
Jennifer Valla, the Help-Portrait makeup and hair director who styled Robertson’s hair, says she volunteers every year.
“I grew up in a low-income household, and an event like this is something my parents could never have afforded,” said Valla. “So, I want to help boost people’s confidence, so they can feel a sense of self-love when they see those photos printed.”
Robertson plans to hang up the photos of her and her daughter in their new home.