Can random acts of kindness become a deliberate force for good? Jordan MacDonald believes so—and he's building the proof by reshaping the future for teen parents across New Brunswick and beyond.
At just 17, MacDonald faced odds that would break most; a single teenage father on welfare, barely scraping by, and on the brink of dropping out. But what followed was a series of unexpected kindnesses and support services that, together, became life changing. With each moment of support from the UNB community, MacDonald’s life began to shift, from uncertainty to purpose, from survival to leadership.
Years after graduating at the University of New Brunswick , a serendipitous reunion with UNB professor Dr. Rob Moir—who once helped MacDonald access vital supports—sparked a bold idea; What if those life-altering moments didn’t have to be left to chance?
That question gave rise to Adapt for Education, a non-profit initiative MacDonald now leads that empowers teen parents in Saint John with the tools, guidance, and community they need to thrive. “What young parents need most isn’t judgment,” MacDonald says. “It’s someone to walk beside them, to believe in them, and to show them what’s possible.”
Adapt for Education was born of MacDonald’s lived experience of financial instability, addiction, housing insecurity and becoming a father to his daughter, Mylah, at just 17.
“When she was born, I started caring about the future,” he says. “She was a big catalyst.”
But caring didn’t make life easier. MacDonald was exhausted, overwhelmed and barely holding on. When he began failing in school, his vice-principal gently suggested he withdraw to find stability before returning. MacDonald refused.
“If I dropped out, that would be it,” he recalls. “I had a baby to care for. I couldn’t fail her.”
Through the support of a guidance counselor, Todd Cormier, he discovered he qualified for an adult high school diploma and was soon connected to UNB admissions. It was the first domino in a series of transformative events.
Starting university didn’t erase the challenges MacDonald faced. He was still juggling fatherhood, financial strain, and the daily pressure of staying afloat. One day, while running a small coffee stall at a local farmers' market with his high school sweetheart (now wife) Haley, MacDonald served a customer who noticed his UNB jacket and asked about his studies. That customer was Moir, a faculty member in the UNB Faculty of Business.
What began as a simple question turned into a life-altering conversation.
MacDonald shared some of the struggles he was facing as a student and young father. Moir listened, then offered more than sympathy. He connected MacDonald with critical supports that included UNB student services; financial aid, daycare options for Mylah and guidance that gave MacDonald the breathing room he needed to fully step into his potential.
With that support, everything changed. MacDonald immersed himself in university life. He became editor-in-chief of The Baron, UNB Saint John’s student newspaper, earned near-perfect grades in his final semesters, and even published research as an undergraduate—an uncommon achievement during an undergraduate degree.
After completing a Master of Science degree at Trent University, MacDonald returned to UNB to pursue a PhD in Experimental Psychology. During one of many campus events that bring the UNB community together, he ran into Moir again.
“I wanted him to know that what he did for me was a lot—probably more than he realized,” says MacDonald. “I thanked him, and we got to talking again about how this shouldn't have been a chance encounter.”
That conversation sparked the next chapter—creating a non-profit that would turn that chance encounter into intentional encounters with other young parents.
In November 2024, MacDonald and Moir officially launched Adapt for Education, incorporating it as a non-profit with a clear mission; to find young parents before crisis hits and walk with them toward a stable, empowered future.
Its leadership now includes faculty from UNB, medical professionals and students. Adapt was awarded seed funding from Harvard University, where MacDonald recently pitched the initiative with help from UNB’s J. Herbert Smith Centre, as well as Brunswick Credit Union. Adapt is actively building partnerships with schools, nonprofits and government agencies to embed its work in the heart of the Saint John community.
“We want to meet young parents where they’re at,” says MacDonald. “To connect them with mentors, help them access real-world resources and offer financial support so they can complete high school and pursue post-secondary education. Their future shouldn’t be determined by the age at which they had their first child.”
MacDonald credits the vision behind Adapt to two things, the birth of his daughter and the many supports he found at UNB. Faculty like Moir and Dr. David Speed, his current PhD supervisor, played instrumental roles in his journey. By connecting him with the resources he needed such as daycare options, financial aid and their own personal mentorship, these professors and UNB services helped pave the road for MacDonald to pursue his dream.
His doctoral research now centres on young parents, their experiences, their outcomes and how to make research more inclusive for teen fathers.
Today, Mylah is 10 and walking beside her dad on this mission. She even helped design the Adapt logo.
MacDonald’s impact extends beyond Adapt. He supports organizations such as Bee Me Kidz, Sistema New Brunswick and the UNB Promise Partnership, each focused on uplifting vulnerable youth and families in different ways.
Still, Adapt remains his calling.
MacDonald continues to share his story as he seeks community partners and funding support for Adapt. He finds ways to connect with teen parents who are struggling to navigate young parenthood.
There is hope ahead, he tells them, and he is here to help them find it.
“This work is my way of extending a hand back,” he says. “To tell young parents ‘You’re not alone. There is hope. And I will help you find it.’”
