All the Way

In This Issue Message from the President & CEO Updates from our Team National Housing Strategy CAEH17 Annual General Meeting—2017

This Star Blanket, created and donated by Donna Spence of

Peguis First Nation, was displayed center stage throughout the

conference. Star Blankets are gifts to honour significant events and

milestones. To give a Star Blanket shows respect and admiration.

To receive a Star Blanket indicates that the giver holds you in very

high esteem. Donna offered this gift to honour the life of her broth-

er Faron Spence and those who work to end homelessness. CAEH

made a commitment to honour Indigenous world views, spirituality

and practices at CAEH17 throughout the program, in the confer-

ence venue, and in event protocols.

End Homelessness Winnipeg Newsletter—Edition IV November/December 2017

This conference was an opportunity for social service workers,

policy makers, funders and individuals with lived experience to

come together to share knowledge and effective approaches to

reduce and ultimately end homelessness in our communities.

Throughout the conference, CAEH and End Homelessness

Winnipeg incorporated the use of traditional knowledge and

Elders from different communities and territories to reflect re-

spect for diversity of world views, and the sacredness of proto-

col and prayer.

At different points throughout the conference, Elders and

Knowledge Keepers were asked to offer prayers and teachings

to conference participants. These were opportunities for the

group to give thanks and reflect on their journey. The wisdom

that comes through prayer, language, and traditional practice

serve to strengthen and lift spirit.

Songs and drum groups are also used to honour spirit, recog-

nize traditions, and bring people together to a common and

powerful place of respect.

As the local host of the conference, End Homeless Winnipeg,

along with members of the planning committee, spent many

months in planning this event to ensure the amazing work be-

ing done by dedicated agencies in Winnipeg was highlighted.

The feedback on this event was phenomenal and the learnings

immeasurable. Much of what people spoke about were the

efforts made to keep the reality of homelessness front and cen-

ter throughout the event, including having a Sacred Fire burn-

ing where people who are living on the street could gather and

stay warm, the hosting of the CEO Sleepout during the confer-

ence, and the Memorial Service honouring those whose lives

were lost to the streets.

Homelessness is one of the most challenging social issues in

Winnipeg and across Canada. We, and organizations across

the country, are dedicated to eradicating homelessness by

using approaches that some communities have already proven

to be successful and developing new approaches to both pre-

vent and eliminate homelessness.

Louis Sorin, President & CEO

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness Conference 2017

Marie Cecile Kotyk, Manager Housing Access

We would like to thank the almost 60 volunteers that assist-

ed in making this conference the success it was. Behind the

scenes, there were ambassadors, session helpers, tour

guide assistants, and many more individuals who donated

their time over the three days of the conference.

The volunteers were treated well and were happy to be a

part of the conference as they learned about Indigenous

homelessness and made connections with people across

Canada.

Individuals with Lived experience were recruited from agen-

cies to attend the conference on scholarships. Youth agen-

cies, shelters, the Lived Experience Circle, Aboriginal agen-

cies, women’s agencies, agencies in Brandon, Thompson,

and others were all contacted to find out if they had some-

one who would be interested in attending and perhaps shar-

ing their stories if asked.

As a result, 20 individuals with Lived experience were regis-

tered to attend the conference.

The Lived experience individuals were very valuable to have

at the conference as they brought insight into the issue of

homelessness, shared their experiences and knowledge,

learned from others and contributed to solutions to ending

homelessness.

Darren Lezubski, Manager Shared Measurement & Evaluation

Lessons learned from the conference:

Biggest “lesson” learned is that the challenges faced in Win-

nipeg are not unique to Winnipeg.

We have a lot of ground to catch up on some communities

when it comes to data collection.

TEAM UPDATES

The HIFIS workshop was fantastic as it illustrated some of the

wide range of diversity HIFIS could be used for if people adopt

it and try to get as much as they can from the software. This

includes housing supply management, case/client involvement

including tracking how much time and results involved with

individual clients.

HIFIS Clinic— one of the best sessions I went to. Demon-

strated just how versatile HIFIS could be if people adopt and

use it. Lots of things it could be used for aside from just

counting clients. It can track number of times and time spent

with each client so that indicator data can be collected. It can

also be used as a housing management tool.

This one session likely had the most impact on future work

moving forward.

Models of engaging people with lived experience of homeless-

ness—another session I found helpful. Demonstrated the

desire people with lived experience want to be heard and lis-

tened to. All of the presenters noted the struggle of engaging

people with lived experience due to the lack of trust or faith

anything will really happen. People are tired of participating

and not seeing real change.

The models for engaging people with lived experience was

probably the best session I attended.

HIFIS Research Roundups: Chronic Homelessness, Shelter

Use by Indigenous People and Community – Level Analysis.

Fantastic discussion—lots of people from across the country

agree that the current way “chronic homelessness” is defined

is a problem. The idea is to move to essentially a “moving

average”.

The HIFIS roundup presentation demonstrated both through

the presentation and discussion with participants afterwards

the issues, challenges and approaches different communities

have had in establishing a community data collection system

people trust and buy into. Our community is not that different

in the issues and challenges raised.

This session really showed how much of a patchwork system

we have across Canada in terms of who does what.

Althea Guiboche, Manager Housing Supports

Greetings All My Relations!

First off, I want to congratulate everyone that was involved in the

planning process of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness

2017. Winnipeg prepared for and hosted an amazing Indigenous

focused conference to be proud of, I commend all the volunteers for

helping, and want to thank all the artists who set up at the Artisan

Marketplace!

I would like to acknowledge the youth group who made videos for

the conference in partnership with JUSTTV and End Homelessness

Winnipeg. One such video was Faith Gore’s video titled “Women at

Risk” featured myself and Vanessa Gamblin, who works at Siloam.

Faith did a fantastic job of weaving the two story lines together, in

my opinion, she has a bright future ahead of her.

.

From left to right:

Ethan Spence, Nicholas Pranteau, Benjamin Nattaway,

Brandon McPherson, and Faith Gore

Their videos were presented to a juried panel and five scholarships

were provided to these talented youth to continue their amazing

work. These videos were shown at the 2017 CEO Sleepout.

The Winnipeg Cold Weather Response Committee has launched

this year’s coordinated plan, the efforts will be a city-wide collabora-

tion amongst homeless serving shelters and agencies. There will

be a united outreach van effort, with all agencies communicating

and collaborating to support those exposed to the extreme cold

temperatures.

Please visit our website to read this Response Guide at: https://

endhomelessnesswinnipeg.ca/extreme-cold-weather-response-

plan/ familiarize yourself with the information and if the opportunity

comes, please pass the information along or call for assistance on

their behalf. Miigwetch, stay warm.

TEAM UPDATES

National Housing Strategy – Tar-gets and Key Initiatives

The National Housing Strategy (NHS) is the first

such strategy in Canada with a $40 billion commit-

ment over 10 years. This strategy reestablishes the

federal role in housing and introduces key tools to

fill critical gaps, respond to imbalances in housing

markets and spur innovation.

The strategy targets the following households and

individuals:

530,000 households removed from housing need

385,000 households protected from the lose of

affordable housing and 50,000 households to

benefit from expanding community housing

300,000 existing housing units repaired and re-

newed

300,000 households to access Canada Housing

Benefit

100,000 new housing units created

50% reduction in estimated number of chronical-

ly homeless shelter users

Some of the commitments and initiatives outlined

in the strategy include:

Federal community housing initiatives

Homelessness programming

Evidence-based housing: research, data and

demonstrations

A new Canada housing benefit

Distinctions-based Indigenous strategies

Federal/provincial territorial housing partnership

The right to housing embedded through legisla-

tion

National housing co-investment fund and federal

lands for affordable housing

The biggest news in the announcement is the intro-

duction of a National Portable Housing Benefit, the

introduction of the Right to Housing, and significant

federal investment in affordable housing.

We also think we’ll see the government prioritizing

Canadians in greatest need through the NHS, in-

cluding people experiencing homelessness.

This strategy will give us the tools and resources

we need to reverse the trajectory of homelessness

in this country.

CAEH—2017 October 25 to 27 — Winnipeg, Manitoba

Approximately 1,100 individuals from across Canada and

internationally came together October 25-27th, 2017 in Win-

nipeg to the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness

(CAEH17) Conference held at the RBC Convention Centre

(RBCC).

This event also included a ½ day Pre-conference Summit on

Indigenous Homelessness held October 24 and the CEO

Sleepout held on October 26.

Opening Ceremony with Pete Parisien (drummer) and Sharon Redsky,

CAEH board member

In addition, EHW hosted the welcome reception and organized local tours and sessions

focusing on youth homelessness, women’s homelessness, and Indigenous homeless-

ness. Community organizations held meetings, community visits, and gala events.

Walking tours with CHAT, Mama Bear Clan, and Bear Clan, along with special guided

tours through the Canadian Museum for Human Rights were very well received and

very well attended.

David McPherson Sacred Firekeeper

CEO Sleepout

This was the transition year for this event that was held in partnership with Winnipeg Downtown BIZ (“BIZ”). It was the 6th

annual event and raised over $132,000 towards the creation of job opportunities for individuals experiencing homelessness.

EWH worked closely with the BIZ to ensure a successful event.

The Sleepout ended with a memorial ceremony at

sunrise on October 27 that was very moving and

underscored the loss suffered by the most vulnera-

ble members of our community. A memorial plaque

was donated by Larsen’s Memorials and Eternal

Grace and has been installed on the north wall of

the Access Centre at 640/650 Main Street facing the

Bell Hotel.

Next year, EHW will be the lead organization and

the BIZ will provide support for the event. The Sleepout was held in collaboration with the CAEH conference and featured

the release of youth videos on homelessness, a KAIROS blanket exercise (colonization and decolonization), along with the

sunrise memorial ceremony. The BIZ and EHW has initiated a call for proposals from community organizations looking to

create employment opportunities.

The conference included a ½ day Pre-conference Summit on Indigenous Homelessness hosted by End Homelessness Win-

nipeg. This Summit sought to engage participants in a facilitated and interactive process that involved keynote speakers,

panel presentations, and roundtable group work. The focus was on defining Indigenous homelessness; linking Indigenous

homelessness to the work of The Truth and Reconciliation Report; and aligning homelessness work at the federal, provincial,

and local levels.

Three hundred participants took part in the Summit. Almost 60% of participants were from outside Manitoba. Roundtable

discussions sought to gathering knowledge from the circle (participants). Students from Urban Circle Training Centre and

Red River College served as notetakers for the roundtable discussions. Their detailed notes documented themes and com-

ments arising from the discussions.

Highlights of the Summit included welcom-

ing remarks from Mr. Kevin Sitka, CEO of

Assiniboine Credit Union, opening com-

ments by Grand Chief Arlen Dumas of the

Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, and a key-

note presentation by Mr. Jesse Thistle and

Ms. Althea Guiboche that shared a new

definition of Indigenous Homelessness. This was followed by a presentation by Ce-

leste McKay who linked homelessness to

the work occurring on Truth and Reconcilia-

tion nationally and the United Nations.

A panel of national, provincial, local, and

lived experience stakeholders spoke on the

importance of linking the work across gov-

ernments and jurisdictions. These powerful

stories inspired participants to reflect and

share knowledge and recommendations for

actions at their tables.

Roundtable Discussions:

Roundtable discussions were guided by

questions distributed to participants. In total

there were six (6) questions groups were

encouraged to reflect upon; an introductory

question, several guiding questions, and a

concluding question.

An objective of the Summit was to bring forward

Indigenous centered recommendations for ac-

tion. The findings from the roundtable discus-

sions reveal a loud and clear message which

resonate with a desire for action from the Truth

and Reconciliation Commission on all levels of

society. The questions are provided below:

Introductory question: Having heard from our

speakers and panel presenters, take a few mo-

ments to share what was important in what you

heard. Think about the dimensions of the Cana-

dian Indigenous Homelessness definition that

was presented today. How can this Indigenous

definition be used to address homelessness in

your community?

In addition to the introductory question, several

guiding questions were provided to participants.

These questions included:

What do you think are the barriers – im-

pacts at the local level/community? Was

there an issue that was not discussed by

the presenters/panel?

How do you think the principles and strate-

gies discussed help to end Indigenous

homelessness?

How do you think these strategies (panel

presenter thoughts) align?

What needs to be done to strengthen the

strategies undertaken at different levels?

How can non-Indigenous communities be

allies?

Individual discussion tables were free to choose

which, if any, of the guiding questions they

wished to discuss.

Concluding question—Of all the things

we’ve discussed today, what would be the

priorities that need to be addressed moving

forward on how to implement the Canadian

Indigenous Homelessness Definition and

the issues presented today?

Roundtable Discussion Findings:

The following summary identifies the many

themes and issues raised:

There was tremendous overlap and itera-

tive discussion around the questions posed

to participants and not all questions were

addressed by each table.

As a result, findings of what we heard have

been grouped by theme and, where possi-

ble, by question.

How can this Indigenous definition be

used in your community?

One of the most common themes was the

desire for people with lived experience to

have a greater impact on policy and pro-

gram development. People with lived expe-

rience need to be heard. Several tables

suggested the need to listen to those with

lived experience before changing policies

and/or programs. This point was mentioned

and reinforced several times although

there are various aspects to the theme.

One theme touched upon the importance

of organizations working with the homeless

by having people with lived experience on

staff. A second common theme was the

desire/need for staff in service providing

agencies and government offices to have

experience and increased understanding of

the value people with lived experience

bring. Discussion at some tables suggest-

ed the desire to pay homeless people for

their experience and wisdom.

Systemic racism, and the historical si-

lencing/disrespect of Aboriginal voices

were raised several times. Indigenous voic-

es need to be on panels, in government

and all other spheres of life. Participants

noted the importance of being aware of

Indigenous roles and voices to make sure

you’re not missing anything.

Several tables noted that the layers of

complexity regarding homelessness re-

quire a multi–sectoral approach to resolve

the issue. One table noted

“intersectionality” was not discussed by the

presenters. Nor were steps we can take as

individuals discussed.

Grand Chief Arlen Dumas providing opening remarks.

Jesse Thistle presenting the Definition of Indigenous Homelessness in Canada.

Participants felt everyone needs to

be part of the circle and needs to

say how each makes a difference.

A handful of groups noted NGOs

are being asked to do more, which

sometimes takes away from their

work on homelessness. NGOs

are not big enough to handle

these new duties. Many felt mu-

nicipalities need to do more.

Organizations competing against

each other for funding was a fre-

quently cited issue. So too was

the need to get funding to run

needed programs from different

funding sources. Funding de-

mands results which are constrict-

ing; not enough time to build rela-

tionships before results are ex-

pected. There was concern non-

Indigenous organizations were

taking funding from Indigenous

programs. More and/or ade-

quate, stable funding for pro-

grams, services and education

was a common theme raised at

several discussion tables.

The issue of private sector

(corporate/business) responsibility

and relationship with Indigenous

community was raised several

times. Business is seen as an

alternative funding stream. How

does this process get started; how

do communities reach out? How

can we get more companies inter-

ested?

The theme of relations between

First Nations and urban communi-

ties was prominently reflected in

the discussions. Systems to help

First Nations overcome the dis-

connection they experience/feel

coming to the city are required. A

commonly cited theme among

roundtable discussions was the

need to help Indigenous students

coming to large urban centres

integrate into city life.

More resources for people coming

from reserves to the city was a

theme touched upon by several

tables. Understanding the sys-

tems and services available for

people moving from reserves to

urban centres remains a chal-

lenge. The need for education/

awareness taught in school prior

to city resettlement was a theme

touched upon by many tables.

Some tables noted that friendship

centres do not having adequate

facilities and funding to support

newcomers to the city.

How do strategies align?

Few group discussions reflected

on the panel presentation, but one

table did note the discussion led to

reflection on what isn’t done well

by government, little to no ac-

countability was an issue raised.

Other groups did note environ-

mental issues and access issues

such as winter roads. In addition,

the issue of displacement, espe-

cially to urban centres where pov-

erty tends to be more extreme was

raised (displacement and respond-

ing to movement to and from re-

serve communities were more

thoroughly touched upon during

other sections of the roundtable

discussions).

There remains a lack of under-

standing of Indigenous issues.

More conversations need to be

had and the Indigenous communi-

ty needs to be leaders in the pro-

cess. At one group discussion it

was noted all Indigenous people

are different, therefore we can’t

put the same stamp on all Indige-

nous communities.

How can non-Indigenous com-

munities be allies?

As noted by several table discus-

sions, lack of communication and

awareness remains an issue.

Lack of trust and understanding

creates divisions among possible

allies.

Focus on education and preven-

tion as well as broader goals to

inform, discuss, rethink, and come

together were common themes.

Understanding the impacts of co-

lonialism is key to building true

allies. Need to tell the history of

residential schools to students/

teach in schools. This was noted

several times. A theme noted at

several table discussions was the

need to ensure newcomers to

Canada (immigrants and refu-

gees) receive education of Indige-

nous history. Spreading the word

about issues such as missing and

murdered Indigenous women and

lateral violence was noted by sev-

eral tables. One group noted that

if the conversation stops, it will be

perceived that the issue is no

longer present.

It is challenging when Indigenous

people are told to just “get over it”.

It will take a long time to heal.

The “get over it” attitude is unhelp-

ful. This point was raised at sev-

eral tables. Some groups noted

cultural immersion can be a key to

healing. Other groups raised the

point that healing is a process and

it is labour intensive.

A theme noted at several tables

was that racism needs to be

acknowledged and addressed.

White privilege remains an issue.

However, lots of people from all

sorts of cultures want to learn and

help. Create allies with those peo-

ple.

One group specifically noted Indig-

enous groups don’t want “allies”;

they are not looking for people to

do things for them, they want peo-

ple to work with them, not for

them.

What would be the priorities

that need to be addressed mov-

ing forward?

More discussions need to be had

on rights-based definitions of

homelessness, this theme was

raised several times in several

discussion groups. The definition

presented was very comprehen-

sive yet adaptable, allowing for

these discussions. As one table

noted, “Jesse and Althea are be-

ginning the work.”

Many noted broadening the under-

standing of Indigenous homeless-

ness beyond the colonial context

is needed. The sense was that a

definition of homelessness should

be about connections rather than

whether someone is housed.

Some discussions suggest this

means changing the perspective

from individual to community re-

sponsibility. The perspective of all

my relations is a key for people to

feel connected to their community

beyond just having a home. A

handful of table discussions noted

the 12 layers/dimensions of home-

lessness need more attention.

The theme of “building bridges” or

“re-building bridges” was used

often among many of the table

discussions. More access to cer-

emonies, medicines, and culture

was stressed by many discussion

tables. So too was the need for

Elders to show the way. Groups

spoke of the desire for more com-

munity conversations and opportu-

nities for networking and creative

ways to share cultures. Generally,

people felt service providers need

to reconnect people to their land,

family, ancestors and culture.

More awareness and knowledge

of the TRC is needed; Manitoba

needs to trickle down the TRC

report to the policy level. Table

discussions also highlighted the

need for implementation strategies

for the TRC. One table asked, is

reconciliation an action? We need

to rethink what reconciliation is

and whether the “how” is missing.

One table spoke of stopping the

“win/lose” mentality; implementing

the TRC should not mean less

money for other services. Others

expressed concern things are just

being talked about, no action is

occurring.

Information and data sharing were

raised by several discussion ta-

bles. Some focused particularly

on re-thinking “cultural outcomes”

with the suggestion of looking at

Indigenous indicators. Other table

discussions felt we need to stop

doing research and start doing

something, the need for more ac-

tion was a theme raised frequent-

ly.

Some discussions noted the need

to start with a mandate from the

top. Others expressed desire for

more government officials attend-

ing sessions such as this to listen

and help organizations to address

homelessness. One table noted

listening is key, leave pre-

judgement and racism at the door.

Several of the roundtable discus-

sions noted the Indigenous Home-

less Definition, and TRC report

need to be included into policy

decisions. One table suggested

the creation of Indigenous Cau-

cuses in Non–Indigenous organi-

zations.

One table suggested looking at

creative ways to educate and get

points across. For example, 150

things to be aware of Indigenous

people, customs, beliefs, etc.

Conclusion:

This summary report of roundtable

discussions seeks to contribute

knowledge from the circle in our

quest to address and end home-

lessness in our community. The

report speaks to not only effective

and ineffective policies and proce-

dures, but highlights limitations of

programs and gaps between juris-

dictions that are hindering pro-

gress towards ending homeless-

ness.

An objective of the Summit was to

bring forward Indigenous centered

recommendations for action. The

findings from the roundtable dis-

cussions reveal a loud and clear

message which resonate with a

desire for action from the Truth

and Reconciliation Commission on

all levels of society.

Did you know?

Each of the seven flames in the

circle of the TRC's logo represents

one of the Seven Sacred Teachings

- Truth, Humility, Honesty, Wisdom,

Respect, Courage and Love.

CAEH17

We would like to acknowledge our sponsors for their very generous support of the conference. With their sponsorship,

we were able to ensure the conference was congruent with Indigenous practices and protocols, along with supporting

the needs of conference attendees. End Homelessness Winnipeg also ensured that persons with lived experience were

supported and cared for as they immersed themselves in deep experiential discussions on homelessness, truth and

reconciliation, and Indigenous knowledge and history.

And another huge thank you to our Pre-conference Summit table sponsors:

Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg

Homelessness Partnering Strategy—City of Winnipeg

Downtown Winnipeg BIZ

Planners Plus Inc.

Resource Assistance for Youth Inc. (RaY)

Social Planning Council of Winnipeg

Bertha Fontaine, Opening Prayer

Diane Redsky, board co-chair

addressing our guests

Louis Sorin, presenting the

President & CEO’s report

Thanking Bertha Fontaine for

her service on our board with a

print by Leonard Bighetty.

Annual General Meeting 2017

End Homelessness Winnipeg held its AGM on June 28, 2017 with just over 50 guests

in attendance.

Excerpt from our Board Co-chairs’ Report—Diane Redsky and Charles Loewen

The work of End Homelessness Winnipeg cannot occur without our community’s com-

mitment and involvement. As a collective impact organization, End Homelessness Win-

nipeg brings together key people from across sectors to identify issues, set priorities,

engage stakeholders, and act. Since the inception of the 10-Year Plan to End Home-

lessness, Winnipeg has continued to show leadership, passion, and perseverance in

addressing systemic and service issues that result in unnecessary homelessness.

We recognize that the first transformation of collective impact work begins within our-

selves. As we meet and get to know our fellow citizens who have experienced home-

lessness, we are always affected by their stories and gifts. Despite the hardships they

have encountered, their resilience, dignity, caring, and potential shines through and is a

reminder about the importance of caring, respect, and relationships. People who are

homeless or who have experienced homelessness often demonstrate humility, humor,

and wisdom that surpass their hunger and hurt. They are teachers.

Excerpt from the President & CEO’s Report—Louis Sorin

This past year has seen a growth in our capacity to work on issues important to our

community and our sector. We brought the community together to improve our re-

sponse to extreme cold weather after the tragic loss of one of our citizens. This work

led to improved outreach and coordination within the sector.

We have also worked to evaluate and support the important work of the Doorways Initi-

ative. As a community, we see the importance of an integrated and coordinated intake

and assessment process that guides individuals towards the supports and settings that

they need to exit homelessness. The work of our community agencies that have em-

braced the Housing First philosophy and approach has been instrumental in having

individuals with chronic and episodic homelessness say that they have a home for the

first time in a long time.

Lastly, our investment in research that explores the unique needs and realities of wom-

en who face the risks and realities of homelessness will inform the emerging Women

and Homelessness Strategy. We look forward to working with our community on the

issues that pertain to this complex reality. We also continue to support the Here and

Now Winnipeg Plan to End Youth Homelessness and address the challenges and bar-

riers faced by youth in our community.

Dr. Sharon McDonald and Nor-

alou Roos getting ready to dis-

cuss “Get Your Benefits”.

Jennifer Mousseau, Support

Advocate, NiApin Program,

discussing the challenges and

rewards of front line work.

Honour Song performed by

Cheryl James

And of course, there’s always

time for some great food and

fellowship!

End Homelessness Winnipeg would like to say thank you to three of our board

members whose terms ended this June. Their commitment and dedication to end-

ing homelessness greatly assisted us throughout the beginning of our journey:

Bertha Fontaine, executive director, Native Addictions Council, Manitoba

Abdi Ahmed, coordinator at Immigration Partnership Winnipeg, Social Plan-

ning Council of Winnipeg

Ian Rabb, director of business development, Aurora Recovery Centre

Clive Wightman, director of community services, City of Winnipeg

Clive retired in March of this year. Clive was with us from the very start as a mem-

ber of the Community Task Force that developed the 10 Year Plan to End Home-

lessness and then as a valued board member.

We are honoured to have the following new board members join our organization:

Phil Chiappetta, executive director, Rossbrook House Inc.

Marion Cooper, executive director, Canadian Mental Health Association Win-

nipeg/Manitoba

Velma Orvis, Elder

Sharon Kuropatwa, WRHA regional director – Housing, Supports and Service

Integration

Following the business portion of the meeting, guest speakers spoke about pro-

grams that are important to people who have low income and/or are homeless.

Dr. Sharon Macdonald presented information about an initiative called Get Your

Benefits that encourages health care and other providers of service to assist their

patients and clients to file an income tax return so that they may receive benefits

that the federal and provincial governments administer through the tax system.

Information is available at GetYourBenefits.ca.

Jennifer Mousseau spoke about her front line work as a support advocate with the

Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre’s NiApin program.

——————————————

The Board and Staff of End Homelessness Winnipeg

would like to wish you peace, joy, and the most important wish,

HOPE for this holiday season and 2018.

Unit C-216 Pacific Avenue | Winnipeg, MB. R3B 0M4 | T: 204.942.8677 | F: 204.942.8451

E: info@endhomelessnesswinnipeg.ca @endhomelessnesswinnipeg @EHW_Wpg

www.endhomelessnesswinnipeg.ca

Our charitable registration number is 81986 1964 RR0001.

Homelessness hurts all of us