Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Voices</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>Broadway</strong><br />
“… the <strong>on</strong>ly cure for l<strong>on</strong>eliness, despair,<br />
and hopelessness is love.<br />
There are many in the world who are<br />
dying for a piece of bread, but there are<br />
many more dying for a little love.”<br />
- Mother Teresa<br />
Hope that starts with a meal —– Candace Maxymowich<br />
Food - it’s something we take for granted. Cooking, eating and grocery shopping are part of our weekly routines.<br />
Most of us are blessed to be free from worrying about food. For many of our neighbors, hunger is a profound reality.<br />
People who are homeless are alienated from society—trudging invisibly from place to place, developing safe bases<br />
where they feel comfortable for an hour or two, and then moving <strong>on</strong>. The public library, Tim Hort<strong>on</strong>s, and parks all serve<br />
as momentary homes for people who have n<strong>on</strong>e. The feeling is <strong>on</strong>e of worthlessness and disc<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong>. When<br />
some<strong>on</strong>e walks into our drop-in, they are welcomed with open arms. The feeling of having a place to bel<strong>on</strong>g, rather<br />
than simply a place to be tolerated, is a crucial comp<strong>on</strong>ent of what we do. We welcome people with a warm meal and<br />
an inviting embrace.<br />
We offer a safe haven to our most vulnerable<br />
neighbours. Sometimes all a pers<strong>on</strong> needs is a meal<br />
to get them through the day. Many require more<br />
extensive services including help with accessing<br />
government services and finding income supports, or<br />
access to affordable housing. For so many of our<br />
guests, a meal is the first introducti<strong>on</strong> to the many<br />
services we offer. In providing for the practical and<br />
pers<strong>on</strong>al needs of those struggling to overcome<br />
poverty and homelessness, we are able to care for the<br />
whole of a pers<strong>on</strong> and encourage and assist<br />
individuals in taking the next step in accessing<br />
support.<br />
West <strong>Broadway</strong> Community Ministry<br />
is where hunger ends and hope begins!<br />
A publicati<strong>on</strong> of West <strong>Broadway</strong> Community Ministry at Crossways in Comm<strong>on</strong><br />
102-222 Furby St. Winnipeg, MB, R3C 2A7 Ph<strong>on</strong>e: 204-774- 2773<br />
Email: wbcmoffice@gmail.com
$3.96 and Still Hungry<br />
If I had <strong>on</strong>ly $3.96 per day to spend <strong>on</strong> food, what would I buy? A latte at<br />
Starbucks is out of the questi<strong>on</strong>. If I bought <strong>on</strong>e of those, that would be my<br />
food for the day. If I were <strong>on</strong> EIA* I would receive <strong>on</strong>ly $3.96 for food - part<br />
of the $195 per m<strong>on</strong>th I get as my basic living allowance. On $3.96 per day,<br />
how can I get the best nutriti<strong>on</strong>al bang for my buck?<br />
If I live in West <strong>Broadway</strong>, I could go to Agape Table for breakfast and West<br />
<strong>Broadway</strong> Community Ministry for lunch. Still my $27.72 a week food<br />
allowance w<strong>on</strong>’t go very far.. I could stretch it a bit more if I register with<br />
Winnipeg Harvest. I am going to need to stand in a lot of line ups. I am<br />
going to have to settle for food I might not really want. And I will probably<br />
have to fill up <strong>on</strong> lots of starch and sugar because that is what is <strong>on</strong> offer. I<br />
wouldn’t starve to death but I would probably be malnourished and have to<br />
spend more time and m<strong>on</strong>ey dealing with health issues. I cannot survive <strong>on</strong><br />
what the government provides. I am dependent <strong>on</strong> charity.<br />
People of faith have a religious duty to feed the hungry. And we are doing a<br />
good job. We run soup kitchens, host food banks and support Winnipeg<br />
Harvest. But at what cost? What does it cost some<strong>on</strong>e in self esteem to ask<br />
for a free lunch?<br />
If we are to take the commandment to “love your neighbour as you love<br />
yourself" seriously, then we need to do more than feed people. We need to<br />
think about what we would want if we were in a similar situati<strong>on</strong>. If I were<br />
unable to find employment or if I had mental health issues that didn’t allow<br />
me work I wouldn’t want to stand in all these line ups day after day<br />
struggling to get by with no hope for the future. I would want enough<br />
financial support to be able to buy my own groceries,<br />
This is why a group of people from different faith backgrounds has come<br />
together to call for a HUNGER FREE MANITOBA. During the m<strong>on</strong>th of<br />
October we will be asking the government of Manitoba to raise the basic<br />
allowance for single adults who are <strong>on</strong> General EIA and Disability<br />
allowance. These are the poorest of the poor in our province. We are<br />
working closely with Make Poverty History Manitoba <strong>on</strong> these policy issues.<br />
Hunger Free Manitoba will be using the scriptures, symbols, rituals and<br />
prayers of our various traditi<strong>on</strong>s to implore the government to c<strong>on</strong>sider the health and dignity of all Manitobans. We have<br />
chosen October because it includes Worldwide Communi<strong>on</strong>, Thanksgiving, World Food Day, and Sukkhot (Jewish Harvest<br />
celebrati<strong>on</strong>), Muharram and Diwali.<br />
Activities for the m<strong>on</strong>th include video clips of scripture<br />
readings and prayers from different faith traditi<strong>on</strong>s, written<br />
reflecti<strong>on</strong>s <strong>on</strong> hunger from each of the faith traditi<strong>on</strong>s and<br />
daily facts about food and food bank usage in Manitoba. All<br />
these will be <strong>on</strong> our website and Facebook page. There will<br />
be a postcard to the government of Manitoba outlining our<br />
hopes for a Hunger Free Manitoba. Still in the planning<br />
stages are a presence at the Legislature and a Multifaith<br />
Service. Please check out our website,<br />
www.hungerfreemb.ca and our Facebook page for updates.<br />
Our hope is that many people from different faiths and<br />
backgrounds will get involved , pray for relief for those living<br />
in poverty and communicate with government about our<br />
c<strong>on</strong>cerns.<br />
* Employment and Income Assistance<br />
Lynda Tr<strong>on</strong>o<br />
Community Minister
Bird’s Hill Picnic —– Candace Maxymowich<br />
A day trip is a low priority compared to the basics of shelter, food, clothing, and transportati<strong>on</strong> that many people<br />
living in poverty struggle to afford. Taking a break, getting away, and letting go of stress provides benefits to all of<br />
us. For people living in poverty who have the hard grind of getting by <strong>on</strong> a few dollars a day, this is especially true.<br />
In August, over 60 volunteers and community members spent a day at Birds Hill Park. We enjoyed the sunny<br />
weather and the chance to get away from the hustle of the city. Thanks to every<strong>on</strong>e who helped make this day so<br />
w<strong>on</strong>derful.<br />
"Walk a Mile in My Shoes" will take place Saturday, October 1st and is an educati<strong>on</strong>al event as well<br />
as a fundraiser. It has been said that to understand some<strong>on</strong>e, you must walk a mile in their shoes.<br />
This event is designed to give participants a snapshot of what it's like to live in poverty, particularly<br />
with some of the issues individuals and families face to make ends meet.<br />
Participants will undertake a <strong>on</strong>e mile route highlighting specific sites, from crowded rooming<br />
houses to luxury c<strong>on</strong>dos, experiencing the diversity of West <strong>Broadway</strong> including the barriers of<br />
poverty. We are encouraging participants to gather their colleagues, fellow students, fellow<br />
faith-community members, and family to form a team to participate. Forming a team will allow you<br />
to celebrate the day with friends and family and create a community of people committed to ending<br />
poverty that you can c<strong>on</strong>tinue to learn with.<br />
For more informati<strong>on</strong>, visit westbroadwaycm.org
SAGE - A Program for Seniors —– Rick Kovac<br />
West <strong>Broadway</strong> Community Ministry and St. Matthews Maryland Community<br />
Ministry are working together <strong>on</strong> an exciting new project. We received a grant<br />
from the federal government’s New Horiz<strong>on</strong>s for Seniors Program to host a<br />
Seniors Coffeehouse.<br />
Our goal is to develop a sense of community, discover comm<strong>on</strong> interests,<br />
create awareness and have fun. We will accomplish this by having a<br />
coffeehouse in a safe and friendly atmosphere. We will provide coffee, light<br />
snacks, music, and bring in speakers to provide informati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> a variety of<br />
topics. These include:<br />
Healthy living – best recipes, cooking for <strong>on</strong>e, calorie wise c<strong>on</strong>sciousness,<br />
exercise and walking groups<br />
Legal – living wills, estate planning, to resuscitate or not to resuscitate,<br />
organ d<strong>on</strong>ati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
Mental health – mental clarity, dealing with stress, ALS and Alzheimer's,<br />
Our coordinator, Iana Petrus, is energetic, passi<strong>on</strong>ate, and professi<strong>on</strong>al. She<br />
is a Master’s student in Peace and C<strong>on</strong>flict Studies at the University of<br />
Manitoba. Back in Ukraine, Iana led c<strong>on</strong>flict transformati<strong>on</strong> training for young<br />
adults and storytelling activities for children. She will make you feel young<br />
again. Currently Iana is co-facilitating an intergroup dialogue between<br />
domestic and internati<strong>on</strong>al students <strong>on</strong> a topic of racial equality and inclusi<strong>on</strong><br />
at the University of Manitoba. Her professi<strong>on</strong>al interests include community<br />
building, trauma healing and rec<strong>on</strong>ciliati<strong>on</strong>, and empowerment of women.<br />
Come and join us at St. Matthews Community Ministry, 365 McGee St. <strong>on</strong><br />
Wednesdays at 10:00 am. All seniors are welcome.<br />
Overflowing Generosity<br />
As you can see, the cupboards were bare at West <strong>Broadway</strong> Community Ministry. We scraped together what we could<br />
to give people and their families something to tide them over. (Popcorn and crackers d<strong>on</strong>’t go far). Our d<strong>on</strong>ati<strong>on</strong>s of<br />
food during the summer m<strong>on</strong>ths can be pretty skimpy.<br />
We looked at our pantry shelves, w<strong>on</strong>dering how we would c<strong>on</strong>tinue to meet the demands of all those in need of<br />
emergency food. We put the word out through social media and two weeks later, we had a pantry overflowing with<br />
food d<strong>on</strong>ati<strong>on</strong>s! We are humbled and deeply grateful for the outpouring of support we’ve received.<br />
Thank you Winnipeg!<br />
Before<br />
After
UPCOMING EVENTS<br />
M<strong>on</strong>day, September 5<br />
- CLOSED<br />
Thursday, September 15<br />
- John Black Memorial UC serving lunch<br />
Thursday, September 22<br />
- Westworth UC serving lunch<br />
Saturday, October 1<br />
- Walk A Mile In My Shoes<br />
M<strong>on</strong>day, October 10<br />
- CLOSED<br />
1) Make a financial d<strong>on</strong>ati<strong>on</strong>. We depend <strong>on</strong> the<br />
generosity of others to be able to run these programs<br />
that are vital to the community we serve.<br />
2) D<strong>on</strong>ate your time. Volunteers are an essential part<br />
of keeping West <strong>Broadway</strong> Community Ministry and<br />
its many programs and services running smoothly.<br />
We could not open our doors each and every day<br />
without their support and assistance. Become part of<br />
a dynamic team of compassi<strong>on</strong>ate people!<br />
3) Gather your friends, family and coworkers to host<br />
a food drive. Each day, people come to our drop-in to<br />
request emergency food. We will gratefully accept<br />
d<strong>on</strong>ati<strong>on</strong>s of n<strong>on</strong>-perishable food items.<br />
4) Prepare and serve a meal at West <strong>Broadway</strong><br />
Community Ministry.<br />
5) Please hold the people of West <strong>Broadway</strong> in your<br />
prayers. We also ask that you pray for<br />
compassi<strong>on</strong>ate political leadership that will take<br />
acti<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> behalf of society’s most vulnerable people.<br />
6) Community Acti<strong>on</strong>. We work closely with Make<br />
Poverty History Manitoba to try to bring about change<br />
that will benefit people living in poverty. Please check<br />
their website for the latest acti<strong>on</strong> you might join in.<br />
makepovertyhistorymb.com<br />
• 10 Most Wanted Items •<br />
1. Canned tuna or salm<strong>on</strong> (in water)<br />
2. Canned chicken or turkey<br />
3. Canned fruit and vegetables<br />
4. Canned stew, chili, brown beans<br />
5. Peanut butter and jam<br />
6. Pasta (family and individual sizes)<br />
7. Rice (brown, c<strong>on</strong>verted or parboiled)<br />
8. Canned spaghetti sauce or tomatoes<br />
9. Canned soup (lentil, pea, vegetable)<br />
10. Kraft Dinner<br />
HOPE<br />
IS NON-PERISHABLE
SUPPORTING WBCM<br />
YEAR-ROUND!<br />
M<strong>on</strong>thly giving is a c<strong>on</strong>venient way<br />
to support West <strong>Broadway</strong><br />
Community Ministry year-round!<br />
• Our drop-in is open four days each week and<br />
serves <strong>on</strong> average 160 meals daily.<br />
• We have a w<strong>on</strong>derful Kitchen Manager, Zyta,<br />
who plans and prepares two hot meals and two<br />
cold meals each week.<br />
• In 2015, we served over 23,000 meals.<br />
• We have an emergency food pantry where<br />
groceries may be given out up<strong>on</strong> request to<br />
help struggling individuals and families.<br />
• Last year, 1815 emergency food kits were<br />
distributed to 2210 adults and 1386 children.<br />
If you would like to receive this newsletter via<br />
email, please send an email to<br />
wbcmoffice@gmail.com<br />
You can help us by<br />
registering with PAR<br />
(Pre-Authorized<br />
Remittance) through the<br />
United Church of Canada to<br />
d<strong>on</strong>ate a given amount each<br />
m<strong>on</strong>th from your bank account.<br />
This can help us to<br />
secure our future and<br />
plan ahead with<br />
more assurance.<br />
For a PAR form, please email us at<br />
wbcmoffice@gmail.com or<br />
call 204-774-2773.<br />
You can make a difference by d<strong>on</strong>ating to West <strong>Broadway</strong> Community Ministry.<br />
D<strong>on</strong>ati<strong>on</strong> amount: $20 $50 $100 Other: ___________<br />
Cheque (payable to West <strong>Broadway</strong> Community Ministry)<br />
Name: ____________________________________________ Ph<strong>on</strong>e: ____________________<br />
Address: ______________________________________________________________________<br />
Postal Code: ___________________ Email: _________________________________________<br />
Please mail this form to West <strong>Broadway</strong> Community Ministry 102-222 Furby St. Winnipeg, MB R3C 2A7<br />
Tax receipts will be issued for d<strong>on</strong>ati<strong>on</strong>s of $20 or more.