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<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.

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