Newman going strong at BNRC

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/09/2023 (869 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Eight years ago, Rushana Newman came to Brandon as an international university student. Today, she celebrates her first year as executive director of a non-profit organization, with several successes, she said, and many more to come.

The Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation (BNRC) is all about keeping the community strong, said Newman. Through advocacy and programming, it is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people in Brandon’s core residential neighbourhoods.

“In a nutshell at BNRC, we are problem-solvers,” Newman said. “We seem to be able to step into any role that the community needs or requires us to be in. We are for the people. We create programs, and we administer those programs. It’s all about community and community development.”

Rewind to 2014, Newman said, to when she came from her home in Jamaica to the Wheat City, to visit her aunt who was attending Brandon University.

“I fell in love with the fact that I could get from anywhere in the city within 10 minutes. There was no traffic, because in Jamaica it’s bumper-to-bumper traffic all the time. So, I decided to come back as an international student the very next year, in 2015,” Newman said.

A few years later, armed with a bachelor’s degree in business from BU, Newman landed two jobs in management, first at The Brandon Sun, and then at the local bowling alley, T-Birds. Other experiences at social agencies included Westman Immigrant Services and working remotely for Winnipeg’s YMCA.

“And then I saw this grand opportunity to become part of the BNRC family. That’s my journey into Canada,” Newman said.

The 11 programs and salaries for the 40 or so staff members are funded by partnerships with the federal, provincial, and municipal governments.

In July, the province allocated $350,000 in new funding for the Blue Door in the Wheat City, which is operated by Ask Auntie — a program that is funded through the BNRC and the federal government.

That means this winter, for the first time in Brandon, there will be a 24-7 facility for the community’s homeless.

Other initiatives in Newman’s first year as BNRC’s executive director included receiving funding through the Manitoba Non-Profit Housing Association to administer the province’s rent relief program.

As well, the BNRC is managing the rental supplement program through the Canada-Manitoba Housing Benefit (CMHB), for eligible renters who need assistance paying for their core housing costs.

And just recently, Newman said she was approached by the federal government to conduct research into why people are migrating from rural communities and becoming homeless in Brandon. That’s something that everyone — no matter where they live — should care about, she added.

“And because we are big advocates for affordable housing, we are looking to be a part of the solution in building affordable housing. The BNRC might not significantly impact you right now, or you may not need the services, but maybe your children or grandchildren might. So, people should care and participate in our mandate, because we’re community-led, and we’re looking to build a better Brandon.”

» mmcdougall@brandonsun.com

» X: @enviromichele