Centre receives $100K at opening

The Western Manitoba Women’s Centre in Brandon has a new space and a new name — and now new funding to go along with them.

The centre’s official grand opening at 1233 Rosser Ave. came with an announcement of $100,000 in “ground-up funding” from provincial Municipal and Northern Relations Minister Glen Simard.

Simard, MLA for Brandon East, told the Sun after the ribbon-cutting ceremony that the investment will ensure safe and welcoming spaces for women, gender-diverse individuals and their children.

“Every department in government has a contribution to make to the Mino’Ayaawag Ikwewag Strategy, which is ‘All Women Doing Well’ — women and gender equity,” Simard said.

“And really, if I can do my part in little ways to be able to support that, count me in.”

The funding comes from the province’s “From the Ground Up — Safe Healthy Communities for All” program, which helped pay for the move from 729 Princess Ave., renovations of office and counselling spaces, and the purchase of new furniture and equipment.

“As soon as I was elected, the staff contacted me right out of the gate, saying they were outgrowing their space,” Simard said, adding he was “very happy about being able to support them with the ground-up funding.”

Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine was among the small crowd in front of the building who had come for the official opening and smudging ceremony, followed by a welcome song and drumming by women staff members.

As Fontaine addressed the gathering, she shared a moment she had with her staff immediately after they visited the previous and much smaller centre on Rosser Avenue.

“As soon as I got in the car, I said, ‘They need a new space,’” she said, as the crowd chuckled.

Later, Fontaine told the Sun that the new space is warm and welcoming, allowing staff to deliver their best to women who deserve the best.

“People really believe in the work that they do, and in our culture, we say it’s heart work. That means it’s connected to heart and to spirit,” she said.

“And Brandon — these folks here are the quintessential example of that. They really, really do just love, and are so dedicated and committed. Honestly, I just love them.”

Fontaine’s department provides operational funding to the centre. The total amount over two years is $245,000.

A portion of those funds has been allocated for the centre’s sexual assault counselling services and the Empowered Traditions program, which helps Indigenous women reconnect with their culture through workshops and hands-on activities.

The centre’s location may have changed, said Kim Ewasiuk, the director of counselling and advocacy, but its goal for women, gender-diverse people and children remains the same.

“We want to offer women a space of beauty and dignity, and that’s what this new location has brought to our community, to the women we serve and certainly to us as staff,” Ewasiuk told the Sun.

The centre currently has 11 staff members, including co-ordinators, counsellors and advocates. And for the first time in many years, Ewasiuk has hired a child and youth counsellor.

“We’ve never, ever been in a position like this to be able to offer more support, run more programs and have a new facility,” she said.

Clients receive free services like counselling for gender-based violence and sexual assault, and sessions about harm reduction, family law, public health, and employment and income assistance.

As part of the organization’s re-brand, the word resource was taken out of the previous name — the Women’s Resource Centre.

“We’re much more than just resources,” Ewasiuk said.

“We offer programming and support all over western Manitoba down to the American border, to Saskatchewan, up to Dauphin and east to Winnipeg,” she said.

After the opening ceremony outside the building, people were invited inside to tour the new facility that has a backyard and a commercial kitchen, making it easier to run the centre’s breakfast program.

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the centre offers a free hot breakfast. On Tuesday mornings, clients can grab breakfast to go. In the last fiscal year, the centre served breakfast to 950 people.

Staff have already seen the benefits of being able to cook and bake in their kitchen, said program co-ordinator Leanne Bone.

The kick-off of the Empowered Traditions program includes a feast scheduled for next Wednesday at noon in the empty lot on the east side of the new centre.

“We just did all of our cookie baking for the feast instead of having to go out and buy the cookies,” said Bone.

“So we’re very proud, and that’s just the beginning. We can use our kitchen for many more things, like soup and bread,” she said.

The kitchen will also allow staff to offer traditional cooking classes, but Bone said she’s looking forward to seeing a connection that only happens around a kitchen table.

“Food is medicine, and it brings people together. We always have snacks and when we can, a little meal. It’s part of what we offer at all of our programs — to just meet and be with others.”

» mmcdougall@brandonsun.com

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