Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - May 02, 2020, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE A7 COMMUNITY "Because Winnipeg's charitable sector is driven by a passion that COVID-19 cannot kill." Charities play a vital role in our community and are instrumental to our quality of life. Date announced: April 29, 2020 Nor'West Co-op Community Health Centre - $20,000 . Support women experiencing family violence or struggling with substance use Spence Neighbourhood Association - $5,000 . Distribute well-being kits to older adults Date announced: April 28, 2020 The Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) - $5,000 . Support for increased demand for online services, community outreach, and Vision Mates peer support program Gwen Sector Creative Living Centre - $20,000 . Mobile meal program for isolated seniors Indigenous Family Centre - $3,000 . Craft and cleaning supplies kits for families Life's Journey, Changes Supported Living Services, and Opportunities for Independence (collaborative project) - $10,000 . Assist clients with FASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders, addictions issues, and mental health concerns to maintain physical distancing Date announced: April 24, 2020 Remote schooling assistance Purchase Chromebooks so You Can Do It Award recipients can continue their studies remotely . Children of the Earth High School - $18,000 . R. B. Russell Vocational High School - $18,000 WHAT THE FOUNDATION IS DOING Thanks to the generous people who support our community through The Winnipeg Foundation, since March 12, 2020 we have been able to make more than 100 COVID-19 Response Grants, ranging in size from $2,000 to $100,000. Here are some of the grants made since our last public reporting. For a complete list of grants, please visit wpgfdn.org/COVID HOW CAN YOU HELP? MAKE A GIFT TO THE COVID-19 COMMUNITY RESPONSE FUND Established in March, the COVID-19 Community Response Fund allows The Foundation to quickly direct immediate funds to those organizations who need it most. To make a gift: wpgfdn.org/COVIDfund FindyourBeCause.org | 204.944.9474 #FindyourBeCause WHAT CHARITIES ARE TELLING US The Winnipeg Foundation is here to help our community as much as we are able. Part of our responsiveness is hearing from other charities about the most pressing issues they are facing. During this challenging time for our city, The Foundation is working together with 18 bellwether organizations to learn more about how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting every part of Winnipeg's charitable sector. The charities included represent small, medium and large-sized organizations across The Foundation's five Cause areas. This is just one of the many ways The Foundation is staying in touch with our local charities and gathering information to help inform decision-making. L to R: David Laird (Winnipeg Foundation Donor, Legacy Circle member), Nina Condo (Elmwood Neighbourhood Resource Centre ), Iris Maurstad (Winnipeg Foundation Donor), Sam Unrau (Manitoba Wheelchair Sport Association), Diane Roussin (Winnipeg Boldness Project; Winnipeg Foundation donor and Board member), Jorge Fernandez and Briana Henry (Immigrant Centre) Key themes from recent survey: Staffing: The inability to deliver programming and a decline in revenue is forcing charities surveyed to look at staffing. For those that have so far been able to avoid layoffs, in many cases staff hours have been reduced and contracts delayed. Causes impacted: Of the charities surveyed, layoffs have primarily occurred in the Children, Youth and Families; Arts, Culture and Heritage; and Environment and Animal Welfare Cause areas. Employee resources: Staff mental health continues to be a concern for charities. Approximately 60 per cent of the organizations report providing Employee Assistance Programs; about half of these don't know if their employees have accessed the services. Other resources being made available to staff include traditional medicines; open dialogue with senior leadership; intentional check-ins and wellness checks; and the sharing of mental health support information. Every year we see reports that Manitoba leads the nation when it comes to philanthropy. Community organizations are governed by volunteers and many front-line services are delivered or supported by volunteers. From packing food hampers to greeting theatre patrons to serving on boards, people from all walks of life are giving freely to improve our quality of life. When combined with the professionalism and dedication of staff, the charitable sector is driven by a passion that COVID-19 cannot kill. Setting aside the hospitals, universities, foundations and religious organizations, there are about 1,000 Winnipeg charities directly on the "front-line" contributing to our quality of life. Taken together, front-line Winnipeg charities employ about 29,000 people - a number that grows to 42,000 if all Manitoba is included. These dedicated employees are at the core of community service and the effectiveness of the charitable sector owes much to their commitment. Research completed by the University of Winnipeg on behalf of The Winnipeg Foundation concludes the percentage growth in "output" by charities (non-religious) compared very favourably with other sectors of the Manitoba economy - growth rates equalling crop and animal production and greater than retail or wholesale trade. Thank you to the generous individuals who have made gifts to the COVID-19 Community Response Fund, and to the Donor-Advisors who have supplemented The Foundation's grants with additional funds. 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