On November 18, 550 people came together at the Winnipeg Convention Centre to enjoy not only breakfast, but a guest speaker with a compelling story to tell. Dr. Tom Jackson, well-known musician, actor and humanitarian, gave the keynote address at the official kickoff for Winnipeg’s Christmas activities. Dr. Jackson spoke about his time on the streets of Winnipeg and told how a homeless man saved his life, then serenaded the crowd with “Desperado” and “The Huron Carol”. The Thomas Sill Foundation kicked off the kettle season with a $9,000 donation. Another highlight from the morning was an interview conducted by Nic Mundey, Weetamah volunteer and Winnipeg Advisory Board member, with Michelle, a former Weetamah client. The kettle campaign was officially opened by the crowd ringing hundreds of miniature Salvation Army bells.

Special music was provided by an ensemble from the College for Officer Training.

The Salvation Army raised over $49,000.00 at this event and would like to thank each of the sponsors and all who attended.

The Salvation Army’s Winnipeg Booth Centre

is Partnering with Other Agencies to Set up New Emergency Influenza Pandemic Unit

 (Winnipeg, Manitoba – November 4, 2009) – The reminders are everywhere: Wash your hands and use hand sanitizers.  Residents at The Salvation Army’s Winnipeg Booth Centre are reminded daily about flu prevention by posters and ever-present hand sanitizer dispensers around the shelter. 

As the flu season approaches, administration at the downtown emergency and transitional shelter are partnering with the province of Manitoba, Main Street Project, Siloam Mission and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority’s Health Action Centre to take extra precautions to protect people from spreading influenza-like viruses.  Booth Centre Executive Director, Major Al Hoeft, says the strategy is crucial to slowing down the transmission of the virus and helping people to not have further complications because they have no place to get well.  “All the advice says ‘if you have influenza-like symptoms then stay home’, well, people who live in shelters or on the street don’t have that option, so we are working together to create special circumstances for them.”

An emergency influenza pandemic unit is now being established at the Winnipeg Booth Centre at 180 Henry Avenue and will house up to 23 individual beds.  The concept is to have a place where people who don’t have the ability right now to stay in bed and recover, can do just that in this unit.  People who need this help will be referred into these 23 beds to convalesce.  Working together in partnership in our community will help to bring healing to those who have no place to call home, a safe place to recover from an influenza-like illness.

“Homeless shelters need to take precautions to reduce the risk of the pandemic flu virus, like many other organizations are doing around the province.”  said Kerri Irvin-Ross, Minister of Housing.  “I applaud the proactive efforts the shelters are making to ensure that a person with flu-like symptoms can get medical care, early treatment and have a safe place to recover.”

Up to 300 people curl up under the covers at The Salvation Army’s Winnipeg Booth Centre every night.  As we add this additional space, our hope is that people who are often forgotten will realize that they are cared about by our community.

On Wednesday, November 4, 2009 at 9:30 a.m., the Winnipeg’s Booth Centre (180 Henry Avenue) will begin preparing the rooms at The Salvation Army’s new emergency influenza pandemic unit.  Media are invited to attend and tour the unit.

Did you Know in Winnipeg? 

• That since 1886, The Salvation Army has been proudly carrying on its 123-year tradition in Winnipeg of compassionate care for vulnerable people.
• Last year in Winnipeg, The Salvation Army served over 325,000 meals and the Booth Centre in Winnipeg housed over 2,500 individuals for over 85,000 bed nights. 
• The Salvation Army serves the community of Winnipeg 365 days a year through 24 facilities which offer 35 social programs in the city such as safe shelters, meals, warm clothing, addiction rehabilitation, programs for new Canadians, work readiness programs as well as emergency and disaster services to name a few. 
• We continue to ensure that the highest percentage of your donation is used in direct service delivery.  On average, 88 cents of every dollar donated to The Salvation Army is used directly in charitable activities – well above the Canada Revenue Agency guideline of 80% donation efficiency.    

About The Salvation Army in Canada

The Salvation Army is an international Christian organization that began its work in Canada in 1882 and has grown to become the largest non-governmental direct provider of social services in the country.  The Salvation Army gives hope and support to vulnerable people today and everyday in 400 communities across Canada and 118 countries around the world. 

The Salvation Army offers practical assistance for children and families, often tending to the basic necessities of life, providing shelter for homeless people and rehabilitation for people who have lost control of their lives to an addiction.  When you give to The Salvation Army, you are investing in the future of marginalized and overlooked people in your community.

This past weekend has brought to an end yet another baseball season for The Salvation Army Generals slow pitch team.  The players from this years team represented Winnipeg East Corps, Weston Community Church, and Heritage Park Temple.  While only 11 players appear in the picture and additional 6 players also played for this years team 3 of which were Cadets from The College For Officers Training.

Even though the team came up a little short of runs in the semi final game, it was a great year of fun and fellowship.  The team proudly wore the Army Jersey with distinction and character, always took time to pray together prior to each game,  and were mindful of the presence of Christ in their lives both on and off the field.   

Soon plans for next season will be well underway and if you are interested in participating please stay posted to this web site for more details in the early spring.

On Tuesday March 10th, The Salvation Army first responder team was called out to a three home blaze at the Down’s Village trailer park on Winnipeg’s far west side.

More than 30 firefighters tried to contain the blaze after it spread from one trailer to another, tearing through the mobile homes adjacent to each other while several pumper trucks and rescue vehicles surrounded the scene on a small street just east of the west Perimeter Highway in the St. Charles area.

Flames shot from the roof of one home as fire crews worked in frigid conditions with a temperature below -20 C and an extremely bitter wind chill, while a trailer next door had been gutted. At least two firefighters suffered frostbite and were treated at the scene in an ambulance.

The cause of the fire had not been determined, while a damage estimate was not available.

Hot drinks, soup and sandwiches were provided for both residents and responding fire personnel.

source – winnipeg sun, winnipeg free press, global tv winnipeg

The Salvation Army’s WKRP Program brings employment skills to those who have none

by Ken Ramstead

Last month, we profiled the innovative STEP program in Winnipeg, which helps people attain a literacy level needed for gainful employment. But once they can read and write, what then? This is where The Salvation Army’s WKRP program comes in.

Short for the WorK Readiness Program, WKRP was started in 1996 with the purpose of increasing the employability of high-needs social-assistance recipients. “When I talk about ‘high needs,’ ” says Mandy Raynsford, The Salvation Army’s WKRP Program Supervisor, “a lot of our clients have criminal records, they have low literacy, many of them have little work experience. Some have not completed high school. Many have low self-esteem and little motivation to find employment.”

The WKRP program provides a full 40-hour-a-week course. Twenty hours consists of classroom instruction on basic job-search skills. “We teach resume writing,” continues Raynsford, “how to dress for interviews, how to get along with co-workers, how to communicate with your boss, as well as life skills, basics like time-management, budgeting, stress- and anger-management.”

Computer skills are not neglected. WKRP’s basic computer-skills course shows clients, for instance, how to work in Word and Excel, and how to use the Internet in their job search

There are four people on staff, one full-time and three part-time, with many of the staff splitting their time between STEP and WKRP.

While the first half of a WKRP day consists of classroom instruction, the second half is given up to the actual job search. Raynsford stresses that WKRP is not a job-placement organization. “What we do is give our clients the skills they need to find employment. We provide them with newspapers, job leads, Internet and phone access and printed copies of their resumes, to name a few: The things they need to actually do the job search. But the rest is up to them. They have to apply for the job themselves.”

WKRP could easily find their clients jobs. “But what happens five years from now when that company closes down or if the client wants to move up to a better job?” asks Raynsford, “Do they come running back to us? We want them to find employment on their own, whether it be today, five years or 10 years from now. We want to give them the skills so that they can do it themselves.”

WKRP’s clients stay in the program until they find employment. This can be for a few days but is seldom more than three months.

How effective is WKRP? The figures speak for themselves. In 2005-2006, 107 people participated in the WKRP program. An astonishing 86 percent found employment. Even more important, however, a follow-up three months later found 74 percent were still employed.

This success is very gratifying to Raynsford. “People come back and say, ‘I’ve moved into my own apartment. I don’t live in a hotel room anymore because I have a job.’ Or they tell us, ‘My kids are so proud of me now.’ People who never dreamed of entering the job world all of a sudden realize it’s not as scary as they thought. It’s just amazing to see the turnaround in some of them.”

While there are many different organizations in Winnipeg that do this kind of work, what makes WPRP stand out is that they take the clients nobody else wants. “We take the ones that everybody thinks are unemployable,” states Raynsford. “The neat thing about the WKRP program is that we will give anybody a chance. If they’re willing to put the effort into it, we’ll give them a chance no matter what.”

The annual kettle campaign is now entering its final days and it is going fairly well although it is down slightly as compared to last year.  As of the start of Wednesday Dec 17, the city kettles have raised a combined $155,690.00.

With this years goal is $220,000.00 and we need everyone to pitch in and help us reach this target.  The next time that you see a kettle, please stop and give generously so that we can continue to Give Hope today where it is needed most.

If you would rather, simply click on this link and you can make your donation through our ikettle that we have set up for your convenience.  By the way, a receipt will be sent to you instantly after you complete the process.

www.salvationarmy.ca/winnipeg

In advance, we would like to thank you so much for your generosity and we wish you and your family all of the Hope, Joy, Love and Peace that the season offers us all.