Manitoba Blue Cross celebrates a record United Way campaign
Manitoba Blue Cross is celebrating our most successful United Way campaign yet. After a full corporate match and partial match from Wawanesa, the overall community impact from our campaign is $106,000 — our highest ever.
"The United Way campaign is one of our largest fundraising events every year," said Stephen Wang, Manitoba Blue Cross Campaign Chair. "Employees from around the company volunteer their time — and their creativity — in making the campaign the success that it is."
Our campaign supports United Way Winnipeg, which helps over 200,000 Winnipeggers — around 30 per cent of the city's population — every year. Since we started fundraising, Manitoba Blue Cross has raised over $1.2 million.
"It just proves our employees' generosity and commitment," Stephen says. "They never cease to be invested in improving our community."
This year's sports-themed campaign was held over three days. The festivities kicked off on Wednesday, September 25 with a costume contest before transitioning to a presentation on United Way Winnipeg's impact.
Employees heard from United Way speaker Catherine Biaya, who fled the Democratic Republic of the Congo and sought refuge in Canada in 2007.
Catherine spoke of the profound impact that the United Way has throughout the city, noting that her initial success relied on the generosity of Winnipeggers who raised funds for the organization. She emphasized that giving to the United Way isn't just a donation — it's an investment.
Manitoba Blue Cross employees took that message to heart. The number of employees who donated at a Leadership level — at least $1,200 over a year — skyrocketed from nine last year to 17 this year.
"With over 90 per cent of employees making a giving decision this year, our support of the United Way continues to embody the Colour of Caring that Manitoba Blue Cross is known for," Stephen says.
After the kickoff, employees were invited to participate in a virtual reality demo, attempting to get the highest score in the rhythm game Beat Saber.
On Thursday, employees faced off in a pie-eating contest and food challenge, serving guest judges their best sports-themed dishes.
Friday saw employees hit the greens throughout the building in a nine-hole mini-golf course, which was handmade by committee volunteers, before heading outside for a free barbecue.
"I could not be prouder of our committee, who organized fantastic events throughout the week," Stephen says. "The time they poured into this campaign is a big reason why our participation rate was so high."
Thanks once again to everyone who made our United Way campaign possible!
Manitoba Blue Cross funds warehouse space for Sleep in Heavenly Peace
The Sleep in Heavenly Peace building, sponsored by Manitoba Blue Cross, will provide ample space for bed construction, assembly and storage, streamlining the entire process and ensuring that more kids have access to a safe and comfortable place to sleep.
“A warm, safe bed should not be a luxury – it is a fundamental right. That’s why Manitoba Blue Cross is stepping up to support Sleep in Heavenly Peace for years to come,” says Benjamin Graham, president and CEO of Manitoba Blue Cross. “We are providing essential resources that Sleep in Heavenly Peace needs to expand their operations and reach more children in the community. This investment aligns with our own commitment to support the health and well-being of all Manitobans, and we are proud to play an ongoing role in ensuring no child sleeps on the floor.”
This new facility will allow SHP to:
- increase production capacity: With a large, dedicated space and the ability to build beds in the colder months, SHP volunteers can now build and assemble more than twice as many beds, reducing wait times for families in need.
- improve storage capabilities: The facility will provide secure storage for completed beds before delivery can occur while allowing for more efficient and timely delivery.
- enhance the volunteer experience: The workspace will create a more comfortable and efficient environment for volunteers – who are the backbone of SHP’s operations – to build and store beds all year long.
“This generous support from Manitoba Blue Cross is a game changer for us,” says Jim Thiessen, co-president of the local chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace. “This new space will allow us to drastically increase the number of beds we build and deliver, ensuring that more children in our community have a safe and comfortable place to sleep. We currently build approximately 400 beds a year and we hope to now increase that to 1,000. We are incredibly grateful for Manitoba Blue Cross’s continued commitment to our mission.”
Join us in helping local children find comfort: Manitoba Blue Cross holds annual bedding drive
Support this valuable cause during our annual bedding drive. Donate new, twin-sized bedding items, including comforters, pillows and sheet sets for local children. Donations can be dropped off weekdays between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. at Manitoba Blue Cross (599 Empress Street in Winnipeg) until June 20.
Online donations toward bedding purchases can be made at https://bit.ly/50beds.
“Our focus at Manitoba Blue Cross is the health and well-being of all Manitobans. We’re committed to building healthier communities – one bed and one good night’s sleep at a time,” says Benjamin Graham, president and CEO of Manitoba Blue Cross. “The outpouring of support that Manitobans showed last year did not disappoint and this generosity helped to create safe havens for local kids. I’m certain the same community spirit that Manitoba is known for will be seen again this year.”
Manitoba Blue Cross holds second annual bed build event
“The bed build event that was held in 2024 to celebrate our 50th anniversary had a profound impact on our staff and myself. Building those beds at Blue Cross Park was incredibly inspiring. We had to turn away staff who wanted to participate,” says Benjamin Graham, president and CEO of Manitoba Blue Cross. “That hands-on work really connected us to this important cause, and I believe it also helped us build stronger bonds within our team.”
Employee volunteers from the health benefits provider, along with SHP volunteers, will be constructing 50 beds for local kids on June 6, 2025 at Blue Cross Park.
To encourage the community to support this valuable cause, Manitoba Blue Cross is also holding a bedding drive once again. Donate new, twin-sized bedding items, including comforters, pillows and sheet sets for local kids. Donations can be dropped off weekdays between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. at Manitoba Blue Cross (599 Empress Street in Winnipeg) until June 20.
Online donations toward bedding purchases can be made at https://bit.ly/50beds.