Manitoba Blue Cross once again beats its United Way campaign record
From left to right: Vanessa Hewlett, Jackie Tapley, Andrea Duncan
For the fourth year in a row, Manitoba Blue Cross has beaten its United Way campaign record, raising over $148,000 with corporate match.
“This year was a huge success, to say the least,” said Jackie Tapley, co-chair of the United Way campaign committee. “The giving spirit that we saw throughout our staff was inspiring, and we couldn’t be happier with the results.”
United Way Winnipeg funds over 125 local non-profits that help the city’s most vulnerable. Areas of focus include poverty, employment skills, disability supports, mental health, neighbourhood safety and after-school programs, among others. With administration costs being fully covered by special events and a provincial government grant, 100 per cent of donations are spent directly on helping Winnipeggers.
Among those organizations supported by the United Way is Big Brothers Big Sisters of Winnipeg. On kickoff day, we heard from their executive director, Jane Marion, about their city-wide youth mentorship work.
“Jane’s presentation was eye opening,” Tapley added. “Seeing the work that Big Brothers Big Sisters does for vulnerable young people shows how important it is to offer our support.”
On top of raising funds for United Way, employees have been collecting donations over the past few weeks for Big Brothers Big Sisters and Koats for Kids.
With Manitoba Blue Cross celebrating its 50th anniversary, this year’s campaign theme was “decades” – from the 1970s to present day. Activities included a pet rock decorating contest, video game competition, bake sale, silent auction, ‘80s trivia and costume contest.
“Employee response was incredible,” said Andrea Duncan, co-chair of the committee. “We were thrilled with how many people joined us for each event – both in person and remotely. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive – employees were proud to work together to support an organization that shares our goal of improving our community.”
From all of us at Manitoba Blue Cross, we’d like to thank United Way Winnipeg for their incredible work across the city. And a big thank you goes out to our United Way campaign team and all our employees for making our support of United Way 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.