Manitoba Blue Cross’s Colour of Caring Healthy CommUnity Challenge presents $25,000 to N.E.E.D.S. Inc.
We are proud to award $25,000 to Newcomers Employment & Education Development Services (N.E.E.D.S.) Inc. to help support mental health in Manitoba.
N.E.E.D.S.’s submission, “Supporting Mental Wellness of Recently Arrived Refugees to Winnipeg,” received the most votes from Manitobans in our Colour of Caring Healthy CommUnity Challenge.
“It is a great honor for the N.E.E.D.S. Centre to have received this monetary award and to be recognized in our community,” says Margaret von Lau, CEO of N.E.E.D.S. Inc. “We are proud of the work we do and are very pleased to have this acknowledged through the Healthy CommUnity Challenge.”
N.E.E.D.S. Inc. runs a mental health promotion program free of charge for newcomer refugee youth and children to address the trauma they experience prior to arrival in Canada.
“We know that refugee youth and children arrive in Canada with complicated life experiences, including their own and their parents’ pre-migration experiences, war and conflict-related trauma, interrupted schooling, and family separation,” says von Lau. “These experiences create several settlement-related challenges for them, such as challenges with integration into the Canadian school system and the labour market. This can lead to disengagement from school, poor school performance, conflict with parents/guardians, drug or alcohol use, risky sexual activity, and gang and criminal activity.”
The funds received from Manitoba Blue Cross will be used to hire an additional part-time psychosocial educator to meet increased demand as many refugee children and youth have arrived recently from the war zones in Ukraine and Afghanistan.
“Congratulations to N.E.E.D.S. Inc. for their valuable submission that stood out to the judges and Manitobans,” says Benjamin Graham, president and CEO of Manitoba Blue Cross. “But most of all, thank you to the team at N.E.E.D.S. for their incredible work supporting newcomers – especially those coming to Manitoba from conflict zones. It’s an honour to aid such important work and help them to build better, stronger communities.”
N.E.E.D.S. was one of over 70 applicants to the Colour of Caring Healthy CommUnity Challenge. A panel of our expert judges chose the finalists for public voting using the following criteria:
- Does the idea support mental health in the community?
- Does the idea support accessibility and culturally appropriate supports for the community?
- Is the idea extremely useful to the community?
- Are the articulated goals clearly defined, achievable and measurable?
All Manitobans then had a chance to vote for the idea that stood out to them.
“I’d like to thank everyone who submitted an initiative and voted in the Colour of Caring CommUnity Challenge. It’s clear that Manitobans care deeply and share our mission to improve mental health in our communities,” Graham said.
To read more about N.E.E.D.S. and their valuable work in the community, click here.
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.