March 2026

Bissell Child Care holds open house to showcase community-minded program

Written by Chris Schieman on Monday March 16, 2026

People across the greater-Edmonton region are invited to Bissell Child Care (9331 105 Ave. Edmonton) on March 28, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for its spring open house. Bissell Centre’s child care program is catered to children newborn to six-years-old, with spaces reserved for families needing full time care or respite care.

“This is an excellent opportunity for parents to see first-hand what makes Bissell Child Care so unique,” says Jaye Brown, Manager of the Early Childhood Development Program with Bissell Centre. “This is a space where programming has benefited countless children and continues to give them an incredible start to life before they enter kindergarten.”

A History of Quality Child Care in Edmonton

Bissell Centre has been running a respite child care program since the 1970s, expanding to offering full-time child care services when its new child care space opened in 2020. Children attending Bissell Child Care receive one meal and two snacks every day (provided by Bissell Harvest Catering), can attend field trips all summer long, and have access to specialized supports — all at no additional cost to parents.

“Bissell Child Care is not only for families living in the downtown core and experiencing instability,” says Brown. “We are an inclusive environment that recognizes how everyone can be a part of this community and we welcome all children and their family.”

Crucial to Bissell Centre’s Mission in the Community

Guests can treat themselves to light snacks and refreshments as they explore the nature-inspired space where children play, learn, and thrive. Educators and leaders will be on-site during the event to answer questions and provide guided tours with more information on what parents can expect when sending their children to Bissell Child Care.

Bissell Child Care is just one of Bissell Centre’s social enterprises that seeks to help fund Bissell’s crucial programs: also including Bissell Thrift Shop and Bissell Harvest Catering. All funds raised are directly invested back into programs helping people uncover their unique paths out of poverty and homelessness — increasing Bissell Centre’s capacity to meet people where they are at and help strengthen the community.

Hundreds of walkers show community pride and brave frigid temperatures to support Bissell Centre

Written by Chris Schieman on Friday March 13, 2026

Close to 400 walkers on more than 60 teams walked through downtown Edmonton on February 28, 2026, for Bissell Centre’s ninth annual Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser. More than $161,000 was raised to go towards Bissell Centre’s programs in housing, financial empowerment, eviction prevention, family supports, and Indigenous cultural supports.

Temperatures hit as low as –24 degrees that night with wind chill, but it didn’t deter any walkers from showing up and walking alongside people in need to help strengthen the community. The walk kicked off at YMCA Boyle Street Plaza at 4:00 p.m., starting with an opening reception where walkers picked up their matching colourful toques before taking to their routes.

Walkers could choose either a two-kilometre route that took them up to 100 Street, or a five-kilometre route which saw walkers traverse all the way to 109 Street. Once walkers completed their routes, they headed back to Boyle Street Plaza for a complementary pasta buffet from Bissell Harvest Catering.

Money raised at Coldest Night of the Year makes real impacts on people in the community. In 2024, Bissell Centre helped house more than 500 people, prevented more than 600 evictions, returned more than $7.6 million through more than 4,000 personal tax filings, and connected hundreds more people to resources to help them live with a better quality of life.

Next year’s Coldest Night of the Year walk will take place on February 27, 2027.