CEO UPDATEPlease hold off a bit before bringing us donations of clothing. As usual the incredible Edmonton community is wanting to know how to help us. All of you are amazing and I can tell you, knowing you are with us makes a huge difference! Please just hang tough for another day or two while we develop and begin implementing our recovery plan. We should have an update on that later Monday and more throughout the week. In the meantime please do not bring clothing donations to us downtown or even at our South Side location. We will let you know where you can do that as soon as possible.
Recovery Planning has Started I have already drafted a plan but of course will seek the advice and wisdom of my staff to finish it off Monday morning. Another staff member is spending today connecting with the dozen or so media requests. Other staff are linking with insurance contacts and I have assigned out some work to other staff as well. We are on it and doing the best we can as fast as we can.
Our First Concern: People As is the case with everything we do, our first concern is about people. Recently our Thrift Shoppe won a Bissell Centre Award for Program Excellence. Most of them were involved in our recovery from the last fire and they did amazing work to get us back up and running. I know they are devastated and I will be working with our HR Director and the Store Manager to connect with them and do what we can to help them through this.
Our concerns for those folks who rely on the Thrift Shoppe are front and centre on my mind as well. Those concerns will be addressed in our planning of next steps.
Other Questions There are a lot of questions coming at us. I will attempt to answer some of them here.
Q: Isn’t this the third fire at the Thrift Shoppe? A: No, Our permanent location on 118th Avenue was shutdown by a fire in September 2013. This is the second fire, which took place at our temporary location.
Q: Do you think the two fires are connected somehow or that this latest one was deliberately set? A: I have no reason to see a connection between the two fires. The cause of the latest fire is not known at this time. We are assisting fire investigators with their investigation and they will share with us their findings. I was told we should know by Wednesday at the latest. Any current reasons being shared or speculated about via social media are just that: speculation. For your information the cause of the first fire was not determined, although arson was ruled out.
Q: Will you be opening another temporary store? A: We will be discussing this tomorrow. However, it took two months to locate and restock the temporary store. Our permanent store is scheduled to be open in September. We will be working to attempt to solidify that deadline. If it holds, at this writing, I imagine we will not open another temp location but rather gear up to get into our permanent location instead. This is not the final word, but I am sharing with all of you my current thinking.
Q: How many people rely on the Thrift Shoppe? A: Approximately 5,000 to 6,000 each month.
Q: How much income will be lost because of the fire? A: At this writing, it is too soon to know. I can tell you that our permanent location funded itself and our free clothing services and also generated some funds to invest in other social programs at Bissell Centre. We opened the temporary store to ensure people on low incomes could still access low cost items. We did this even though we knew we would likely operate at a small loss until we could re-open permanently. We have been supplementing the temporary store with general donations.
Q: Does Bissell Centre own the facility that burnt down? A: No, we rented the space from our friends at Native Friendship Centre. They had plans to renovate it and move programming into it in the fall. This fire is devastating to them as well; please think of them as they set out to also recover from this disaster.
Q: What is going to happen to the 13 staff employed at the Thrift Shoppe A: A major component of our recovery plan is to look at how to avoid or minimize layoffs. We will assign some staff to recovery efforts, and I have already asked staff to consider how we might reassign staff to other Bissell Centre work. I will know more this week and share it with the public when I do.
Q: Will the fire threaten Bissell Centre’s financial condition and health? A: The fire will have a negative impact on our budget. To what extend is not yet known. i will be working with my lead team to assess current planned expenditures to see how we might be able to reallocate monies, if and when required, to assist with our recovery. That said, Bissell Centre’s financial condition is healthy. We have no debt and I am confident we have the resiliency to rebound from this, especially because of the great support we receive from our supporters and funders.
Q: Do you need financial donations to help out? A: Before the fire, we were faced with raising close to $2 million this year to supplement other programs that are not fully funded. It is likely we may have to raise that goal, but again, it is too soon for me to speak of this with any certainty at this point. That said, if you are able to contribute financially, please visit our donation page. Please tell us if your donation is to help out with the fire.
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Monday night I will be meeting with Bissell Centre’s Board of Governors and will brief them on our plans and seek their counsel as well.
Also please see the previous update on the fire posted yesterday.
Thank you.
Mark Holmgren, CEO
UPDATE FROM BISSELL CENTRE’S CEO
Our temporary Thrift Shoppe location at 11817 80 Street, has been destroyed by fire. The fire broke out as staff were closing up for the day. Thankfully, customers had already left, and our staff were able to flee the building without any injury. All of the contents were destroyed. We are devastated to experience such a disaster after our permanent store location experienced a terrible fire in September 2013.
A number of our staff have assisted the fire investigation team. I have been told by the Fire Investigation Team that it may be Wednesday until there will be an official report on the cause. As soon as we know, we will share it with you.
Not only does the fire impact those who shop there for low cost clothing and household items, it impacts the 13 staff who depend on the store for their livelihood; these are the staff who worked so hard and long to reopen after the September fire. This is also terrible news for our friends at the Native Friendship Centre who were kind enough to let us rent the building.
Bissell Centre staff will be meeting to develop a plan to address what has happened. Discussions have begun already and on Monday I will be meeting with key staff from around our organization to identify the many next steps we will need to take to get past this and move forward.
I am appreciative of the thousands of followers we have on social media who are sending their well wishes and their clear commitment to help us. We will let you know how you can help in a couple days.In the mean time, you can get some information at http://www.twitter.com/bissellcentre
Thanks as well to the many media representatives who want to cover this and help mobilize a response. I ask everyone for patience as we regroup and do our best to quickly set a course of action. It is my intention to be able to address the media sometime Monday afternoon. Media inquiries should go to Devin Komarniski (Phone: 780.423.2285 ext. 131 E-mail: dkomarniski@bissellcentre.org).
Some are wondering how the fire might have impacted our Underwear Drive (#DropYourGonch) done in partnership with Mayfield Toyota. I understand all that was collected in that drive is safe.
Many thanks to all of the 50 fire fighters who responded so quickly and worked so diligently to put out the fire and to the other emergency responders who helped out. Edmonton is blessed to have people like you.
I would be dishonest if I didn’t say this is heartbreaking. However, I have no doubt about the resiliency of my staff and the caring support of the Edmonton Community.
For those customers of the Thrift Shoppe, I am so sorry the store is out of commission. I am sure our friends who operate other Thrift Shoppes will help you until we are back up and running — Goodwill, the Salvation Army, among others.
Mark Holmgren, CEO
Bissell Centre and Mayfield Toyota hosts #DropYourGonch, a one-day underwear drive event urging the public to donate new underwear for the homeless in Edmonton. Free food will be provided by Century Hospitality and there will also be entertainment and door prizes.
The goal of the event is to collect 1,000 pairs of new underwear in support of Bissell Centre to provide comfort for people in need!
Underwear is one of the most asked for clothing items by those who are homeless, but one of the least donated. By reaching our goal of 1,000 pairs of new underwear it would allow us to provide approximately 20 fresh pairs to people in need every day throughout the summer.
A gift of new undies would mean so much and we’d love it if you’d join us!
#DropYourGonch Event Details:
When: Saturday, June 21st
Where: Mayfield Toyota (10220-170 street)
Time: 10:00am – 3:00pm
For more information about the event, please click here or contact Devin Komarniski, Acting Manager of Marketing & Communications, at dkomarniski@bissellcentre.org.
Hard as things got for Joe* he never gave up. Bissell Centre never gave up on him either. Look at what happened!
Employed for many years in the hospitality industry, Joe faced some serious health problems. He couldn’t sustain full time work so Bissell Centre helped with casual labour placements when Joe needed some work. Joe’s health problems were so serious they required six operations to address. Demoralized and losing hope, he was encouraged by social workers to apply for AISH (Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped).
Through his ongoing relationship with Employment Services, Joe felt he had” someone in his corner” and never completely gave up. Our Jobs First coordinator got to work with Joe and together they took actions to increase Joe’s skill development, self-awareness, confidence, and his competencies.
Last week Joe completed his second interview with a major Canadian coffee company and was hired as the Regional Manager for Quality Control. Joe’s new position will start in mid-August and his starting wage is $60,000 plus a generous benefits package.
Joe told us he now wants to speak at our pre-employment sessions about his positive experience in our Employment Services program but more importantly to act as a testimony to never giving up.
Our mission is to work with others to move people from poverty to prosperity. When you support Bissell Centre, this one example of how you help change lives.
Please consider supporting Bissell Centre’s life-changing work in our community.
Click Here to Donate.
* Not his real name
Bissell Centre is excited to be a charity of choice for people who donate their used vehicles to Donate-A-Car Canada with the proceeds from the sale of the vehicles supporting our work in eliminating poverty in our community!
Donate-A-Car Canada makes it easy for anyone to donate a used or unwanted vehicle and have the proceeds directed to Bissell Centre. Donate-A-Car Canada arranges the pick-up, removal, and sale of cars at no cost or hassle to the donor.
The donor receives a tax receipt for the value of the sale or recycling of the car, minus a small percentage (10%-12%) for Donate-A-Car Canada’s operations.
We are happy to announce that Bissell Centre has received its second car donation through Donate-A-Car Canada in just over one month!
For more information about how you can donate your used or unwanted vehicle to support Bissell Centre, please visit www.donatecar.ca.
In this issue:
- Moonlight Bay Centre – planning your retreat!
- Message from Mark Holmgren, CEO
- From Casual Labourer to Successful Business Owner
- A New Beginning: a family moving out of poverty
- Monthly Giving Opportunity!
- Donor Spotlight: EPCOR
- …and much more!
Click here to view or download it now!
In addition to being the humane thing to do, a major 5 year study funded by the Federal Government has demonstrated the cost effectiveness of housing the homeless. As reported by CBC’s As it Happens, “The report suggests putting homeless people in housing, even before they have dealt with other problems such as mental illness and addiction, works to improve their lives. And it saves money.” The study focused on the Housing First approach to housing the homeless, which is the approach Bissell Centre uses in its Homeless to Homes program. For more info about our local Housing First teams go to the Homeward Trust site HERE.
Louise Bradley, President and CEO of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, was interviewed about the study by CBC’s Louise Bradley. You can listen to it by clicking the listen button below.
Resources of Interest
A Place to Call Home: Edmonton’s 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness(PDF Format) – Prepared by the Edmonton Committee to End Homelessness
A Plan for Alberta: Ending Homelessness in 10 Years(PDF Format) – Report from the Government of Alberta’s Alberta Secretariat for Action on Homelessness
Stories from people who live without housing, published 2008 – Bissell Centre report
Are you looking for an ideal place to have your staff retreat… leadership or executive camp… a scrap booking weekend… regatta party… dream wedding… parent’s 50th anniversary… or perhaps a group of friends just want to get away from the city for some respite from the city hustle and bustle.
Well, Moonlight Bay Centre may be what you are looking for.It’s only 45 minutes from Edmonton and on over two acres of lakefront property.
The Dining Hall and Recreation Hall were erected a few years ago and all of our cabins have been renovated. Imagine the possibilities:
- Organizational retreats and workshops
Hold cooking lessons in our industrial kitchen- Family reunions
- Weddings
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Sports camps
- Health and Wellness retreats
- Special Interest retreats (scrap bookiing, art camps, photography events)
- Fundraising events
- Faith Community events
- Outdoor Festivals
In addition to our cabins, there is camping available on our grounds and we are also next door to the Provincial Campgrounds.
Remember when you book at Moonlight Bay Centre, Bissell Centre uses revenues to help fund camps for low income families.
Right now, there’s special pricing too. You can download it by CLICKING HERE.
Contact Patti Gallance for more info at pgallace@moonlightbaycentre.org or call her at 780.242.9438.
Follow MBC on Twitter: @moonlightbayctr
[cross posted from our Face Book page– please check out our Facebook postings!]
A line starts to form at 6:30 am each morning at the Bissell Centre Drop-in. By 7:00 am, the line builds upwards to 200 individuals. What’s surprising to people is that 50-75 of those in line aren’t there for a meal or a place to rest; they are there for work.
Bissell Centre partners with 500+ employers to provide casual labour jobs for people in need. People who are working–hard–to climb out of poverty & homelessness. In 2013, our Casual Labour Program helped provide 14,000 positions, putting nearly one million dollars in the pockets of Edmontonians living in poverty.
This year we are exploring ways to expand our capacity to place more people in jobs, not only casual labour placements, but also in longer terms contracts and permanent positions. Stay tuned for more as the year progresses.
Learn more about our Employment Services and our Casual Labour Program.
This is a story in the Edmonton Journal about Bissell Centre’s Collective Kitchen. You can click on the video image below to get to it. It’s a good story, but it really is more about volunteer, Gail Hall, and the amazing women who come to Bissell Centre to learn how to do more and do better for their families.
