CEO Update

It’s been a while since I posted a CEO Update about what has gone and is going on at Bissell Centre. Clicking for more below will get you to my report on the following:

• Our financial condition
• An overview of new and expanded programming.
• An incredible gift of land from the United Church
• Mini-reports on 24/7 MAP and our Winter Warming services
• Increasing our work with Aboriginal people
• Our commitment to evaluation
• Our progress on “spreading the word”
• A request for your advice, and
• A lot of thank you’s,

Read More…

More Bad News for the Poor

In April 2016, the Government of Canada will stop issuing checks to Canadians and using direct deposit instead. Touted to be a good example of austerity, the result will be more than $17 million in savings for the government. Direct deposit is more secure of course and continues even as  people relocate.  Moving more to direct deposit is fine for most of us, but not for the people who can’t get a bank account.  According to the Canadian Community Reinvestment Coalition, “over 600,000 Canadians, many with low incomes, have no bank account and inadequate access to other banking services.”

Here is what will likely happen.

• A percentage of the 600,000 will get identification and open bank accounts.   What percentage is not known.
• The remainder will not have bank accounts and will not receive their federal cheques. My guess this amount of money involved will be a whole lot higher than the $17 million saved by the government.
• Hundreds of thousands of low income people will experience significant hardship. Many may face the loss of housing and a deeper poverty than ever before. Health issues will increase and for those most desperate, perhaps crime will become an option for more than we care to think.
• The economy will lose out on the commerce end of things and  likely be faced with the local costs  of increased poverty by those affected by the April 2016 change.

This seems to be an example of an austerity measure that requires further thinking and more so a sensitivity to the realities faced by folks who can’t get identification and/or open a bank account. It seems so simple for most of us, but not so for way too many of our neighbours.

The savings experienced by the federal government will result in increased pressures on organizations like Bissell Centre that work to support the poor and disadvantaged. It’s not like our organizations are looking for more problems  to help the poor overcome. Will human service organizations have to raise more money to help the government save its $17 million?

I don’t think this is a black and white issue. Clearly, for the majority of Canadians direct deposit works just fine and there are cost savings to be realized there, and I think the government should save money where it can,  but certainly there must be a way for the government to accommodate those who can’t get bank accounts (or don’t want one – it is a free country, right?). After all, I would assume if the government is issuing payments these folks are entitled to, It follows that it take what steps are reasonable to ensure their citizens can receive what is rightfully their’s.

What do you think?

Bissell Centre to Host Music Audition for the 2014 Heart of the City Music Festival!

On Sunday, April 27^th from 1:00-4:00pm, Bissell Centre will host the second of two music auditions on the first floor of their WEST building (10530-96^th street) as the organization gears up to help sponsor the Heart of the City Music and Art Festival!  
The first audition will take place at Boyle Street Community Services (10116-105 Avenue NW) on Saturday April 26th, from 1:00-4:00pm and everyone is welcome to join the fun at both auditions!

The auditions will be showcasing the talents of musicians hoping to perform at the festival on June 7^th and 8^th in Giovanni Caboto Park. The mission of the Heart of the City Music and Art Festival is to provide a free, family-friendly music and arts festival in the heart of Edmonton that promotes and supports original, local and emerging artists.

Bissell Centre was one of the groups that helped create the Heart of the City Festival way back when. Last year we were one of the sponsors of the event.

For more information or if you have any questions, please call Rylan Kafara at 780-860-6154.

Easter Party at Bissell Centre’s Childcare!

Easter came early for the children at Bissell Centre’s Childcare Program on Thursday, April 17^th with snacks, fruit, and of course, colourful hats! The children and their parents enjoyed good food, music, and fun to celebrate the Easter holiday at Bissell Centre.

Bissell Centre’s Childcare program is an accredited daycare facility supporting 1,400 children every year in a safe, healthy, and enriching environment. A range of activities are offered to assist in developing children’s social, emotional, intellectual and cultural growth. The Early Childhood Development Program is available to all parents and guardians of newborns through six-year-old at no charge once per week.

For more information about Bissell Centre’s Early Childhood Program and other Family Support Services, please visit:  bissellcentre.org/programs/child-and-family-resources/  

EPCOR’s Breakfast at Bissell Project – Nourishing Children

Thank you to EPCOR for providing much needed funding for Bissell Centre’s Early Childhood Development Program and for serving breakfast to the children in our Childcare Facility on Tuesday, March 25^th. EPCOR’s Breakfast at Bissell Project will provide $20,000 in funding that will enable us to purchase fresh food, produce, and arts & crafts supplies to ensure healthy eating and positive development for the children in our care.

EPCOR continues to be a strong supporter of Bissell Centre’s vision of eliminating poverty in our community through funding initiatives, volunteering, and providing donations to those who need them most. The Breakfast at Bissell Project is another initiative that aligns with both Bissell Centre’s core values of eliminating poverty and EPCOR’s investment pillars that support food, shelter, safety, and educational programs.

Bissell Centre’s Early Childhood Development Program supports families living in poverty with free temporary childcare for newborns to children upwards to five years of age. This is an accredited centre allowing children to play and learn in a safe, supportive, and educational environment. The program gives parents time to access other Bissell Centre services, look for housing, secure employment, or attend medical  appointments. Bissell Centre’s Food Services Program also provides a nutritious breakfast, lunch, and snack every day for the 1,400 children that rely on our childcare facility every year.

For more information about Bissell Centre’s Early Childhood Program and other Family Support Services, please visit:  bissellcentre.org/programs/child-and-family-resources/  

Our 2014-15 Business Plan

Mark Holmgren, CEO
Our Business Plan is structured to reflect our long-term plan which we call our strategic touchstone. I believe each business plan should include a quick report of progress made to date and then outline what deliberate strategic actions we intend to undertake in the new plan. Our business plan will  then used as the basis for creating the CEO’s work plan for the year as well as the work plans for each officer, director, and manager in the organization.

While this business plan outlines Bissell Centre’s priorities for the upcoming year, it is true that there are some strategic objectives we are seeking to emphasize, as follows:

• Grow our capacity to excel at addressing homelessness  within and beyond the Housing First model.
• Increase efforts to help clients achieve financial stability by  developing a continuum of employment services, from  casual labour to permanent employment.
• Continue to expand our hours of services, where  appropriate, to ensure we are appropriately present and  active in the lives of our diverse client population.
• Continue to move towards an integrated service delivery  model that is client-centred and inclusive of case  management across all programs.
• Continue on with our partnerships to operate 24/7/365  crisis diversion services through assertive outreach
• Through our review of Drop-in programming, identify improved ways to engage and help street involved people break out of their cycle of poverty and homelessness.
• Expand our Inner City Victims Services, as funding arrives, to increase our capacity to serve victims and to launch crime prevention services.
• Launch our Community Bridge Pilot, which will focus on preventing homelessness for those who have never before been faced with the prospect of losing their home.
• Seek out partnerships and resources to increase our capacity to serve and support low income families, especially young single parents trying to become effective parents while developing their careers.
• Seek out partnerships and resources to increase our capacity to support adults with FASD.
• Increase our organization’s awareness of Aboriginal culture while exploring new opportunities to offer culturally-relevant services.
• Continue to operate as a fiscally sound organization while we also continue to grow our operations.
• Become an employer of choice

Click the image above to download our business plan (PDF)

Sexual Awareness Exploitation Week April 6th-11th

The Sexual Exploitation Working Group (SEWG) is pleased to announce their Annual Week of Awareness events to take place April 6th -11th that is set within the National Victims of Crime Awareness Week. They have great keynote speakers and interesting workshops focused on ending sexual exploitation.
Proclamation  
Monday, April 7, 2014
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
CBC Stage, City Centre Mall

All the other events take place at Santa Maria Goretti Centre located at 11050-90th Street (evening events are free).

For full information, check out www.dlsfilm.com and for details about the seminars, please click on the links below.

Can a Buss Pass Change a Life? *

In 2011, Guelph City Council took steps to make public transportation affordable to low income families. This two year pilot allowed for the purchase of a bus pass for half the normal rate. Taylor and Newbury Consulting were contracted to evaluate the pilot and to assess if it should be permanent program. Here is a summary from the consulting firm’s website:
”  We found that the pass had been well used. Over two years, almost 2200 people (or about 17% of all people living below the poverty line in Guelph) have used the pass. We heard from users that the pass had made a real difference in their lives. We also learned a great deal about the challenges that a municipality can face in the process of launching and managing this kind of program.

“Our report offered suggestions about making the program more accessible and more cost-effective. At the end of the day, we concluded that the success of the Affordable Bus Pass in Guelph really relied on three key factors; 1) the willingness of municipal staff from different departments to work together, 2) the ongoing support of key community allies and 3) the commitment of the steering committee to ongoing measurement and reporting of progress.

Thanks to Andrew Taylor for posting info about this program on the Tamarack CCI website.

$2 Grand Slam Event at Downtown Denny’s Restaurant a Success!

Approximately one thousand Grand Slam breakfasts were sold during a seven hour time span at the downtown Denny’s Restaurant on Tuesday, March 4th! A special thanks to the staff and management at the Downtown Denny’s Restaurant for hosting the event and to everyone who came out to support the cause.

Over $2,500 (including generous donations) was raised to support Bissell Centre’s vision of eliminating poverty in our community. This was a great opportunity to connect with the surrounding community to spread awareness about issues facing impoverished individuals and families living in the inner-city.

Thanks to everyone who submitted a picture of your Grand Slam for the $100 Denny’s Gift Card prize!

View all the great photos of the event >

Downtown Denny’s Restaurant offers $2.00 Grand Slams with proceeds going to Bissell Centre!

Denny’s Restaurant located at 10803-104th avenue NW will host their Grand Re-Opening offering Original Grand Slam breakfasts for only $2.00 (tax included) on Tuesday, March 4th from 7:00am – 2:00pm. The breakfast includes two pancakes, two eggs, two bacon strips and two sausage links. All proceeds of this event will support Bissell Centre’s programs and services that help those in need move from poverty to prosperity. We hope you can join us!

Download the official poster  here.

Join our Facebook event page here.

Official hashtag: #GrandSlamYEG.

Tweet your excitement by clicking the following links:

#GrandSlamYEG Tweet 1

#GrandSlamYEG Tweet 2

#GrandSlamYEG Tweet 3