2026
Featured Autumn 2026 E-Newsletter
IN THIS ISSUE:
- Thankfulness & Gratitude
- Volunteer Recruitment
- Summer Program Highlights
- Community Support
- Comfort at Home (Recipe)
- Donation Needs
THANKFULNESS & GRATITUDE
Building daily practice for wellness
Thankfulness and gratitude are often used interchangeably. However, thankfulness is typically a response to good experiences, whereas gratitude is a state of being that is cultivated, and can sustain us in good times and bad. Both gratitude and thankfulness contribute to good health by reinforcing a more positive state of being, which provides both physical and emotional benefits.
There are many ways to “grow” gratitude – here are a few suggestions:
1) Start a gratitude journal or blog, or social media page. If using social media, you may choose to be anonymous, or you may prefer to share or collaborate.
2) Keep a gratitude jar – have a note pad or scrap paper handy. Aim to contribute daily, and set up a time to reflect on your entries (monthly, every six months, etc.). This can be an individual, family or workplace practice. If participating with others, agree on guidelines together and be sensitive to varying perspectives and needs.
3) Try meditation – mindfulness and gratitude practice go hand in hand.
4) Spend quality time with loved ones – investing in relationships creates shared memories and helps to establish a reserve of support and gratitude.
5) Give, share donate – clear clutter and un-used items for giving to others. Appreciating how much we have and understanding the positive ripples created through generosity help to deepen gratitude.
6) Volunteer – everyone has gifts that can benefit others in a multitude of ways. Find a cause you care about and a volunteer role that aligns with your values, schedule and interests.
LEARN MORE: CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION
VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT
Growing our volunteer team!
Were you aware that Willow Place volunteers contribute over 500 hours of support every year? Our volunteers include board members, shelter support volunteers and donation volunteers. We also have some specialized volunteers that help with community events and shelter program repair needs.
From September 15 until October 15 we are accepting volunteer program applications for shelter support, donation support and cultural support areas. We offer flexibility of hours and training, and volunteers must commit to 120 hours or an average of two hours weekly in their first year. Background checks required.
For info and to apply, visit our website volunteer program page:
QUESTIONS? Contact Willow Place Community Coordinator, Kimi at 204-615-0313, ext. 245
SUMMER PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Making a difference for children in shelter
his past summer, Willow Place was fortunate to access grant support from the Winnipeg Foundation’s Children and Youth Grant, as well as from Canada Summer Jobs. These amazing supports enabled Willow place to hire three summer staff including two summer day camp leads, Arafat and Berhanesh, and an HR-Admin support staff, Isabella.
Arafat and Berhanesh adeptly managed diverse needs and provided fun and educational weekday programming for school age children in shelter throughout the summer. Isabella capably assisted our HR Coordinator with a variety of document management and other important HR tasks. Isabella also organized a special staff BBQ gathering that was a big hit with our hard-working team! We are so proud of our fantastic summer staff who contributed in such meaningful ways.
Thank you to the following community donors who provided no-cost admission to local attractions for children in our day camp program: Manitoba Museum, Manitoba Children’s Museum, Goldeyes Baseball, Assiniboine Conservatory (The Zoo and The Leaf), the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada, and MANSO. For many children in shelter, these were first-time experiences and left lasting impressions.
Special appreciation to Red River Coop for their timely and generous donation of $2,000 in gift cards to support Willow Place’s summer programs, including summer day camp and our healing garden project. Your generosity helped us provide adequate healthy food, treats, sunscreen and bug spray, first aid supplies, and much more!
Another summer highlight was a $2,000 grant from Aramark (University of Manitoba location) to purchase school supplies for children attending our on-site shelter school. This wonderful gift will assist children in in shelter, in grades K-8, over the next few months.
Thanks to all of these supporters and funders for making Summer 2026 a very special one for our shelter participants, including their vital assistance to Willow Place’s program staff!
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
Fabulous fundraisers!
Willow Place relies upon third-party fundraising to fill funding gaps and provide many daily essentials in our busy shelter program. The following are recent supports we would like to acknowledge and celebrate – thank you for the awareness raised and for the valuable donation dollars your efforts provide:
Royal LePage Shelter Foundation and Royal LePage Dynamic $8,000 in agent commissions donations and fundraising (received in September). THANK YOU!
Kinsmen 3rd Annual 50-50 program (ongoing until December 26) Willow Place receives 25% of ticket revenue when purchaser selects Willow Place as the charity of choice. The last raffle winner received over $60,000! PURCHASE TICKETS HERE!
Shopper’s Drug Mart Giving Shelter campaign (September 15 – October 9 in seven Winnipeg locations) staff promotions to collect community donations (average of $10,000 – $15,000 yearly). Amazing!
Urban Barn – Blanket the Country campaign (ongoing) matching program to provide donations and new blankets for our shelter program. Visit your local Urban Barn for details and to donate: 1585 Kenaston Boulevard, or 1594 Regent Avenue in Winnipeg.
If you are interested in third-party fundraising, please contact Pam at 204-615-0313, ext. 237 or Kimi at 204-615-0313, ext. 245. THANK YOU for supporting Willow Place!
COMFORT AT HOME
Heart-warming soup recipe
horter days and cooler temperatures are here, and what is better than a cozy meal at home? We hope you will try our Spicy Vegetable Soup recipe – it is easy to prepare and tastes amazing!
SPICY VEGETABLE SOUP
Hearty & healthy vegetarian recipe
INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsp – 30 ml olive or canola oil
1.5-2 cups – 375-500 ml diced cooking onion
2 ribs diced celery
3 bay leaves
2 – 3 cloves minced garlic
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
3 – 4 medium tomatoes, blanched, peeled and diced (or small can diced tomatoes)
1 tsp – 5 ml sea salt (or to taste)
Ground black pepper, to taste
1 tsp – 5 ml crushed chilies (or to taste)
1-½ tsp – 7.5 ml ground cinnamon
1 tsp – 5 ml ground turmeric
1 – 2 Tbsp – 15-30 ml paprika
5 cups – 1.25 L vegetable broth (or vegetable bouillon mixed with water)
1.5 cups (750 ml) cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained (canned work great also!)
1 medium-large sweet potato (about 1.5 cups – 2 cups – 375-500 ml) peeled and cubed
½ cup – 125 ml chopped fresh basil (or 2 tsp – 5 ml, dried basil)
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)
METHOD:
Heat oil over medium-low temperature in a large stock pot. Add in chopped onion, salt, bay leaves, celery. Cook until onion is translucent, stirring often. Add in garlic and cook another 3-5 minutes. Add bell pepper and tomatoes, along with chilies, black pepper, cinnamon, turmeric and paprika. Cook for another 5-7 minutes, adding half the broth midway. Add in the chickpeas and sweet potatoes along with the remaining broth and the basil. Increase heat to medium-high to bring to a slow boil. Reduce, heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until vegetables are at the desired softness. Add water as needed to suit your preferred consistency. Add in chopped parsley, optional, and serve. YIELD: 6 servings
TIP: add 1/4 tsp – 1.25 ml of baking soda and 1 tsp – 5 ml of sugar to tomatoes before adding to the soup – stir in and set aside. The soda neutralizes the acidity and the sugar enhances the bright tomato flavour. Especially helpful if you are using canned tomatoes.
NOTE: This soup is easy to customize – great add-ins include a few cut green beans, or some chopped zucchini, diced carrot or sliced mushrooms. If using carrots, add them with the celery in the early stages of cooking. Beans, zucchini or mushrooms can be added with bell pepper and tomatoes. Spicy Vegetable Soup can be portioned and frozen for later use. Enjoy!
DONATION NEEDS
Ways to support Willow Place
URGENT NEEDS!
Our busy shelter program currently needs pajamas for children and women, new underwear for children and women, shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, and non-perishable food items (e.g., breakfast cereal, juice boxes, coffee, tea and canned goods). We are also seeking donations of candy, craft kits, costumes and accessories for Safe Halloween activities and food or monetary sponsorship for Thanksgiving meals and activities.
REPLACEMENT – SHELTER PROGRAM
Due to the high numbers of people we support yearly, we need to repair or replace items from time to time. Current replacement needs include:$1,000 to repair our commercial dishwasher and $1,000 to replace two bed frames.
IN-KIND DONATIONS
Always needed items include gently-used or new towels, blankets and single size fitted sheets; infant diapers size 5 and 6, Winnipeg Transit tickets (women, children and youth), and miscellaneous gift cards (for groceries, medical needs, outing and program supplies – e.g., Walmart, Dollarama, Shoppers, Tim Hortons).
MONETARY DONATIONS
Monetary gifts are always appreciated. Send cheque or bank draft payable to “Willow Place” to P.O. Box 1786, Winnipeg, MB, R3C 2Z9, or donate online using Canada Helps.
DONATE ON CANADA HELPS
A safe way to donate to Canadian charities online as a one-time donor, or as a monthly subscriber.
CLICK HERE TO DONATE!
Donation questions? Contact our Community Team staff (weekdays, daytime hours)
Pam: 204-615-0313, ext. 237
Kimi: 204-615-0313, ext. 245
2022
WILLOW PLACE NEWS – February 2022
WINTER WELLNESS
Supporting well-being: body, mind and spirit
Maybe you have heard of the winter blues? The shorter days, extreme cold temperatures and factors like challenging road conditions and transportation concerns can amplify feelings of isolation and higher stress levels that can occur during long, prairie winters. For the past two years the impact of the coronavirus has contributed additional stresses.
The good news is that small changes can really tip the balance toward a happier and healthier winter! Suggestions include taking a walk outdoors daily to both support healthy immune, physical strength and endurance, as well as mental health. Just 10-15 minutes can make a difference!
Hydration is also important – winter air can be dry, and with many of us wearing COVID masks, it takes a bit of extra effort and awareness to remain well-hydrated. One guideline suggests one glass of water for every 10 kg of body weight, so a person weighing 70 kg should aim for 7 glasses of water a day. Not a water drinker? Start slowly, and boost hydration with herbal tea or soups.
Social needs can suffer during the winter. Setting up check-ins with friends or family that live alone; for those working from home, or confined to home by weather or illness, can be transformative for both parties. Volunteering once or twice a month, including random acts of kindness, also help with social needs, as well as another fantastic benefit – did you know that when you help others, it triggers a biochemical reaction to support a healthier immune system?
Preparing meals in advance, and freezing portions for later use can also support wellness, providing a break on days when you feel too tired to cook. Preparing extra soup to share with a friend or neighbour, running an errand, or offering a ride on a cold day, are examples of small gestures that offer a welcome boost to both the giver and the receiver of the kindness. Where health precautions allow, connecting with a family member or neighbour to share bulk purchases and meal preparation can also build positive supports, and lessen the burden of meal preparation and food costs.
Another wellbeing tip to beat the winter blues is trying a new hobby or activity – many options are available online and with low or no cost. Having something to look forward to is a wonderful thing, and depending on the format, hobbies can also support social needs.
Acceptance is possibly the most important aspect to managing wellness – what are some things you can only enjoy in winter? Appreciating where you are at can support shifting the focus to things you have and can do, versus what you may lack. Listing what you are grateful for each day, and posting it where you will see it throughout the day is a helpful way to see potential in each day, regardless of the weather or season.
Here are some links to support your winter wellness goals:
https://www.winnipegtrails.ca/trails-maps/ GET OUTDOORS
19/https://financialgym.com/blog/2020/2/8/how-to-meal-prep-on-a-budget MEAL PREP ON A BUDGET
https://www.crayola.com/crafts/ GET CRAFTY
GRANTS UPDATE
Sustaining vital programs; responding to needs
Increasingly, Willow Place relies upon donations, fundraising and grant funds to sustain 24-hour family violence prevention programs and supports. Willow Place continues to see higher demand for our services, along with increased operational costs, due to the coronavirus pandemic. We are also seeing individuals seeking support with more acute and complex needs. Willow Place must continually re-assess and adapt service delivery to meet changing needs. As such, we are especially thankful for the following organizations who have provided granted funds:
Women’s Shelters Canada, COVID recovery grant
Second Harvest Canada, food security grant
Healthy Together Now, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority – healthy living grant
Hockey Helps the Homeless, housing support grant
Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, granted funds from agent fundraising
Winnipeg Foundation, family fund grants for general operations
Abundance Canada, gifting funds for general operations
We envision a future where healthy relationships flourish – thank you for sharing in this vision!
Text support: 204-792-5302
CAREER FEATURE- SHELTER SUPPORT
Making a difference daily
The shelter support worker role is fundamental to Willow Place’s family violence shelter program. Shelter support workers are versatile and highly skilled individuals who provide a wide range of valuable supports to women and children in the shelter program. Support workers may manage 24-hour reception desk duties, while assisting with new participant intake and orientation to the shelter, and meeting daily needs of diverse participants in a fast-paced and ever-changing environment. To allow mothers time to meet with counsellors, take a shower or make phone calls, shelter support may assist with child-minding. Coordination of meal-times, snacks and preparation and cleaning of rooms and common areas, as also areas where shelter support plays a vital role. Twice weekly, support workers will facilitate house meetings with shelter residents, to share guidelines and information with participants, and to hear and bring forward participant concerns. Shelter support workers also support receiving and organizing of donations. Maintaining safe and comfortable spaces is only possible with the contributions of shelter support staff – throughout COVID there have been additional tasks required, including more frequent general sanitizing as well as deep-cleaning routines.
Here is what Shelter Support Worker, Analita, had to say:
Q: What is your favourite aspect of the shelter support role?
A: Getting to work directly with the women and children who are in shelter and supporting participants in activities such as games, crafts and groups
Q: What is one thing you have learned?
A: Learning to communicate positively with women from different cultural backgrounds and supporting individuals who are involved in abusive relationships
Q: What advice would you give to someone who wants to be a shelter support worker?
A: This line of work can be stressful, lean on your coworkers and support them in the same way – always make sure to find time for laughter!
FOR WILLOW PLACE CAREERS OPPORTUNTIES: https://willowplaceshelter.ca/careers/
OUTREACH PROGRAM
Serving diverse needs in community
Outreach is an important service provided by Willow Place, both on our own and with partner organizations. Outreach is needed for a number of reasons – for example, for earlier intervention when individuals are facing relationship difficulties. The outreach program allows Willow Place to support a broader variety of needs, including supports for women, men, and also couples. Participants in outreach programming can access trauma-informed counselling and referral to other beneficial supports.
Willow Place counsellor, Sherri, provides outreach services by phone and also on-site with community partners and offered the following insights:
Q: What are some things you have learned or observed in the outreach program?
A: I was reminded today of how abuse does not discriminate. No matter the gender, race, educational level or socio-economic status, abuse can affect anyone
Q: Can you share a success story?
A: I have been blessed to walk alongside an individual that has connected back to their roots and traditional ways after fleeing an abusive relationship. What an honour to bear witness to someone moving from crisis toward thriving
Q: What is a something that inspires you in your work?
A: “The most important relationship we can all have is the one you have with yourself.†~ Aristotle.
For 24-hour info and support: 1-877-977-0007 or 204-615-0311
HOW YOU CAN HELP!
Donate, share and connect
There are many ways to support Willow Place – all support, large and small is appreciated and makes a difference for participants of our family violence shelter and outreach programs! Willow Place relies upon both in-kind and monetary support to fund our services and to provide a wide array of essentials for our participants. We keep a wish list on our web site for those wishing to donate in-kind items. Due to limited space and staffing resources, we cannot accept all in-kind donations, but will happily refer donors to community partners who may be in need of certain items.
Another great way to support Willow Place is by sharing our information! Willow Place provides information on programs and services, family violence statistics, donation needs, community partnerships, healthy relationships and wellness on our web site and social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Pinterest. When you follow Willow Place and share our posts, you let others know about resources available in our region.
In recent months, Willow Place has been inspired by the kindness, generosity and creativity of caring community members! Domino’s Pizza and Supper Central have shared meals for shelter participants; EMK Clothing has donated proceeds of sales via their Kindness campaign; and many local crafters have shared quilts, afghans, mittens, scarves. Recently, the Alt Hotel, Winnipeg has donated gently used bedding and towels, and I.C.E Recreational Marketing donated 30 boxes of children’s COVID masks! Winnipeg Soup Sisters continue to bring family packs of frozen soup to feed our shelter participants, along with wonderful wish list items collected from community. Calendar Club stores have provided several large bags of new charity teddy bears for the shelter, and SuperStore locations in Winnipeg continue to support us with occasional donations of Joe Fresh clothing and other items. Chatters Salons have made several general donations of hair care products in the last year, and Richlu Manufacturing, Tough Duck staff and management have supported Willow Place year-round, including during the holiday season, and in the summer months with “Christmas in July†initiatives to fulfill wish list needs of our shelter program – truly amazing!
The coronavirus pandemic has radically changed so many things and has presented many challenges, including widespread economic impacts. One bright spot, however, has been increased awareness of the need for family violence prevention services, and improved online giving support. Willow Place also maintains an Amazon Wish List to make purchasing decisions easier for donors, and uses Canada Helps for safe and convenient monetary donations.
Here are some helpful links to support Willow Place!
WILLOW PLACE WISH LIST https://willowplaceshelter.ca/wish-list/
AMAZON WISH LIST https://www.amazon.ca/hz/wishlist/ls/3KAE8O4STE7GS?ref_=wl_share
CANADA HELPS https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/27770
