2021 Grant Recipients

Esther House Inc.

For 23 years Esther House has been providing a safe, transformational environment for women in recovery from addictions. Esther House is a non-profit, community-based facility that provides shelter and support to women who have finished primary treatment for addiction. This period of recovery is a critical point of transition that is essential to long-term recovery.

Esther House is a sober safe house that provides the infrastructure necessary for women to heal and gain the confidence and self-esteem to continue their journey of life in recovery. The Manitoba REALTORS® Shelter Foundation grant will help ensure the doors of Esther House remain open to welcome women who deserve a second chance.

Habitat for Humanity Manitoba Inc.

Everyone deserves a safe, decent, and affordable place to live. A home is the foundation for a healthy family that lives, learns, plays and grows together. Homeownership provides families with stability and a healthier environment where they thrive, and children are able to focus more on school while the families become part of the surrounding community.

By mobilizing volunteers and community partners, Habitat for Humanity Manitoba

works with people from all walks of life to build safe, decent, affordable

housing for purchase by families in need. The Southeast Chapter is building a side-by-side unit in Landmark, Manitoba. The Manitoba REALTORS® Shelter Foundation grant will be directed towards purchasing and installing electrical equipment for this rural build.

Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba (IRCOM)

IRCOM empowers newcomer families to integrate into the wider community through three-year, affordable transitional housing coupled with onsite holistic programs and services. Their vision is a “Community of Belonging”, a home to hundreds of newcomers from across the globe – a microcosm of Canada’s rich cultural mosaic.

The Manitoba REALTORS® Shelter Foundation grant will benefit both the 267 Ellen Street tenants and over 600 community members who access the building for programming. The grant will help replace the hallway and lobby flooring on the main level – creating a safe and accessible space for all, regardless of accessibility issues, that is free of tripping hazards and complies with Manitoba Accessibility Standards. Additionally, funding will help replace lighting sconces in the hallways and entrance area on the main and upper levels with LED lighting that will last longer and lessen energy consumption.

Manitoba Tipi Mitawa Inc.

The Manitoba Tipi Mitawa (MTM) First Nations homeownership program ensures that First Nations families have a solid financial foundation upon which they and their children can move forward free from poverty.

The MTM program addresses the disparities in the quality of life between First Nations and non-First Nations populations and the effect this has on First Nations families living in urban communities.

The program’s eleven-year history shows a demonstrated track record of success in creating opportunities for low- to moderate-income off-reserve First Nations families to move along the housing spectrum from renting into acquiring and owning their own homes in Winnipeg or other large urban centers in Manitoba.

The Manitoba REALTORS® Shelter Foundation grant will provide funding for the cost to administer one virtual home maintenance class with a Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors certified home inspector. The MTM program’s emphasis on knowledge, education and self-empowerment has ensured its long-term success, resulting in a track record of zero mortgage foreclosures since its inception. In addition to financial and home purchase education, participants will then partake in an interactive and thorough day of learning regarding maintaining and improving the value of a home, seasonal upkeep requirements, various tools homeowners require, and more. Participants will leave this session with improved knowledge and clarity concerning the responsibilities homeowners have in comparison to renters, and the budget required for new homeownership costs.

R.A.Y. Resource Assistance for Youth Inc.

Resource Assistance for Youth, Inc. (RaY) is a multi-dimensional street-level frontline service organization that seeks to provide services that meet the emergent and long-term needs or marginalized, street entrenched and/or homeless youth up to the age of 29. RaY is a non-partisan, nonjudgmental, harm-reduction-focused organization that utilizes the determinants of health and best practices to support marginalized youth in a participant-driven way.

Specifically, RaY provides frontline services in conjugation with providing system-based advocacy, education, employment and training/readiness. RaY’s integrated services are delivered in a HUB model, meaning, youth can access services from different departments all in one place. A “no wrong door” policy means never being turned away or sent to another place. RaY provides the following services: basic needs support (hygiene, food, safety); primary health care, mental health support, addictions support, transitional housing (REST program), tenancy support, employment and training (including job placements), evictions prevention, street outreach, system navigation, advocacy and support, life skills and mental health workshops,

employment experience, and arts, culture and recreation activities.

The Manitoba REALTORS® Shelter Foundation grant will help to purchase computers specifically for the use of persons accessing RaY’s services. Through this low-barrier access to technology, youth will have increased access and ability to communicate with others, as well as increased ability to access services, research and programming. Technology allows vulnerable populations to take control and gain independence in their journeys toward a sustainable future.

Red Road Lodge Inc.

In 2003 the New Occidental Hotel was purchased by Richard Walls and renamed the Red Road Lodge with the intent of rejuvenating Main Street using arts and culture as a catalyst for change. This process began by changing the business model of the New Occidental which was 100 per cent financially dependent on the sale of liquor, cigarettes and VLT revenue and focusing instead on providing affordable alternative housing for at-risk and marginalized individuals in a safe, dry and supportive environment. Without the financial benefit of revenue generated through the sales of liquor, cigarettes and VLTs the financial viability of the Red Road Lodge has been challenging and very dependent on government grants, fundraising through donations, and volunteer time.

The Manitoba REALTORS® Shelter Foundation grant will provide funding to install a security and camera system to mitigate risk and provide a safe, secure working and living environment. This system will allow Red Road Lodge to monitor the activities and actions for the safety of residents, their guests, and visitors.

Samaritan House Ministries Inc.

Samaritan House Ministries Inc. strives to be on the leading edge of resource sharing and collaboration between and among anti-poverty organizations within the city of Brandon, the province of Manitoba and the Prairie Region. Samaritan House Ministries Inc. intends to be a flexible and dynamic organization, able and willing to adapt to the evolving needs of the public they serve. Samaritan House Ministries Inc. serves a diverse population including Indigenous, immigrants, and other citizens of Brandon. Samaritan House Ministries Inc. recognizes that their clients may have diverse needs. Decisions undertaken on behalf of this organization are made with the greatest respect and support for these differences.

The Manitoba REALTORS® Shelter Foundation grant helped provide a portion of the funding to provide Samaritan House Ministries Inc. Safe and Warm Shelter with men’s and women’s sleeping areas, a dining area, a kitchen for prepping meals, and an overflow area which can now accommodate a total of 31 beds.

SEED Winnipeg Inc.

SEED Winnipeg is a community economic development agency that works to reduce poverty and assist in the renewal of primarily inner-city communities. SEED envisions a world where opportunities exist for all people and communities to realize their hopes. SEED’s mission is to build strong communities and increase opportunities for people through financial empowerment programs and services.

The Manitoba REALTORS® Shelter Foundation grant will go towards developing a new workshop on the topic of tenants’ insurance and renters’ rights to be added to SEED’s core financial literacy curriculum. SEED will work with nine shelter-focused partner sites to deliver the curriculum and build partners’ program delivery capacity through the “train-the-trainer” model. The curriculum is a series of 10 workshops that include approximately 10 hours of facilitated instruction in addition to self-directed homework activities. This training is provided to help prepare individuals for the challenges faced by tenants including financial stresses, tenants’ insurance, and knowing your rights as a renter. SEED will also host drop-in events with partner sites to help program participants file income tax returns, access identification and open bank accounts, as these are all critical components to securing housing.

Two Ten Recovery inc.

The mission of Two Ten Recovery is to provide abstinence-based accommodation in clean, safe, and structured environments for men and women in recovery from drug and/or alcohol addiction. Two Ten Recovery helps individuals who have a desire to stay clean and sober and as a result, become productive members of society by working, furthering their education, and/or being reunited with their families. Participant involvement in the 12-step recovery fellowship is essential to healthy sobriety. It is Two Ten Recovery’s philosophy that individuals need to possess honesty, open-mindedness, and a willingness to initiate a change in their lifestyle.

The Manitoba REALTORS® Shelter Foundation grant will provide financial support for two commercial-grade washing machines (one for 210 Maryland, the other for 518 Ritchot), bed linens including 40 pillows, 26 comforters, 26 sets of sheets, and pots and pans for 210 Maryland.