NorthEnd Family Centre - Moving and Growing
At the North End Family Centre, Six words drive everything they do: “Building Community, Empowering Families, Strengthening Winnipeg.”
We all need to be a part of a community. Being part of a safe community allows us to feel safe and supported even when life is difficult. When a person is part of a safe community, they feel stronger and new heights can be reached. Hope is discovered and goals that seemed out of reach become attainable. The North End Family Centre is a gathering place that provides a comfortable and safe community for families to connect and belong.
The North End Family Centre empowers families to meet their life goals and overcome the challenges of living with poverty. They help families become self-reliant and acquire the tools they need to thrive and succeed in their lives. The centre has seen families go from the street to finding a safe place to live; they have seen people fight and gain recovery from addictions; they have seen people go from being unemployed to finding work and building careers. In short, the Northend Family Centre is truly helping families break free from the cycle of poverty.
As a result of the tremendous impact the centre has made on the community, the facility (currently located at 1322 Main Street) is now too much too small. A larger facilityhas been needed for quite some time and fortunately a suitable facility has been secured nearby (at 1344 Main Street). The new 2,700 sq. ft. facility is much needed and will allow for the centre to have even greater impact in the lives of the families they already serve once renovations are completed. It will also provide enough space to nurture relationships with hundreds of new families. The new facility is expected to meet the centre's growth for years to come.
gw architecture inc. is proud to be a supporter of the North End Family Centre and are pleased to assist them in making the new facility a reality. We will update the blog with news as the project develops but here is a shortlist of what the facility will mean to the centre:
Increased size of the “Community Living Room” so more families can access it at any given time.
A comfortable room near the Community Living Room where the team can speak privately with families about personal struggles. It will also serve as a space to offer pastoral care on request.
A larger Youth Room that can hold more children at a greater age range. This will allow youth of all ages to have fun while their parents are accessing programs and services.
A kitchen that will make it possible to offer food related programs.
A Multi-Purpose Room that will give flexibility to offer more diverse activities.
A learning Centre that will provide the space to offer workshops, hold meetings, and host other learning opportunities during hours of operation. It will also allow the centre to partner with other community groups by making the Learning Centre available for use during the evening.
These are just a few examples of the ways the new facility will allow the centre to greatly expand their capabilities and have even greater impact in the North End community!
For anyone interested in learning more about the centre, check out their website at www.northendfamilycentre.org .
