Nepinak lives by the motto ‘help me help you’

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This article was published 28/12/2024 (519 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Joshua Nepinak knows what it feels like to be forgotten, unheard and pushed aside, as if he doesn’t matter. Nepinak grew up in the child welfare system, where a place to grow in stability, security and love was sorely missing, as he found himself in and out of emergency shelters, and longing for a place to belong.

Despite that rough start, or maybe because of it, Nepinak is working and volunteering in the community every day. As one friend said about him, “Josh glows when he is out helping.”

Now the father of a four-year-old daughter, he works multiple jobs, including as an action therapist with youth at Whistling Wind and a support worker for Child and Family Services, West Region. Since the summer, he’s been adding to his list of priorities by growing Wiigiishin Giiwiigeenahn (an Ojibway translation meaning “help me help you”), a downtown community walk he launched in June.

He’s got other plans and ideas for supporting youth in the works, including the opening of a warming centre and working with community services to convert space into a shelter.

With only 24 hours in a day, Nepinak has somehow managed to find what he calls “a good balance” to do it all.

Community outreach worker Mitch Bourbonniere has been a mentor to countless people over many years. He’s seen profound hardships and struggles on the streets of Winnipeg but he’s also seen kindness in action.

“Joshua is one of the most wonderful and fascinating young people I’ve ever met,” said Bourbonniere. “He has faced painful obstacles in his life and yet he’s come out of all that with such a positive, refreshing kind and loving spirit.

“He’s incredibly intelligent and passionate and has wonderful ideas to better our community. He has put those ideas into action already in many different ways, including his downtown walk that continues to gain momentum. I know him to be a kind and doting father to his daughter and a wonderful mentor to the youth that he works with. I see him volunteering everywhere and he’s just a joy to be around.”

Something changed for Nepinak when his daughter was born and he felt compelled to take the path he’s on now, lighting up the way for many others through community development work.

“Before Emily was born, I was a university student. When she was born, I was just — ‘I have to do something.’ It started very small. I continued in school, struggling with money, got a job, doing my own thing. Then it was, ‘Let’s start a non-profit’; it grew into this thing.”

Wiigiishin Giiwiigeenahn, the one-hour walk, starts at the Pitikwe skate park at Portage Place every Saturday afternoon at 3:30, then winds its way via Portage, Graham, Smith and Ellice, all the way back to behind Portage Place.

“The need is very dense,” said Nepinak, noting private sponsors have at times covered the costs of over 200 sandwiches and water bottles given out weekly.

Nepinak has often funded the walk himself. In the summertime, more than 20 volunteers were actively involved in helping out on the walk, greeting people and handing out food. Despite the colder temperatures, a core of dedicated volunteers continues to show up every Saturday.

“We are planning to do this throughout the year. Our relatives are constantly exposed to the elements; they don’t get a break. They’re out there every day. It is our duty in the community to be out there every Saturday. We’ve been meeting and talking about how to transition to hot food and hot drinks,” he said, adding that groups like Community Helpers Unite, Sabu’s Cubs and other individuals have been helping out.

“I believe that hard work always pays off. I just want to continue to do that. One of our rules is we don’t profile,” Nepinak said, explaining that the offer of refreshments is made to everyone.

There’s been no shortage of bad press about downtown Winnipeg but Nepinak’s approach is one that remains centered in compassion and humanity.

“Some people might be scared or have their own ideas about going to the core. I see these people as people. I’m not really looking at them like they’re doing drugs,” he said.

“I remembered my mentor Mitch saying if somebody is using by themselves on the side of the road, maybe think about sitting with them so they’re not alone, maybe think about why they are doing that, why they have the need to do so. Everyone has their own stories, their own hardships. Dealing with hardships, using is part of that. I look at these people as people.

“This walk started from a lasting impression. I was working downtown and I was going to a potluck, so I ran to Dollarama. When I came out, I was approached by a relative and I gave them a pop that I bought. That left an impression.

“Once I immersed myself in community, I began talking about this. I hope it leaves an impression, something similar that I felt. If somebody is wanting — willing — to help in their own way, with their time, efforts… we love when people are saying thank you for doing what we’re doing. I’m hoping it leaves an impression.

“For me, it’s like saying, ‘See you again…’ through all the dedicated volunteers, ‘We will see you next week.’ That’s what makes me feel happy: I did something. Every difference is a difference no matter how small or big. That’s the feeling that keeps me going.”

For now, the focus is to get the food and beverages into people’s hands. Though there’s currently no opportunity to further interactions into conversations, Nepinak hopes to see that evolve over time.

“We are not there yet. I really think the next step is how do we provide another layer.”

For now, Nepinak sees every sandwich, every bowl of soup and every cup of hot coffee given to someone as an unspoken transaction: “I see you, You matter. Help me help you.”

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fpcity@freepress.mb.ca