Common thread weaves through love, loss, healing
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Shahina Siddiqui has trouble recalling the exact date — grief will do that — but she knows Riaz, her eldest son, died in the month of November.
Riaz was diagnosed with a rare neurological disease around the time he entered kindergarten. One Halloween night about four years later, he wasn’t doing well. Siddiqui and her husband, Iqbal, took Riaz to hospital, where he entered palliative care and died soon after.
Four decades later, Siddiqui remembers her beautiful boy and the lack of support available to her and Iqbal as Muslim-Canadians. She vowed that no other family would go through what they did.
“(My husband and I) wanted to fill that gap that was there, so we volunteered our time,” she says.
Siddiqui has become a volunteer powerhouse since then, including co-founding Islamic Social Services Association Canada, an organization dedicated to providing family, health and social welfare services to diverse Muslim communities.
Helping Muslim-Canadians navigate palliative care, funeral planning and grief counselling has been a significant part of Siddiqui’s volunteer work over the years.
That made her a natural fit to volunteer on the advisory committee for the Canadian Healing Quilt, an online space to remember and honour people who have died.
At healingquilt.ca, families and friends can gather virtually to share stories, memories, photos and more to create a memorial quilt square.
The memorials appear as part of a national digital quilt or can remain private and visible only to invited family and friends. Visitors can light virtual candles, leave messages and add memories to quilt squares. There is no cost to create or add to a square.
The quilt was developed by Canadian Virtual Hospice, a charity that provides support and information so that Canadians can sort through issues related to living with advanced illness, dying and grief. The project received $90,000 in funding from the Winnipeg Foundation and input from the committee Siddiqui was a part of.
Connecting with the committee’s other six members was meaningful, Siddiqui says.
“It was definitely for me therapeutic — as I think it was for all the others as well on the committee — because we all had experience in this field in some ways, whether directly or indirectly,” she says.
Elder Albert McLeod, an Indigenous knowledge carrier and community leader who has served as an adviser to Canadian Virtual Hospice, came up with the concept during the COVID-19 pandemic. He witnessed the pain of people unable to honour and celebrate their loved ones and envisioned an online space to do just that.
He chose the quilt concept, he says, because in Indigenous culture, quilts and star blankets offer protection through life’s journey and honour those who have died.
“The point of making a blanket or quilt is about family (and) comfort,” McLeod says, adding that the initiative aims to be culturally sensitive and welcoming to people from all faith backgrounds.
The Canadian Healing Quilt brings grief out of the shadows and reminds people they are not alone in their sadness, says Shelly Cory, executive director of Canadian Virtual Hospice. It also allows Canadians to support one another as they remember their loved ones.
“In that grief is (also) that celebration of life,” Cory says. “I think the quilt allows us to (both grieve and celebrate) in an elegant, welcoming way.”
Now that the website has launched, McLeod invites the public to populate it with memorials to their loved ones. He recently created a panel to memorialize a friend in Vancouver who died and says doing so was healing.
“This is acknowledging her passing but it’s also remembering her in a good way,” he says. “She has a whole history that I think is important for people to know.”
If you know a special volunteer, email aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca.
Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. He was previously the associate editor at Canadian Mennonite. Read more about Aaron.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Volunteer opportunities
The following is a list of volunteer opportunities for Winnipeg and surrounding areas. For more information about these listings, contact the organization directly. Volunteer Manitoba does not place volunteers with organizations but can help people find opportunities. To learn more about its programs and services, go to www.volunteermanitoba.ca or call 204-477-5180.
The Manitoba Amateur Boxing Association needs volunteers for the Canadian National Boxing Championships. Roles include ticket checker, glove runner and gloving table attendant. Other positions involve setting up and dismantling the boxing ring or selling 50/50 tickets. Shifts are 2.5 hours, with setup and takedown shifts lasting three hours, from Nov. 26 to 29. Volunteers can sign up for one or more sessions over different days. Apply at wfp.to/iXT by Nov. 16.
The Manitoba Down Syndrome Society needs social club volunteers. The club offers young people the chance to connect with peers in a fun, informal setting. Volunteers help create inclusive experiences, foster friendships, and promote independence and social confidence. Responsibilities include helping people during activities, encouraging interaction, giving guidance, assisting with event logistics and collaborating with staff members. Experience with Down syndrome is beneficial but not mandatory. Volunteers must complete an orientation and a criminal record check if they are over 18. Apply at wfp.to/iXl by Dec. 31.
L’Arche Winnipeg needs café mentors. A social enterprise, the L’Arche Tova Café is an interactive place that provides social and employment opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities. Trainees are paired with a mentor to learn and perform valuable service-industry skills such as greeting customers, presenting menus, and serving food and beverages. Volunteer mentors are needed from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays. Volunteers must be interviewed, undergo background checks, provide three references, and go through a period of orientation and probation during their weekly or bi-weekly shift. Apply at wfp.to/iXJ by Dec. 31.
Oyate Tipi Cumini Yape needs members to join its board, which uses a consensus-based decision-making model. Members must be 18 or older and are expected to attend monthly meetings lasting two hours in the evenings, as well as an annual general meeting. Previous board experience is an asset, while a working knowledge of non-profit organizations is essential. Indigenous community members are particularly encouraged to apply. Apply at wfp.to/C3F or volunteer@oyatetipi.com by Dec. 31.
St. Amant needs volunteers to join its team in St-Pierre-Jolys for a program focused on independent living skills. They will help the lead facilitator in running group sessions that help young people with autism or related disabilities develop essential independent living skills in a supportive and sensory-friendly environment. The volunteers will guide activities, provide one-on-one support and encourage participation. Volunteers must be at least 15 years old (parental consent is required if under 16), patient, responsible and mature, and must pass background checks. The time commitment is 90 minutes per week. Email volunteer@stamant.ca by Nov. 1.
The Transcona Museum needs Remembrance Week exhibition volunteers at Kildonan Place from Nov. 6 to 11. They will sit and talk to people about the exhibition, hand out information, count visitors, and help with table setup and take down at the start and end of the day. Help is also needed to move items to the museum when the exhibition is over. Apply at wfp.to/iXL.
Retired teachers are needed to help with programming at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada as volunteer educational tour guides. Licensed teachers lead STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)-based programs in the classroom, and the volunteers give guided tours in the galleries. The time commitment is three to six hours per week based on the volunteer’s availability. Email HR@royalaviationmuseum.com by Nov. 15.
The Town of Beausejour’s active transportation committee needs a social-media co-ordinator. This role involves attending about one daytime meeting per month, working with the committee to create content, and keeping social-media platforms up to date. Email mallory@townofbeausejour.com or rondeau@mymts.net by Nov. 30.
The Canadian Red Cross Society needs volunteers in Manitoba for programs such as Smart Start and Disaster Risk Reduction. These roles involve leading sessions on climate change and emergency preparedness, and require effective communication skills and cultural sensitivity. Volunteers might also join the emergency responder and personal disaster assistance teams to help during disasters. Training and background checks are mandatory. This opportunity offers experience in public speaking and crisis management. Send a resumé to SmartStart@RedCross.ca by Dec. 31.
The Tetra Society of North America needs technical volunteers with engineering expertise, or students studying engineering, to help create customized assistive devices for people with disabilities. Outreach volunteers are also welcome to help with community engagement efforts. Register at wfp.to/iXv by Jan 30.
Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. He was previously the associate editor at Canadian Mennonite. Read more about Aaron.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
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History
Updated on Monday, October 20, 2025 6:48 AM CDT: Formatting