Funding to help newcomers find their feet

If Funmilayo Adewusi were to write the story of her life, she says New Journey Housing would be an essential part of it.

“They helped me and my two daughters with everything,” said the 40-year-old Nigerian immigrant, who arrived in Winnipeg in early 2024.

New Journey is one of five organizations that support low-income Manitobans at risk of being homeless as well as those who have just arrived in the province.

The groups received nearly $900,000 in one-time grants last week from a $20-million endowment fund created by the province with the Winnipeg Foundation last year.

New Journey helps newcomers transition from temporary shelters into permanent homes by assisting with searches, rental applications, landlord disputes, tax filing, and applications for federal benefits.

When Adewusi arrived in Winnipeg, the organization helped her and her daughters — ages 13 and nine — find emergency shelter first at Naomi House, a church-based ministry that works with faith groups and the wider community to support refugees, and later at the Salvation Army. By May 2024, the family had moved into Manitoba Housing.

“They helped me gain my ground, they helped me get connected,” she said. “I’ve met a lot people here (in Winnipeg) where it’s been very difficult to get settled. New Journey made it very easy, especially with my children.”

She said the organization helped her furnish her new home with a microwave, a bed and a TV, and also helped her find employment and schools for her daughters.

“I am extremely thankful,” she said. “They do so much for me, it’s hard to remember.”

Stories such as Adewusi’s highlight the impact of funding grants, said New Journey executive director Codi Guenther.

“It allows us to expand our team and meet the growing needs newcomers have coming to Winnipeg,” she said. “As part of the program, our staff helps them look for work, and our staff refers them to employment agencies to help them find work so they can eventually get off (employment income assistance) and into the workforce.”

Guenther said the agency assists about 100 new households each month; the process typically takes three to five months.

Other organizations to receive funding are the Canadian Muslim Women’s Institute, the Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council (Welcome Place), and Healthy Muslim Families.

“These funds are allowing us to revive our employment program, which had to be scaled back following (federal) budget cuts last December,” says Muslim women’s institute executive director Eve Sotiriadou.

“The program is designed to support (employment income assistance) clients, newcomers, and low-income Manitobans who are seeking employment readiness training and opportunities.”

“These funds are vital, as they allow us to restore essential services that help Manitobans overcome barriers related to language, finances, and limited work experience.”

The institute provides integration services to newcomers and refugees, particularly women, refugee claimants with work permits and non-permanent residents. Services include employment and English training, resume building, job search assistance, access to employer networks, tax-filing assistance and money management workshops.

Sotiriadou said the organization plans to host several child-care training sessions this year.

“These funds are vital, as they allow us to restore essential services that help Manitobans overcome barriers related to language, finances, and limited work experience,” she said.

Leilani Esteban-Villarba, executive director of Chalmers Neighbourhood Renewal Corp., said the funding will support the organization’s Empower program.

“The funding will go toward wraparound supports for active employment income participants,” Esteban-Villarba said. “They will get the opportunity to access job training, job skills, resume building and computers.”

The corporation offers a range of services, from helping residents apply for emergency home repair grants and energy-efficiency upgrades, to providing short-term forgivable loans for rent, mortgage and utility arrears, and mediating landlord disputes to prevent eviction.

It also provides low-cost food options, addiction prevention programs, and supports for young children and seniors.

“We’re able to provide services almost on every level, and if we don’t have them, we can resource them with our partners,” Esteban-Villarba said.

scott.billeck@frepress.mb.ca