One-stop spot for families in need

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This article was published 07/10/2017 (2979 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Anyone who has ever needed to go to their parents’ place for a meal, to do laundry or get a ride might ask themselves what they’d do without the help of their family. If they lived in Wolseley, they could go to Wolseley Family Place.

For Tara Barzangi, a Kurdish refugee and mother of three, it is invaluable.

“This place is amazing,” the 35-year-old said Friday at Wolseley Family Place after whipping up a batch of macaroons for the non-profit’s catering business while her two preschoolers played at its child-care centre. Barzangi is in the pre-employment program as part of the kitchen staff, gaining work experience, earning a few bucks and moving towards a personal goal.

“It’s my dream to open a restaurant,” Barzangi said.

She was introduced to Wolseley Family Place when she was pregnant with her oldest child, who is now in Grade 2. Wolseley Family Place has become a touchstone for her family, even when she’s not working in the kitchen.

“There are very nice people and really nice staff who respect you,” said the mom, who lives downtown with her husband. She said she can go to the family place’s depot and buy a bag of gently used clothing for her growing children for just $1. When her kids outgrow them she donates them back to the centre. Sometimes she goes there just to visit and have a coffee while her children play. “I have lots of friends.”

Located on Wolseley Avenue next door to the Misericordia Health Centre, Wolseley Family Place is one of 24 United Way-supported family resource centres around Winnipeg.

“We need to be in a society where we value everybody, where we value all the children,” said executive director Sharon Taylor. “That’s where the United Way and various funders come in. They know all children count.”

Ninety per cent of the families Wolseley Family Place serve are led by single moms, most of whom are refugees or Indigenous, Taylor said. Most don’t have cars or access to vehicles.

“We’ve been able to do more activities where the families can get out of town and do children-friendly, family-friendly things, like going to Tinkertown, Birds Hill (park) and FortWhyte where kids can go sliding.”

Day trips to places that are the highlights of many Winnipeggers’ childhood memories are out of reach for many low-income families, Taylor said. The family place is helping young families who have limited financial resources connect with the community and the world around them.

“There are new computers for the drop-in centre where people can go on the internet, play games or do emails,” she said. Their children can go to the playroom where it’s safe while the parent is online.

The pre-employment program Barzangi is involved in benefits eight to 10 adults at any given time, Taylor said. It offers people work experience and, thanks to the United Way, they’re able to pay them a modest wage.

“We have lots of refugees who don’t have any Canadian work experience,” she said. “For some, their literacy levels can be extremely low.”

The children of parents in the pre-employment program get first crack at one of the 18 available spaces in the child-care centre in the morning and afternoon, she said.

Being able to put paid work experience on a resume can be a leg up for those trying to enter the workforce and a confidence booster for those who aren’t ready or able to yet.

“At least it’s saying ‘I can get a job and recognition for it.’ It instills a sense of pride,” said Taylor, who has seen the needs of the families they serve change and grow over the years. The confidence the parents gain can only help their children, she added.

“It feels like there’s lots more refugees, there’s more complexity to people’s lives, and the magnitude of drug issues and mental health issues is bigger.”

The frustrating part for Taylor is the approach to tackling these challenges seems to be shifting away from “how can we help,” she said.

“We live in a world where we like to blame the individual,” she said.

Wolseley Family Place, however, is there to help.

On Friday, the place was abuzz with activity. After the breakfast club, adults stopped by the drop-in centre for coffee. An emergency food and clothing depot was there for those in need and free laundry facilities were available, all at the same place that has a health educator, workshops and individual sessions on addictions and violence and a nurse practitioner who comes around.

“We pretty much run the gamut,” Taylor said.

Winnipeggers who would like to help keep the network of United Way-supported family resource centres strong can donate to United Way Winnipeg online at UnitedWayWinnipeg.ca/give or call 204-477-UWAY (8929).

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca