Hands of hope helping many

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/12/2019 (2404 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Hands of Hope is a wonderful non-profit organization in North Winnipeg that has been providing free furniture to low-income families and those in need for the last 17 years.

The organization was founded in 2002 by attendees of the Grace Christian Church in Winnipeg. Members Charles Norris and his wife eventually registered the charity to meet the demands of individuals having difficulties accessing basic household furniture.

Hands of Hope is committed to providing support to Manitobans whose lives are broken by poverty, oppression, exclusion and abuse. They have successfully provided over 62,000 people with their furniture and household needs between Feb. 1, 2002 and Dec. 31, 2018. The recipients have been primarily single mothers, immigrants, refugees, seniors and other low-income families. The organization also provides workshops to teach individuals how to assemble or repair their own furniture for longer use.

Hands of Hope also offers an employment assistance program. The program is open to those that are unemployed, working less than 20 hours a week, a newcomer to Canada or persons on Employment and Income Assistance. Participants receive a two-week workshop on resumes, career exploration, health and safety, and overall training to help individuals gain meaningful employment in the Canadian workforce. After completing the workshop participants can apply their acquired knowledge through two-weeks of work experience at Hands of Hope. Also, they are given a free refurbished computer to avail them to online job opportunities and research!

I had the opportunity to meet with the founder, Charles Norris and director Kelvin Henderson to learn more about the organization and receive a tour of their facility. The staff was great, and the meeting was a true testament to all the wonderful work they are doing to enable members of our communities to gain access to the employability skills and essential furnishing goods.

However, as a non-profit organization, Hands of Hope is driven on the generosity of volunteers, staff and funding from the public and local church groups. Therefore, I encourage you all to offer your support!

Thank you, Hands of Hope for your amazing work and contributions to helping Manitobans in need.

I hope you all have a great holiday season!  Should you have any concerns, please reach out to me by email at Diljeet.Brar@yourmanitoba.ca or phone at 204-415-7621. Our constituency office is located at Unit 1-995 McPhillips St.