2021 Five Dollar Club contributes $21,500 to eight programs and organizations across the region!

In 2021, the Five Dollar Club contributed $21,500 to eight programs and organizations that benefit patients and residents from across the region. The Five Dollar Club is the Interlake-Eastern RHA’s staff-led, corporate giving program where staff voluntarily contribute five dollars through payroll deductions. The recommendations were generated and voted on by Five Dollar Club members. Below is an update on each donation that was given from the 2021 Five Dollar Club fund. Please check out our Facebook page for more photos and updates.

Ashern Food Bank receives $2,500

The Ashern Food Bank supports community members by nourishing individuals and families experiencing food insecurity. Food banks and other charities are being faced with unprecedented need due to the pandemic.

“We appreciate any and all donations we receive at the Ashern Food Bank.  Over the past year our Food Bank has seen an increase in the number of clients.  We have assisted the elderly, single mothers and low-income families more than ever this past year,” Darlene Woodhouse, Executive Director Lakeshore Women’s Resource Centre.

 Harm Reduction Outreach Van receives $2,500

Outreach continues to be an essential part of public health as we recover from the pandemic. The outreach van will continue to assist in providing our vulnerable community members with harm reduction kits, naloxone overdose prevention kits, vaccinations, and sexually transmitted infection testing.

“We are very gracious to be a recipient of funds from the Five Dollar Club in our region. The funds will be used toward providing outreach to populations and communities where accessibility is a factor in their health and wellbeing. The outreach van has been used to provide mobile services to people. There have been a number of COVID vaccination clinics provided by a mobile team in our region over the last year,” Maxine Zasitko, public health clinical team manager – central.

Evergreen Basic Needs in Gimli receives $2,500

Evergreen Basic Needs is a community-based organization working to eliminate hunger and food insecurity

through food distribution, education and support programs in partnership with the community.

“With this additional resource, we will be able to supplement the basic food bank hamper with more protein and fresh produce which has become increasingly costlier over the last several months.  We will also be able to purchase small turkeys and hams for our clients for Easter. This is not something we can normally do, so it will be a welcomed addition,” Karen Bowman, co-executive director, Evergreen Basic Needs.

Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba receives $4,000

Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba is a charitable organization dedicated to helping school children learn, grow, and succeed by supporting breakfast, snack, and lunch programs. They’re unique because they’re based in Manitoba and all of the funds raised stay here, reaching children in regions across the province.

“Thank you to the members of the Interlake-Eastern RHA Five Dollar Club! Your club is an important community supporter of the work of the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba. Your contributions over the years make a huge difference towards helping us support student meal programs in the Interlake Eastern Region as part of our goal of ensuring students have access to food at school,” Wendy Bloomfield, Chair, Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba.

Photo: Student from Ruth Hooker School receives meal through Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba program.

 Beausejour Food Bank receives $3,500

The Beausejour Food Bank supports community members by nourishing individuals and families experiencing food insecurity. Food banks and other charities are being faced with unprecedented need due to the pandemic.

“The Beausejour Food Bank is thrilled to be a recipient of this donation from the IERHA Five Club. Due to the presence of COVID these past months, resulting in fewer or smaller food drives, the Food Bank has needed to purchase more food than usual, for the shelves. This donation will allow us to continue with keeping the shelves stocked. A big “thank you” to each and every one who participated in this endeavor,” Anne Ticknor, Beausejour Food Bank.

Family Health & Learning Centre receives $5,000

The proposed Family Health and Learning Centre (FHLC) project has been developed by the Primary Care Development Group Incorporated, a not for profit organization led by Municipal leaders and includes the Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority (IERHA), the Interlake Eastern Health Foundation (IEHF), and the Interlake-Eastern Family Medicine Residency Training Program as entities. The proposal is based on consultation with the 30 municipalities of the IERHA. The residents of the IERHA have faced serious physician shortages resulting in many residents not having a permanent family doctor and emergency rooms often being closed requiring diversion to other hospitals. Contributing to physician shortages is the fact that the region has been unable to establish a reliable pipeline of physicians who have experience working in the region and who are willing to permanently settle in the region.

This will be addressed through a FHLC, which involves the construction of a modern building on the Selkirk Regional Health Centre (SRHC) campus to provide the space for the full-scope practice with emphasis on providing patients with access to the full range of medical professionals in the form of a collaborative practice.

Dr. Ian Alexander, site lead University of Manitoba residency program, “The development of the Family Health and Learning Centre is a vital piece in the recruitment and retention of physicians across the Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority. This (building) will allow more medical learners to train in our region and see what it has to offer both medically, and in terms of lifestyle. I can’t express enough gratitude that the first donation for this important step forward for the future of healthcare in our region comes from our staff.”

Interlake Sexual Exploitation Educators Committee (ISEE) receives $1,000

This committee provides awareness and education to classrooms across the Interlake from grades 7-12 on child and youth sexual exploitation – what it is and how to keep kids safe on the internet and social media platforms. This donation will support the purchase of gift cards for the classroom presentations booked for the 2021-22 and for the 2022-23 school year.

ISEE Co-Chair Tammy Thompson says “The Interlake Sexual Exploitation Educators (ISEE) want to extend our deepest thanks to the Interlake-Eastern RHA’s Five Dollar Club for supporting us in educating the youth, families and communities about the risks of child sexual abuse and how to prevent it.  The funding you have provided will allow us to continue our school and community presentations. Thank so much.”

Growing Years Family Resource Centre receives $1,000

Growing Years Family Resource Centre’s Circle of Security early intervention program is designed to strengthen the relationship between a caregiver and child and is described as a “user-friendly” description of Attachment Theory. The children in our community deserve a safe, healthy attachment relationship to learn and grow. Funding received will be put towards the cost of this training.

“Receiving this donation means so much to us! The families that we serve deserve the best programs and resources that we can offer. We are extremely grateful for your generosity and on behalf of the staff, board and families that we serve, we cannot thank you enough for supporting us,” Shawna Cromie, Executive Director, Growing Years Family Resource Centre.