EBN History and Information

 

Mission Statement

 

Evergreen Basic Needs exists to provide support to single mothers / fathers, families, or individuals living in poverty.

 

 

Vision Statement

 

Evergreen Basic Needs is a community inspired center that helps others to help themselves through the strengthening of our collective resourcefulness.  This takes place in an environment that is dignified, creative, and warm.

 

 

Core Values

 

·          Integrity:  We pursue the highest standards of ethics and respect for our clients, customers, donors, and staff.

·          Excellence:  We strive for superior performance and consistently provide professional, innovative, and quality service.

·          Accountability:  We are accountable for our actions to our clients, customers, donors, volunteers, and the greater community.  We demonstrate responsive and innovative leadership to ensure the strength within our organization.

·          Sustainability:  We are committed to the long term well-being of our communities.

 

 

Goals & Objectives

 

·          To assist low-income families with basic needs such as food, clothing, and household items.

·          To promote / create Community Programs which address or alleviate poverty issues.

·          To create programs by providing educational opportunities and training to enhance economic security and prosperity.

·          To network / partnership with existing resources, organizations, churches, schools, and people in the Community.

·          To serve as a distribution center for other food banks and agencies within the Interlake Region.

·          To promote / create programs that assists our clients and their families to a healthier living.

·          To continue to encourage and develop a resource pool of volunteers.

·          To continue to grow our communities to include the Interlake Region.

 

 

History

 

Evergreen Basic Needs began on October 8, 1992 and was later incorporated in 1995.  At that time, we only ran three programs which were the Food Bank for Gimli, a small second hand store, and the wish list program.  Since then we have expanded our catchment area to include the R.M. of Gimli, Town of Winnipeg Beach, Village of Dunnottar, and R.M. of Armstrong.  We have developed programs such as:

 

·          Monthly / Emergency Hampers: To provide nutritional food supplements to identified clients.  Clients can access the food bank twice a month.

 

Food Hamper Program Statistics for 2010

Community

# of Hampers

# of Adults

# of Children

R.M. of Gimli

661

934

509

Winnipeg Beach

96

134

28

R.M. of Armstrong

97

124

197

Village of Dunnottar

27

28

1

Emergency Hampers

21

23

41

TOTAL

902

1243

776

 

·          Respun Threads:  Was established in October 1992 as a recycled clothing store, to provide low cost, quality clothing for the community.  We expanded our product line to include household items, furniture, and collectables.

 

·          Life Essentials Program:  The Wish List Program and Waiver Program have been combined to create the Life Essentials Program.  This reformulated program provides registered clients with used clothing, specific household items, furniture, and appliances through a waiver system.

 

·          Educational Workshops:  This program was designed to teach our clients the basic skills they need to live independently and develop healthy choices.  Volunteers from the community have worked with EBN to deliver these workshops.

 

·          Christmas Hamper / Toy Program:  EBN collects food and toys from the Communities to distribute to our clients at Christmas – very similar to the Cheer Board.

 

Christmas Hamper & Toy Program Statistics for 2010

Community

# of Hampers

R.M. of Gimli

63

Town of Winnipeg Beach

21

R.M. of Armstrong

9

Village of Dunnottar

6

Riverton

1

Bifrost

1

St. Andrews

1

 

·          Keeping Kids in Coats Program:  This program is run with the assistance of the local Fire Departments and First Responders, where we provide coats for children.

 

·          Distribution Hub:  In partnership with Winnipeg Harvest, EBN distributes Surplus food to the Interlake and Northern Regional Food Banks, congregate meal programs, Nova House (home for abused women), soup kitchens, and several camps.

 

·          Community Services Programs:  This program is run through the school for credits while the other program is court ordered.

 

·          Emergency Relief Program:  This program is similar to the Life Essentials Program, in that it provides the basic necessities to people in need.  The difference is run with the assistance of the Emergency Responders of the Interlake region (Social Services, Public Health Nurse, Women’s Resource Center, RCMP, Fire Department, etc.)

 

·          Helping Hands Café:  Newly developed program where we offer clients the opportunity to gain work exposure through the apprenticeship program and through the internship program.  In the evenings we also will be offering cooking classes.

 

·          Training Facility in all departments of the organization:  If approved by the Status Women Canada we will be able to offer the following program to women and young girls to enhance economic security and prosperity.

 

6 module program – 6 week session – 2 women / girls per module

 

1 week training in Retail

1 week training in the coffee shop / cooking lessons

1 week training in the food bank and other programs

1 week training on the computer center

1 week training in administration and office exposure

1 week training in receivables / pre-sort

 

5 hour days (9:00 am to 3:00 pm) 1 hour for lunch to accommodate school aged children.

 

Each week, we will have 1 hour workshops, i.e. budgeting, conflict resolution, how to ensure your voice is heard, nutrition and shopping within the budget, making positive choices that affect their future and goal setting.

 

Each 6 week session will also include 1 full day workshop of Food Handler’s Certificate and a First Aid Course.  After the 6 week session, we will have the clients.  Clients will be required to fill out an evaluation form and the successful applicants will receive a certificate of completion.  We will also work in partnership with the province to find part-time or full-time opportunities.

 

 

Our programs serve over 18,000 people through food banks, women’s shelters, schools, camps and daycares.