When it comes to accessing services around the city, it can be tough to know where to start.  Resource Connect aims to bring Edmontonians and service providers together in a space  where both citizens and agencies can find each other in one place. In partnership with Edmonton Public Library, the event is a chance for community members and service providers to connect in a mutually beneficial way.  “By coming together, we hope to build a stronger community service, become more

As an academic, and expert in polarization, Jared Wesley hopes to put his skills to good use on the REACH Board. “I look for ways to make contributions, and this is one of the most interesting and valuable ways to spend my time in community service,” says Wesley. “I’m bringing the perspective of concern for my community, backed up by some of my academic experience and knowledge because I study Alberta politics and Canadian politics in particular.”  As many important social is

Human trafficking is often thought of as an international problem, but the unpleasant truth is it happens here. Safer Way Out is a project that aims to develop a coordinated community response that is driven by the needs of victims of human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation.  The project focuses on the geographical areas of Red Deer, Edmonton and Northern Alberta. In order to ensure the voices of victims are central, the project’s Advisory Circle creates a sp

As the summer approaches, REACH Edmonton is welcoming new members to the REACH Board.  Candace Cleveland, a Senior Manager at Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society, joined the REACH board at the June 9 Annual General Meeting.    “I’ve been in the social work field for 15 years now and working with Bent Arrow and we collaborate with a variety of different stakeholders and agencies,” says Cleveland. “I realized that to affect real change we need to collaborate and utilize the

Crisis Diversion workers often go beyond the basic definition of their jobs.  Jarvis Eastman, Hope Mission, Rescue Van Ministry Worker, was recently honoured by EMS for these kinds of actions. Often, people on the street will ask Crisis Diversion workers for a narcan kit, which they can’t supply because they need the ones they have for emergencies. And on this particular day, a teenager chased the Hope Mission rescue van down asking for narcan.   The Hope staff agreed to go t

As refugees from Afghanistan arrive in Edmonton, play is helping families adjust to their new lives in Canada.  Every weekday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., more than 60 kids and 30 parents gather to play games, get settled and begin their healing journeys. It’s part of a new program by Free Play for Kids to give new Afghan refugees a place to go with structured games and activities during the crucial just-arrived period before they are attending school. “Right now we’re in the mid

Substance abuse can cost people everything, including their lives, and a local traveling exhibit is hoping to bust the myths around who addictions affect. The local  project was inspired by the Opioids Don’t Discriminate project out of Strathcona County in 2018.  “A couple of  people had seen the Strathcona County exhibit and thought we should do something like this in Edmonton,” says Sofia Alani, Project Manager at REACH Edmonton.  “It was very well done. They won a ton of a

While many Edmontonians largely spent the past two years at home, people working with vulnerable community members have been filling in gaps and acting as essential extra eyes and ears on the street.  Molly Mcguire, a Crisis Diversion Worker with Boyle Street Community Services, has been doing this work since 2019.  “We try to help the vulnerable population and we advocate on their behalf and support them in a non-judgemental way to empower them and meet them where they’re at

Getting back on your feet after years of hard times can be challenging. Often what’s needed is just for someone to give you a chance.  And that’s what the Mustard Seed’s SEEDworks program aims to do.  Eric Chiu, Employment Manager at the Mustard Seed, has been running the program with the help of three coaches since 2020.  “SEEDWorks is essentially the social enterprise branch of the Mustard Seed and the employment program specifically,” says Eric. “The main purpose is to hel

When vulnerable people are facing a crisis, there is often a brief period of time before that crisis becomes an emergency, and that’s where 24/7 Crisis Diversion comes in. Crisis Diversion teams help people experiencing non-emergency crises get to a safe place, freeing up police and emergency medical services to respond to more critical events. This work involves a large volume of calls every day, and 211 helps navigate the journey from the initial call, to getting the client

When someone in Alberta experiences a hate incident, where can they find support? What can bystanders do to help?  These are some of the questions the Response Model to Hate Incidents in Alberta aims to answer. The Response Model for Hate Incidents in Alberta was an initiative led by the Alberta Coalitions Creating Equity (CCE) with support provided by the Alberta Human Rights Education and Multiculturalism Fund. The five municipalities of the CCE (Wood Buffalo, Edmonton, Red

After one year in action, a newly-funded position is making an impact in the lives of vulnerable women trying to escape human trafficking and sexual exploitation. The position came about after the pandemic highlighted the extent of specific gaps in services for people in these dangerous situations. “In March, 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic, just as everything was closing down, two separate women walked into EPS police headquarters on separate occasions and asked for he

REACH Board Member Erum Afsar is a strong believer in the value of governance boards and the real difference they make in the community.  “I’ve been a long-time volunteer on various boards and committees,” says Erum. “I’m passionate about making communities safer for everyone, which fits with REACH's mandate and the work they do.” REACH plays a vital role in having those important conversations about community safety and wellness, she says.  “They’re bringing people and agenc

When Shemine Gulamain joined REACH Edmonton’s Board in 2021, she was excited to work with an organization with long-range goals.  “I really appreciate REACH’s goal of building a safer city in over one generation,” says Shemine.” “Being an active member of the community, volunteering on the board,  is one of the best ways to engage and reach goals such as this one.” As the demographics of the Edmonton region continue to shift and change, Shemine believes that the connections a

When the pandemic forced schools to move to online learning in 2020, newcomer families who were already facing barriers now faced a whole new set of challenges.  “I am an educator and was working for Alberta Education when Covid started. One of my roles was as the lead for  student refugee support in the Ministry.” says Dr. Kathy Toogood, the author of a newly-released report called Invoking the Village: Enhancing Collaboration Between Schools and Community Agencies To Suppor

Ethnocultural communities face many barriers and stresses at any time, but many of these challenges have intensified during the pandemic. The Multicultural Health Brokers (MCHB) have been working to bridge these gaps since 1998, and continue to rise to the challenges communities are facing in these challenging years.  “Our role is always to honour and make visible what’s happening in ethnocultural communities,” says Yvonne Chiu, Executive Director of MCHB. “That's why 90% of

After joining the Board in 2020, Sandra Hucalak has deepened her understanding and appreciation of the work REACH does. “I learned a lot about the breadth and scope of the organizations in the first year,” says Sandra. ”I found it inspiring to be immersed in some of the issues and challenges facing the community and see the role of reach as a convener.” While Sandra was already familiar with the work of REACH, her service on the board has given her a deeper view of the commun

For Lux, serving on the Board for REACH Edmonton is all about giving back. “I’m originally from the Calgary area but Edmonton is just a better fit for me,” they say. “Now that I’ve made this my chosen community, I want to give back.”  Lux joined the board in 2021, with an interest in learning more about executive leadership and expanding their knowledge and connections in the non-profit and social serving sector.  They are also excited about learning more about strategic plan

The social and economic challenges facing Edmonton’s core neighbourhoods are both complex and interconnected. A new approach to providing an on-street presence in Business Improvement Areas (BIA) is being piloted that aims to address the relationship between vulnerable Edmontonians and struggling business-owners who share the same neighbourhood. YEGAmbassadors, a collaborative partnership between the North Edge Business Association, the City of Edmonton, The Mustard Seed and

While the Edmonton Public Library and Canadian Native Friendship Centre have been partnering on Cree language classes for years, shifting the classes online during the pandemic has resulted in an explosion of interest in the program. “When Covid hit and we shut down the library branches and started offering virtual classes,  demand for it increased because it was so accessible online,” says Andrew Halbertstadt, Manager of the Londonderry and McConachie branches of the Edmonto