SPOTLIGHT
Supporting mental health and resiliency in our communities
Community involvement is a key component of our Social Responsibility pillar within Communities Forward. Our Partners and team members know what matters most in their communities and across Canada, making donations that address local needs. As you can read in the following stories, in Fiscal 2023, our Partners worked together to make a lasting impact through donations to The Family Hub in the Okanagan and the Centre of Excellence in Central Alberta.
Donations like this help to build stronger communities in the regions where we work and live — and help to create a brighter future for all members of our society.
Empowering families in the Okanagan
The Family Hub is a core program run by Kelowna Community Resources in the Okanagan. This program supports vulnerable families in the region by building connections to the community and guiding families as they navigate essential services and programs.
Through consultation with families and early childhood professionals, the Family Hub delivers research-based services designed to work best for children including information, outreach, parent learning, and playgroups. But, as demand increased, the program struggled to keep up with the growing needs of the community.
MNP Partners in the region had recently set up the MNP Community Fund through the Central Okanagan Foundation. The Family Hub’s application stood out to the committee for its ability to make an impact in the lives of children and families — and they selected it as the first recipient of the MNP Community Fund in the Okanagan.
Kelowna-based Partners combined their resources to donate a total gift of $150,000 over three years to the Family Hub. This gift is managed by the Central Okanagan Foundation with the intention of making an immediate impact on the lives of children and enabling long-term planning for the program.
“Supporting the local communities where we live and work is one of our core values at MNP; it’s a responsibility we take seriously and one we’re proud to honour,” says Trina Warren, former Regional Managing Partner with MNP. “We know our gift will support the Family Hub's important work to provide essential services to hundreds of local families, so they are connected, healthy, and empowered.”
The donation is the starting point for MNP’s relationship with The Family Hub. Kelowna team members continue to support the Family Hub through volunteer initiatives. The team participated in a food drive, picked up and delivered donations, and donated books for Christmas. They also help clean the Family Hub’s space and regularly drop in to make crafts with the children. Through this continued relationship, MNP hopes to make a measurable impact on the lives of children and families throughout the region.
Supporting children’s mental health in Central Alberta
The Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre has made a considerable impact to the lives of over 2,400 vulnerable youths and families in Central Alberta since it opened in 2017. As their services expanded, they recognized the need for a new model to provide healing, recovery, and preventative care to children affected by abuse.
They committed to building the Centre of Excellence — a place that would bring many different services together under one roof to address the challenges presented by child abuse and support care, healing, and resiliency. However, they needed funding to make their vision a reality.
The Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre applied for support from MNP’s Central Alberta Community Giving Fund. Our Partners recognized the potential of the Centre of Excellence to make an incredible difference in the region — and selected the cause as the first recipient of the MNP Central Alberta Community Giving Fund.
All active regional Partners committed to gifting $500,000 over five years to the construction of the Centre. These funds will also be used for the Centre's endowment, allowing it to remain self-sustainable and continue funding its programs, services, and staff without having to rely on future donation campaigns.
“We want to ensure that every member of our community receives the support and care they need to thrive,” says Patrick Wigmore, Regional Managing Partner, Central Alberta. “Our Central Alberta Partners care about making a difference and realized the potential of the Centre of Excellence. We anticipate it will have a significant impact in the region.”
The Centre of Excellence opened its doors in August 2023. Through supporting the mental health of vulnerable children in the community, they hope to create a brighter future for all members of our society.