Blog

After 18 years as the leader of Community Financial Counselling Services (CFCS) in Winnipeg, Executive Director John Silver, is retiring from a career of outstanding service to the community.

An unwavering force for good, John has led the CFCS team with courage, empathy, determination, and integrity. Under John’s visionary leadership, CFCS enhanced and expanded a range of financial empowerment programs designed to reduce poverty and increase the financial capacity of all Manitobans, all longstanding issues of equity that were only exacerbated during the pandemic.
 

June is National Indigenous History Month, a time meant to reflect on the history, heritage and rich diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples across Canada. It is also a time to honour and celebrate the contributions of Indigenous peoples across the country. For many working with Indigenous communities it serves an additional purpose in acknowledging both large and grass-roots organizations striving to create positive change in their communities and Canada at large. 

As we celebrate the retirement of financial empowerment champions, Katie Walker and Hélène Ménard, we take the time to reflect on their legacy of work, the impact they’ve had in their organizations and community and the ingredients that make them true champions of financial empowerment.
 
As they embark on their next chapter, it is clear they’ll be leaving big shoes to fill.

After graduating as a mature student this past year Sheena* began to give serious thought to her financial and professional future. Sheena reached out to SEED Winnipeg after discovering SEED had been helping her sister file taxes for several years

Alice came to the Thunder Bay Counselling (TBC) office distraught, overwhelmed and defeated. She had not been receiving any direct income for some time and was relying on friends and family to help her to pay rent, food and health expenses.