New Community Services Location Opens in Neepawa
The Salvation Army in Neepawa celebrated the grand opening of the new Community Services building on May 13th with a ribbon cutting, tours of the facility, cake, refreshments and a whole lot of gratitude for everyone involved in bringing this long-dreamed of project to life!
Nearly 100 people stopped in to see the new space and hear about how it came together including Neepawa Mayor Brian Hedley, a representative for the local MLA Jody Byram, Area Commander Lt. David Hipperson and members of the Neepawa Community Services Council.
“This new location reflects what we heard from the community — that people deserve privacy, choice, and respect when accessing services,” said Amanda Naughton-Gale, Neepawa Community Ministries Director. “It also allows us to grow alongside Neepawa and expand the programs and supports we can offer now and into the future.”
The welcoming space is designed to better serve individuals and families in the community. The Salvation Army in Neepawa has historically delivered community services out of its Thrift Store location. As demand increased from serving 20 families to 80, and providing 5,000lbs of food each month while also supporting the town of McCreary, this model no longer adequately supported client dignity, confidentiality, or program growth.
The new location is more than just a building; it’s a new space that represents hope. The space includes a welcoming reception area, two private offices, a community kitchen, and an expanded food bank that allows clients to shop for groceries using a points-based system. In addition to food support, the new Community Services location provides space for workshops, events, and potential new programs that respond to local needs.
“This space will allow us to provide different programming related to food security and literacy. We can also use it for small gatherings.” Amanda adds. “I would love to see this as a space for the entire community, not just a place to come and get food. It’s a place to build fellowship, get to know people and learn. We want to be warm and welcoming to everyone.”
The new facility was made possible through community partnerships and grants resulting in over $225,000. The Neepawa Salvation Army would like to thank the Manitoba Government – From the Ground Up Fund, the Ag Canada – Local Food Infrastructure Fund, the Farm Credit Canada – AgriSpirt Fund, Harvest Manitoba, the Tim Horton’s Smile Cookie Campaign, Concentra Bank (Stride Credit Union) Community Support Grant, the Town of Neepawa and the Beautiful Plains Community Foundation.
Contribute to the ongoing success of the Neepawa’s Community Services here: SalvationArmy.ca/Neepawa.
Photos courtesy of Chroma Films.
