For 30 years, some of Manitoba's most impactful disability and health organizations have worked side-by-side at Manitoba Possible.
Working out of a small hallway tucked away at the organization’s old building at 825 Sherbrook Street, a grassroots network of independent non-profits grew to offer life-changing support to thousands of Manitobans with disabilities.
These organizations provide services, education, advocacy for Manitobans with Down syndrome, brain injuries, lung disease, fibromyalgia and many other communities.
Today, thanks to generous donors of Manitoba Possible’s Breaking Barriers Campaign, that network is entering an exciting new chapter.
Formerly the Self-Help Clearinghouse, Manitoba Possible's newly renamed Inclusion Collective has moved into a fully transformed new home at 1680 Notre Dame Avenue. The space will give organizations the room, resources and connections they need to grow, and allow them to focus less on operational challenges and more on the people they serve.
The result is a catalyst for change that goes far beyond the walls of the building.
Strengthening Organizations that Strengthen Manitoba
From left: Cyerra Balitaan, Program Coordinator, Manitoba Brain Injury Association; Jubilee Dueck Thiessen, Executive Director, Manitoba Down Syndrome Society; Lindsey Cooke, CEO, Manitoba Possible.
The Inclusion Collective currently includes ten organizations, with the goal to welcome more in the new space. Some are run entirely by volunteers. Others have a small team of employees. Each has its own distinct mission, but they all share a common goal: building a more inclusive Manitoba.
Your financial support to Manitoba Possible helps provide subsidized office space, meeting and gathering rooms, storage capacity and administrative support for these critical organizations.
"We benefit greatly from administrative support provided by Manitoba Possible, as they provide access to technology and services that would otherwise be out of our budget," says Jubilee Dueck Thiessen, Executive Director of the Manitoba Down Syndrome Society. "While we recently hired our first executive director after being volunteer-run for 30 years, we still have limited capacity and are grateful for the many ways Inclusion Collective increases our capacity."
Built by the Community for the Community
Nearly one in three Manitobans have a disability. Manitoba Possible’s transformation of 1680 Notre Dame Avenue is creating a new home for the organization’s diverse range of programs—from wheelchair repairs, parking permits, and employment preparation to supports for newcomers with disabilities and the Inclusion Collective itself.
Along with office space, a state-of-the-art fully accessible community kitchen and meeting rooms create opportunities for organizations to grow their services, host more community events, and allows for greater collaboration and resource sharing amongst the organizations.
"The Inclusion Collective has allowed Manitoba Brain Injury Association of Manitoba to be more of a physical presence for our members," says Cyerra Balitaan, Program Coordinator of Manitoba Brain Injury Association of Manitoba. "It also creates a sense of community among all of the organizations because while our work is different, we share a common goal of creating a more accessible society."
That collaboration is exactly what Manitoba Possible hopes to cultivate at 1680 Notre Dame Avenue.
“The organizations that make up Inclusion Collective are leaders in their communities, each bringing expertise, lived experience and support,” says Lindsey Cooke, CEO of Manitoba Possible. “Our vision for this new space is to create a network where those strengths can be shared, where organizations can collaborate and amplify their collective impact.”
Donor Support Makes This Possible
As Inclusion Collective grows, so does its vision.
Through the Breaking Barriers Campaign Manitoba Possible is raising $3.8 million to help complete the transformation of 1680 Notre Dame Avenue as a model of accessibility, inclusion and community.
With your support, Manitoba Possible sees opportunities to welcome new members, including disability-focused entrepreneurs, emerging grassroots non-profits and other community-led groups committed to building a more inclusive Manitoba.
Realizing that vision requires your financial generosity. Make a donation today.