Dear Friends,

It has been a year like no other; a year which presented challenges and uncertainty in our community and the world – it was also a year that truly defined what community means, and demonstrated the pivotal role Federation plays in fostering cohesion in our community through strong leadership, working collaboratively, and being there for each other in our time of need.

The year began as normally as those that preceded it. The 2019-2020 CJA Campaign, chaired by Barry McArton Z”L, raised a record $6 million and all seemed bright. Almost simultaneously, we found ourselves doing our best to adapt to the myriad challenges presented to our community by COVID-19.

The effects were felt almost immediately and most acutely by the members of our community who were most vulnerable. Our beneficiaries and other organizations in our community were forced to adapt to these new circumstances seemingly overnight, pivoting classes and programming to virtual spaces, responding to greatly increased requests for meals, and overcoming whatever hurdles were put before them.

Our community responded in the way that Jewish people do when times get tough – we banded together, demonstrating our tenacity and perseverance, helping each other in unprecedented ways. That work continues to this day.

Throughout it all, we were undeterred from our vital work in the community. In March, we launched the Community Connects initiative with the goal of checking in on community members to ensure that no one felt isolated or alone. By the end of April, over 4,000 members of our community had been reached by a group of 155 committed volunteers.

Before the pandemic, PJ Library held regular programs including Chanukah with the Moose and PJ Winter Fun, which saw over 100 and over 150 people in attendance, respectively. Then, programs successfully shifted to virtual spaces, which included cooking demos, a flag contest, and an art auction. 

This year, we facilitated the Allocations process virtually for the first time, ensuring that our beneficiaries would continue to receive the vital funding they count on from the Federation without interruption. 

The pandemic did not stop us from meeting with government officials or advocating on issues of importance to our community. We joined together with national partners to mark Yom HaShoah, and launched our #NeverForget social media campaign locally to allow community members and government officials to participate. We also joined together nationally and with our Israeli friends to commemorate occasions such as Yom Ha’zikaron and Yom Ha’azmaut.

This fall, Community Planning had fabulous representation of 61 participants from more than 20 organizations and active volunteer to discuss scenarios planning related to the pandemic. Through the Community Forward Plan, a senior outreach worker was hired by Jewish Child and Family Service which has been immensely beneficial to isolated seniors.

Over the course of the pandemic, Grow Winnipeg welcomed 27 new families to our community, continually to reach out to them, advocating for them, supporting them during their transition.

Unfortunately, the effects of COVID-19 are still being felt by many community members and organizations and will likely be felt for some time. We will continue to be there to support them in any way possible.
We would like to thank the thousands of donors for their unwavering support to the community, especially when the times are tough. Without you, the work that we or our beneficiaries in the community do would not be possible. 

We would also like to acknowledge the tireless work of our dedicated board, volunteers and staff. We look forward to working with you to continue to serve the ever-evolving needs of our community with sustained energy and purpose.