0°Recent Blog Posts - Bissell Centre
One Big Family: Bissell Participants Share what Family Means to Them
Most people who visit Bissell Centre can immediately tell that the people we help have a special bond with one another. Carol, who performs once a month in our Drop-in Centre with her Aboriginal women’s drumming circle notes “They treat each other like brothers and sisters, moms and d...
Published at Bissell Centre
Most people who visit Bissell Centre can immediately tell that the people we help have a special bond with one another. Carol, who performs once a month in our Drop-in Centre with her Aboriginal women’s drumming circle notes “They treat each other like brothers and sisters, moms and d...
Published at Bissell Centre
Join Diane! Become a Volunteer Hairdresser!
Haircuts are a luxury that many people in our community can’t afford. That’s why we’ve offered a free haircutting service for over 26 years at Bissell’s Drop-in Centre. Every Tuesday, participants can sign up to receive free haircuts and beard trimmings thanks to a group o...
Published at Bissell Centre
Haircuts are a luxury that many people in our community can’t afford. That’s why we’ve offered a free haircutting service for over 26 years at Bissell’s Drop-in Centre. Every Tuesday, participants can sign up to receive free haircuts and beard trimmings thanks to a group o...
Published at Bissell Centre
Out in the Cold: The Harsh Realities of Homelessness During Winter
Being homeless is difficult enough when the weather is fair, but when temperatures drop, it becomes a matter of survival. The threat of serious illness, loss of fingers or toes, or even losing one’s life become serious concerns when temperatures nosedive. These threats are particularly potent her...
Published at Bissell Centre
Being homeless is difficult enough when the weather is fair, but when temperatures drop, it becomes a matter of survival. The threat of serious illness, loss of fingers or toes, or even losing one’s life become serious concerns when temperatures nosedive. These threats are particularly potent her...
Published at Bissell Centre
7 Memorable Highlights of 2016
2016 was an incredible year thanks to our dedicated supporters! Here are some of our favourite moments of 2016. 1) Thousands of Pairs of New Underwear Collected for People in Need In June, we held our third annual Drop Your Gonch underwear drive, and we set out to raise 2000 pairs of new underwea...
Published at Bissell Centre
2016 was an incredible year thanks to our dedicated supporters! Here are some of our favourite moments of 2016. 1) Thousands of Pairs of New Underwear Collected for People in Need In June, we held our third annual Drop Your Gonch underwear drive, and we set out to raise 2000 pairs of new underwea...
Published at Bissell Centre
Single Father of Four Finds Hope for the Holidays
Darryl has lived in Edmonton for just over three years, and he’s a familiar face around Bissell Centre. He’s a single dad of four boys under 12 years old. He’s in between jobs and struggling to make ends meet. If that wasn’t tough enough, recently, he was forced to move hi...
Published at Bissell Centre
Darryl has lived in Edmonton for just over three years, and he’s a familiar face around Bissell Centre. He’s a single dad of four boys under 12 years old. He’s in between jobs and struggling to make ends meet. If that wasn’t tough enough, recently, he was forced to move hi...
Published at Bissell Centre
Bissell Centre CEO Cautions Against Dismissal of Recent Homeless Count Numbers
“We need to be careful about using anecdotal evidence to dismiss the validity of the homeless count,” says Gary St. Amand, CEO of Bissell Centre. The most recent survey and data analysis estimate that the number of people who are homeless in our city has decreased from 2,307 people in 2014 to 1,7...
Published at Bissell Centre
“We need to be careful about using anecdotal evidence to dismiss the validity of the homeless count,” says Gary St. Amand, CEO of Bissell Centre. The most recent survey and data analysis estimate that the number of people who are homeless in our city has decreased from 2,307 people in 2014 to 1,7...
Published at Bissell Centre
7 Ways to Support Bissell Centre this Holiday Season
Join us this holiday season in our quest to eliminate poverty and homelessness in our community. Here are 7 simple ways you can make a big impact! 1. Provide Life-Changing Gifts Choose a meaningful gift from our Holiday Gift Guide to benefit people struggling with poverty in our community. Your g...
Published at Bissell Centre
Join us this holiday season in our quest to eliminate poverty and homelessness in our community. Here are 7 simple ways you can make a big impact! 1. Provide Life-Changing Gifts Choose a meaningful gift from our Holiday Gift Guide to benefit people struggling with poverty in our community. Your g...
Published at Bissell Centre
#BundleUpYEG Clothing Drive Gears Up for Another Year
What started as a casual pastime has now become one of Edmonton’s most anticipated yearly clothing drives. From November 1st until Christmas Day, Jasmine and her husband Ryan will spend their evenings and weekends collecting donations of warm winter clothing for #BundleUpYEG, an annual project th...
Published at Bissell Centre
What started as a casual pastime has now become one of Edmonton’s most anticipated yearly clothing drives. From November 1st until Christmas Day, Jasmine and her husband Ryan will spend their evenings and weekends collecting donations of warm winter clothing for #BundleUpYEG, an annual project th...
Published at Bissell Centre
Homelessness Hurts: How being homeless can harm mental health
It’s no surprise that being without a home can weigh heavily on the mind and heart. Homelessness implies more than simply lacking physical necessities; it can also have a debilitating effect on mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. People who are homeless deal with circumstances that most ...
Published at Bissell Centre
It’s no surprise that being without a home can weigh heavily on the mind and heart. Homelessness implies more than simply lacking physical necessities; it can also have a debilitating effect on mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. People who are homeless deal with circumstances that most ...
Published at Bissell Centre
Roger’s Story of Giving Back
Roger arrived in Edmonton 17 years ago, when he was 49 years old. A few years before he moved, he was hurt in a firefighting accident and spent a year in a body cast. After that, he couldn’t go back to firefighting, and started working for a soft drink company instead. He worked there for […...
Published at Bissell Centre
Roger arrived in Edmonton 17 years ago, when he was 49 years old. A few years before he moved, he was hurt in a firefighting accident and spent a year in a body cast. After that, he couldn’t go back to firefighting, and started working for a soft drink company instead. He worked there for […...
Published at Bissell Centre
Housing Team Celebrates 247 People Housed in One Year
Today marks the Outreach Housing Team’s 1st year anniversary! We were able to launch this housing initiative as a result of the hugely successful Scona Treehouse fundraising event in March, 2015. The Outreach Housing Team met their initial goal to house 200 people in their first 10 months. ...
Published at Bissell Centre
Today marks the Outreach Housing Team’s 1st year anniversary! We were able to launch this housing initiative as a result of the hugely successful Scona Treehouse fundraising event in March, 2015. The Outreach Housing Team met their initial goal to house 200 people in their first 10 months. ...
Published at Bissell Centre
Single Mom Finds Community Support at Bissell Centre
When Carly and her partner separated earlier this year, she found herself and her two small children in a women’s shelter with nowhere else to go. Being new to Edmonton, Carly did not have the support network of friends and family that many of us take for granted, and she knew she needed help. Th...
Published at Bissell Centre
When Carly and her partner separated earlier this year, she found herself and her two small children in a women’s shelter with nowhere else to go. Being new to Edmonton, Carly did not have the support network of friends and family that many of us take for granted, and she knew she needed help. Th...
Published at Bissell Centre
Success! Outreach Housing Team Meets Ambitious Target Early
We’re proud to announce that our Outreach Housing Team has met its ambitious goal of housing 200 people—and they did it 3 months ahead of schedule! In early 2015, students from Strathcona High School raised $190,000 for Bissell Centre as part of their Treehouse Project fundraiser. These funds wen...
Published at Bissell Centre
We’re proud to announce that our Outreach Housing Team has met its ambitious goal of housing 200 people—and they did it 3 months ahead of schedule! In early 2015, students from Strathcona High School raised $190,000 for Bissell Centre as part of their Treehouse Project fundraiser. These funds wen...
Published at Bissell Centre
Thanks to all who attended our AGM; Annual Report available!
We were excited to host our 105th Annual General Meeting on Thursday, July 7th. Thank you to the Board of Governors, supporters, and staff for attending! This was the first AGM for our new CEO, Gary St. Amand and for our new Board Chair, Ken Ristau. For our long-standing Board Member, Bobbie Wild...
Published at Bissell Centre
We were excited to host our 105th Annual General Meeting on Thursday, July 7th. Thank you to the Board of Governors, supporters, and staff for attending! This was the first AGM for our new CEO, Gary St. Amand and for our new Board Chair, Ken Ristau. For our long-standing Board Member, Bobbie Wild...
Published at Bissell Centre
Our Summer Camp Staff on the Importance of Recreation
Summer is finally here! Bissell Centre’s camps and recreation team have been working hard to plan for the approaching summer months. Spearheading the effort are Alyssa, a fourth year recreation, sport, and tourism major at the University of Alberta, and Zoée, a King’s University graduate who is n...
Published at Bissell Centre
Summer is finally here! Bissell Centre’s camps and recreation team have been working hard to plan for the approaching summer months. Spearheading the effort are Alyssa, a fourth year recreation, sport, and tourism major at the University of Alberta, and Zoée, a King’s University graduate who is n...
Published at Bissell Centre
