STROKES OF GENUIS

Strokes of Genius

MEND THE GAP

end the Gap is a community of people based out of Winkler, with the vision and belief that every family deserves to have a dignified standard of living, including a warm place to call home and food on the table. It’s a network of people that have come together, who have placed a high value on partnering with organizations within the community, to see families become successfully self-sufficient. Currently, 1 in 5 Winkler families are living below the poverty line, and many of those are struggling to find a place to live. Central Station is one of the organizations partnered with Mend the Gap, and a few years ago, they took over the management of all Manitoba Affordable Housing units in Winkler. What they quickly found out was that many of them were empty, deemed unlivable, with no plan in place to change this. This reality is a barrier to many families who are struggling to find a place to live.

An idea for change was first introduced in 2016, during the annual Christmas party thrown by James and Jayci Elias. “We had all these people over at our house, a lot of them having good jobs and were capable of being generous” said James, who at this point had been looking for a way to give back to his community. “I had joined the Winkler Community Foundation board, and found out that housing was actually a big problem.” With his position at Triple E Developments, James is well connected with building contractors in the area and believed there was a way to make a difference. It was a spur of the moment idea that came to him. “After feeding everyone and serving a few drinks, it was time to see if we could rally some money together” said James, explaining the first invitation he offered to give towards this cause. Although the request was done on a whim, those at the party still gave over three thousand dollars. This money was given to Central Station for assisting families in purchasing necessary items they couldn’t otherwise afford.

The next year, James and Jayci were prepared, and gave a notice for the people attending their party that there would be an opportunity to give. The amount raised more than doubled that year, as seven thousand dollars was put towards the cause. The event was met with a very encouraging response from those attending and left James and Jayci with the belief that this community effort would continue to grow. “I remember one of our friends from that night say how this is so awesome” said Jayci, “she said that she felt like this was eventually going to grow into an event much bigger, and where many people would be invited to join.” This conversation confirmed a hope that they had, while also planting a seed. James and Jayci knew they needed to pursue this goal further. Over the next year, the idea grew, as Mend the Gap was created. The team involved set out with the vision to shrink the gap between those with too much and those with too little, enabling everyone to share in and lead both meaningful and dignified lives. A quote that helped bring this about came from N.F.S Grundtvig, the late Danish author, who said this: “We have succeeded in wealth when few have too much and fewer have too little.”

After the success of the first two Christmas parties, the team was prepared for something even bigger for the third year. They held the party at the Winkler Arts Centre and invited one hundred and fifty people. After everything was over, $100 000 was raised. It was a massive increase from the previous years, and was a clear statement that said a That year, the funds raised went towards transforming two unlivable houses, and was an act of momentum in helping solve the housing problem in Winkler. The project was a large undertaking, with many people involved through volunteering time, energy and skills to complete everything on time. “Most of our contractors don’t send us a bill for this work” said James, who described these donations as a labour of love, and a huge reason why these projects can even exist.

The goal did not end with the completed House. Part of the motivation in starting out was to show people that they matter and are cared for on a personal level. Jayci was able to find out how many kids each family had, bought presents for each one, set up Christmas decor, complete with a tree, stockings, and a Christmas dinner on the table.

Despite the last minute rush to finish, everything was in place by December 23. A last second addition was made when Jayci had overheard one of the moms mention how nice it would be to have a deep freeze. “I called James right away and told him that she really wants a deep freeze.” An hour later, two guys showed up and carried one in to the house. “I wrote a card to her explaining that I had heard what she said” explained Jayci, who also had it wrapped up in a big bow. The day came for the family to move in, and you can imagine the overwhelming excitement and eruption of emotion that occurred when they saw everything they could now call their own. The mom’s biggest surprise was seeing the deep freeze that she had secretly longed for. “She was beside herself with excitement” said Jayci, who was able to hear about the impact this gift had. The message that this mom had received that day was that somebody cared about her and that she was worthy enough to have someone put value on something she desired. The dad got his greatest joy from seeing the full sized dinner table; one which his whole family could finally sit around and eat dinner together.

The experience was powerful for everyone involved; it was something that transformed both the families and everyone else, leaving many in tears by the end of the day. “After we left, I cried the whole way home” said Jayci, who was now completely set on doing it again next Christmas.

Mend the Gap has since set up a fund at the Winkler Community Foundation, and has committed to giving $10,000 per year. The rest of the money from events flows directly to Central Station for ongoing housing projects, which includes furniture, appliances and other goods. Winkler Affordable Housing Inc. has been in the process of buying all the affordable housing properties in Winkler, of which many require some work in order to be an adequate place to live. “Our goal is to renovate everything over the next few years” said James, speaking as a board member of Winkler Affordable Housing Inc. While Mend the Gap will not be able to fund every renovation, they will be a part of getting people involved with these projects, as well as bringing awareness to the general public. Central Station is involved in these projects by aiding tenants in need, providing them with help for mental and physical health, access to the food cupboard, as well as other resources and programs that would be helpful to the individuals. Central Station also manages the properties and adds an element of accountability and follow up to families who live in the houses. “It’s a hub that gets people into housing, but also helps them deal with any challenges in front of them” said James, explaining what all goes on at Central Station. “It’s about giving a lifting hand to people who are in a bad position and offering programs without any shame attached.”

While Mend the Gap is not a registered charity, it is a vehicle that is used to help give back, and is a gathering point for people who want to get on board with the vision. Finances are handled with transparency so that those who contribute can see where their money is going, while the projects themselves are based on volunteer work and are not being profited from. “This is a community that has come together to give back” said James, as many people have come on board and are excited to help in any way they can. “My strength is that I’m good at rallying people, we make it a fun time, one where everybody can get involved, and it can change our lives as much as it changes those who are moving into these homes.” From the beginning, it was very clear how much of a group effort this was, as so many people were needed, whether in planning the events, doing the renovations, or completing the many jobs in between, which could only be accomplished by a dedicated team.

Like most organizations that start up, the obvious question that gets bounced around is why? Why give the time, energy and resources to operate Mend the

Gap. The answer is very simple; they saw the need in their own back yard and felt compelled to make a difference. In looking back over the last four years, James said that there has been a level of personal healing that has come from doing the work to mend the gap of poverty in his own community. “When you can take a step back and give, most of your own problems often go away” he said of this journey towards giving back. “Helping others often gets you past some of those challenges you are facing.”

An influential story that helped create this mindset was that of a young socialite in New York City, who was making it big by hosting and promoting the most extravagant parties, creating a playground for the rich and famous. He should have been living the dream. However, after coming to the place of feeling completely empty, he abandoned his original pursuit of happiness, and set sail on a hospital ship to Liberia. It is here that he encountered a world he could have never imagined. The horror of seeing the entire country plagued by filthy drinking water gave him a personal mission in life, to see the whole world have access to clean water. Now, he is still throwing massive parties, but with the purpose of raising awareness and gathering funds to drill wells, and give the basic necessity of water to those who otherwise did not have it. His work in founding Charity Water has grown since 2006, and they now operate in twenty-eight countries. “He took his influence and turned it into something bigger than himself” said James of the inspiring story. Another question they hear surrounds the quality of work they have set out to do. “Some say the work that we do on a house is too nice and that people don’t need it” said Jayci, “but if we have the opportunity, then why not? If we are going to take the time to do this, we are going to do it the best we know how.” The goal was always to make a house feel like a home, to be a safe place where a family could have a fresh opportunity to do well in life. Mend the Gap is unapologetic when saying they have a certain standard set when creating homes for families, and that standard is high. “Maybe to some people it’s too much” said Jayci, “but the way we see it, these families are people just like you and I.”

Since launching Mend the Gap, several other events have been set up along the way. This includes the annual golfing event, Triple E Developments Open, where half the money goes to Mend the Gap, and the other half going towards an orphanage in Mexico. This year, there will obviously not be a Christmas party, but they will still be renovating a house to have ready for Christmas. Those that wish to follow along can find Mend the Gap on Instagram, where there is also a link to donate.

The goals have only grown over the years, with the hope of moving towards bigger events, at bigger venues to create an even bigger impact. The team that makes up Mend the Gap is incredibly thankful to everyone who has supported the cause, and is proud to be a part of a community that is willing to give back, invest in others and make a difference.

MEND THE GAP