The post ATB Summer Intern Students Optimize Bissell Centre’s Data Collection appeared first on Bissell Centre.
]]>Over summer 2026, Bissell Centre hosted 13 summer interns from ATB Financial on a project to help refine how we gather feedback from program participants. The team innovated our data collection processes — integrating the ability to compare data across programs to gain clearer pictures on how improvements can be made to services.
ATB’s Early Talent Specialist Kimberley Dart explains its summer student program, called ATB 101, aims to, “unleash high performance by equipping our summer interns with the foundational tools needed to jump-start their careers.” Around 2020, the program’s focus shifted to community-based projects, partnering with different organizations to help them refine and improve aspects of their operations.
“We first partnered with Bissell Centre in 2024, and it was an outstanding experience,” says Dart. “When seeking meaningful project opportunities in Edmonton this year, returning to collaborate with Bissell Centre was a natural and exciting choice.”
The student project
This year’s ATB 101 project was especially impactful because student groups from both Edmonton and Calgary collaborated on the project. The students ventured to better standardize the data programs collect from participants sharing their experiences with Bissell Centre, automate much of the data collection process, and create a dynamic and cohesive dashboard to easily gleam insights and have participant feedback directly informing how we can improve service delivery.
Emily Desousa, one of the student leads on the project explains she had limited knowledge about Bissell Centre initially. Her excitement about the project grew as she delved deeper into the programs and services.
“Bissell Centre does incredible work, and we really wanted to make sure we helped them help as many people as possible,” says Desousa. “Our hope is that the surveys will help expand Bissell Centre’s outreach and bring more awareness to the programs offered to the community.”
The team of students investigated all aspects of our data collection, from program participant surveys to the information dashboards staff use to make program decisions, standardizing the information collection process and displaying consistent data for cross program comparisons.
“This provides Bissell Centre with useful insight into how the community is interacting with programs — allowing for meaningful changes to serving the community,” says Desousa. “By refining the data collection process, Bissell Centre has the ability to connect with their participants on a deeper level.”
Pride in helping the community
The team of students expressed their pride for how they were able to deliver a set of tools that will help to collect meaningful information from participants and visualize it to easily see areas for improvement and incite change.
“The teams at Bissell Centre can use the dashboard at a glance to get a general understanding of participant feedback, or they can use it to look deeper at the reasons for some of the results,” says Desousa.“I think the most rewarding part of working on this project was knowing that my contribution would ultimately help improve someone’s experience within the programs, hopefully improving their life.”
Eliminating poverty is a collective responsibility — ATB and the summer interns stepped up and helped rebuild a vital part of how we’re working to strengthen the community. Thank you to the incredible group of students for your contributions towards our data collection practices. And thank you to ATB for continuing to be an invaluable partner in our mission to remove barriers and walk alongside people as they come out of poverty and homelessness.
There are countless ways that you could help make an impact on your community — just like these students did. Reach out to engagement@bissellcentre.org if you have an idea for how you could help us eliminate poverty in the community.
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]]>The post Bissell Centre Sparks Conversations about FASD with Red Shoe Walk appeared first on Bissell Centre.
]]>“These conversations about FASD are important because of how widespread this disability can be,” says Sophia Mejia, Manager of Specialized Services at Bissell Centre. “Approximately four per cent of people in Canada have FASD — that’s around 1.6 million people. It’s a highly misunderstood disability and no two people with FASD are alike.”
Alcohol slows down development, both physically and mentally. This means how FASD affects a person is highly individualized, often requiring individualized programs and supports for healthy outcomes.
Bissell Centre’s programs and services are informed by a strengths-based lens to better support people with FASD. This includes programs specifically catered to people with FASD such as the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum of Services (FASS) advocacy and mentorship program, the permanent supportive housing site Hope Terrace, and the new supportive recovery house Den of Willows. These programs help work towards Bissell Centre’s vision to eliminate poverty in the community.
“Everyone has unique strengths and our wraparound supports help individuals with FASD uncover their strengths and connect with community to find their stability,” says Mejia. “The Red Shoe Walk is meant to spark conversations about FASD and demonstrate how wraparound programs and supportive living can help so many people with healthy outcomes and find opportunities to play a meaningful role in their communities.”
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]]>The post Where You Can Find Free or Low-Cost Back to School Resources appeared first on Bissell Centre.
]]>This is just one of the low or no cost supports available to families facing barriers to affording the growing costs associated with sending children to school. Navigating all these services can be complicated — Bissell Centre’s Family Support Services team can help you uncover the supports that will work best for you and your family.
If you want to meet with our Family Supports team, you can find them at the Bissell Centre Service Hub at 10527, 96 Street. You can contact our Family Supports team directly:
- 780-423-2285 ext. 133.
If you’re reaching out to any of the services on this list, please visit their websites for their criteria. For a full list of additional services, call 211.
School and Education Technology
Bissell Centre Family Support Services — supplies are limited. Please reach out directly to learn more about what’s currently available.
Income Support for School Expenses
You could be entitled to receive support from the Government of Alberta to help pay for school expenses. Qualified families can receive annual financial assistance for school expenses:
- $63.00 per year per child aged 4 or 5 or in kindergarten
- $121.00 per year per child aged 6 to 11 or in elementary school
- $208.00 per year per child aged 12 or older or in junior high or high school
Click to learn more about how to qualify and how to apply for this benefit.
School Supplies – Pencils, Paper, Binders, etc.
Many schools offer programs to supply children from qualifying families in need with school supplies for the year. Contacting your school if your first best step to ensuring your children have everything they need for the school year. If this option isn’t available to you, here are some community-based resources that can help.
Can Man Dan — the 14th annual We’re Here For Ya Day will be on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at Shadified Salon & Spa (12222 137 Ave NW Edmonton, Alberta). This is an annual event where the Can Man Dan organization provides free backpacks full of school supplies for families who qualify. Registration is required to receive a backpack full of school supplies for the year and closes on August 16, 2026. Click to be taken directly to the registration page, which includes further information about this program.
Free or low-cost clothing for Back to School
KARA Family Resource Centre – The annual Kicks of Kids event is coming up on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at Trinity Reformed Church (13427 57 Street, Edmonton). Families can receive footwear for all children going back to school in the fall.
Free Food or Meals for Lunches
Tegler Youth Centre – School Lunch Program
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]]>The post Bissell Centre officially introduces Den of Willows supportive recovery housing to the Edmonton community appeared first on Bissell Centre.
]]>“Having a culturally safe space allows me to interact with my spiritual path and become a better version of myself,” says Chance Goddard, a Den of Willows resident. “I have found the thing that all us residents say more than anything else is how wonderful it is to have a home that is ours for as long as we want and a small community to belong to.”
How Den of Willows Supports Recovery
Den of Willows has four main goals in supporting its residents:
- Supporting them as they come out of recovery.
- Focusing on their unique needs based on their FASD.
- Supporting sobriety in a stable living environment.
- Helping people towards long-term housing retention.
People living at Den of Willows either have or may have FASD, are in recovery from addiction, and have histories of chronic homelessness. Staff at the supportive recovery housing site support the residents with life-skills development, employment readiness, cultural connection, and referrals to health and community services.
“Den of Willows fills an important gap for people coming out of treatment who may experience homelessness because they don’t have any options for housing that supports their sobriety,” says Candace Noble, Bissell Centre’s Executive Services Officer. “Den of Willows ensures people with FASD who were experiencing addiction are supported in their recovery and can integrate into community.”
Bissell Centre’s Housing Goals
Den of Willows is part of Bissell Centre’s larger housing strategy, a three-year plan to increase housing options through collaborative partnerships with government, funders and other services providers. Building on experience and expertise from operating Hope Terrace, Bissell Centre is focused on providing sustainable, human-centered housing options that nurture healthy communities by improving people’s overall wellbeing and creating additional independent housing opportunities.
“At Bissell Centre, we believe that access to safe and affordable housing is a vital aspect for ending poverty. Our Housing Development Strategy charts a course for Bissell’s contribution to expanding sustainable housing in Edmonton,” says Johanna Knettig, Co-CEO with Bissell Centre. “Tackling the housing crisis in a sustainable, human-centered way is our shared responsibility. Implementation will require collaboration with all orders of government, community partners, Indigenous Nations, and the private sector. We are grateful to work with partners who share the goal of ensuring healthy communities and are excited to continue this work together.”
Rick Wilson, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, says, “Recovery housing is a key part of Alberta’s Recovery Model, helping people transition from treatment into long-term stability. Our government is proud to support initiatives like Den of Willows supportive recovery house, improving outcomes for individuals and strengthening communities across the province.”
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]]>The post Celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day 2026 at Bissell Centre appeared first on Bissell Centre.
]]>What: National Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration
Where: Outside of Bissell Centre – 10527 96 Street
When: Friday, June 19, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Featuring art, performances, stew and bannock from Bissell Harvest Catering, and even an appearance from the children at Bissell Child Care.
“Holding this celebration is incredibly important for many of the people who come to us seeking support,” says Heather Slade, Bissell Centre’s Manager of Indigenous Engagement. “Acknowledging this important day helps so many as they heal from the trauma of colonialism.”
This Year’s Headliners at National Indigenous Peoples Day
The headline performers at this year’s NIPD celebration are Adrian LaChance and the Running Thunder Dancers, taking place from noon to 2:00 p.m. Their performances will include traditional drumming, singing, and dancing — including a round dance as a memorial for all the loved ones in the community we have lost over the years.
Adrian LaChance and the Running Thunder Dancers have been performing traditional Indigenous dancing and drumming since 2010, and facilitating workshops to better support individuals, families, and communities through cultural connection, healing, and personal growth. LaChance himself is renowned for his powwow dancing and drumming. He has been showcasing the culture he carries from the James Smith Cree Nation across the world, including through Europe, Asia and New Zealand.
A Celebration for the Entire Community
“Seeing the community come alive for this celebration is always so heartwarming,” says Slade. “NIPD reminds me about the hope I have for our vision to see an end to poverty in our community.”
Bissell Centre’s annual NIPD celebration is just one of the many ways its Indigenous Engagement team makes space for ceremony, culture, and healing — guiding both people in the community and Bissell Centre as an organization.
“With so many people we support coming from Indigenous Nations, ensuring Indigenous culture is integrated into what we do is crucial for their healing,” says Slade. “Bissell Centre is continuously seeking to be an ally with Indigenous communities. Our NIPD celebration is just one way we honour the resiliency of Indigenous communities.”
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]]>The post Leaving a Lasting Legacy with Bissell Centre appeared first on Bissell Centre.
]]>Even leaving 1% of your total estate in your will to Bissell Centre can have a huge ripple effect on those looking for support. It might not sound like much, and you’re still leaving 99% to your family — but even this seemingly small fraction of your total estate could help low-income families have access to necessities for raising healthy little ones, people looking for housing have support readily available, and those who are at risk of losing their homes have access to financial support and education.
Best of all, you don’t need great wealth to create lasting change. Your future gift is more than generosity. It’s hope in action that ensures long after you’re gone, your values live on in a stronger, more caring community.
How to leave a legacy with Bissell Centre
Did you know Willpower can help you calculate what impact a 1% planned gift in your will could have on an organization like Bissell Centre? Its suite of free tools and advice can help guide how best you can leave a legacy of giving and community care. But the best advice it offers starts with making sure you speak with your lawyer or financial planner about the kind of gift you want to leave.
After you talk about the financial realities of your estate with an expert, adding Bissell Centre to your will is remarkably easy. There are a few details you need to make sure you include:
- Bissell Centre’s Registered Charity Number — # 118810829RR0001
- Bissell Centre’s Address — 10527 96 Street, Edmonton, AB., T5H 2H6
Once you add these details to your will, along with what percentage of your estate or total gift you want to leave, then your legacy of care for your community is set and you’re continuing to help countless individuals and families find their paths out of poverty and homelessness.
The continued impact from your legacy
In 2025, Bissell Centre provided support to 8,709 unique individuals through our tax clinic, financial education program, housing services, family services, Indigenous cultural supports, and more. We housed 246 people, helped 581 people avoid eviction or utility disconnection, and supported 2,864 people with their tax returns.
This is only one year in Bissell Centre’s more than 150 years of supporting Edmontonians in the downtown community. Your planned gift can help us continue our mission to remove barriers and support people as they move out of poverty. With your support, we will see our vision of eliminating poverty in our community become a reality.
Leaving your legacy to Bissell Centre in your will makes a difference for someone trying to find secure and stable housing, a family struggling with daily essentials, or a whole community finding hope. With careful planning and preparation today, you can help create a better tomorrow for everyone in your community.
Reach out to your legal or financial advisor or contact Terry Tobin at ttobin@bissellcentre.org to learn more about how you can make a lasting impact on the community.
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]]>The post There’s a gap: Why Edmonton families need your support with diapers and formula appeared first on Bissell Centre.
]]>People in Alberta with infant children spend between $900 and $1,200 each year on diapers. On average, infants use eight to 10 diapers each day and without regular changes babies are at risk of diaper rash and other illnesses
For people with limited resources, providing necessities for an infant can seem insurmountable. That’s why on May 1, we launched Tushies and Tummies as a 10-day Mother’s Day Sprint to collect diapers and formula for families with young children. Our Family Services program provides diapers and formula to families in need and is one piece that can help a family break the generational cycles of poverty.
To continue this important program we need support from our community, including you!
Why Donate Diapers?
Donating disposable diapers can be crucial for families facing multiple barriers. Providing free diapers means families in need don’t worry about running out, and instead can focus on keeping their children clean, healthy, and happy.
Families without regular access to disposable diapers might try:
- Changing them less often.
- Leaving wet/soiled diapers on their children for full days.
- Using other materials like newspapers or tea towels as diapers.
To attend most child care centres, caregivers also need to provide their own disposable diapers, creating another barrier for people accessing programs like Bissell Child Care’s free respite care. The added stress can increase anxiety and be detrimental to mental health for both caregivers and children and even compromise the bond between child and caregiver.
Family at Bissell Child Care.
Reasons to Donate Formula
Ensuring children receive all the vitamins and nutrients they need is critical to their development. While mother’s milk is the ideal, it isn’t always an option.
Donating formula becomes a lifeline for hundreds of families across the city accessing our Family Supports program. In 2025, this program helped 291 families with essentials like diapers and formula. We also provided referrals and navigation to other supports that help keep families healthy and strong.
It takes a community to keep children healthy and strong. Your donation of diapers and formula today keeps tushies clean and tummies full, relieves stress on families as they navigate their pathway out of poverty, and helps strengthen the community for future generations.
For this Mother’s Day, help ensure families have what they need to raise healthy and happy little ones. We have drop-off locations for diapers and formula across Edmonton and in Sherwood Park — and they’re accepting donations right up until Mother’s Day on May 10, 2026!
Even after Mother’s Day, we’re always accepting diapers for all ages and sizes and formula donations. They can be dropped off at our Bissell Thrift Shop at 8818 118 Avenue every Monday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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]]>The post Meet three Bissell Centre volunteers for National Volunteer Week appeared first on Bissell Centre.
]]>“I’m familiar with the people, I’m familiar with the community. It’s something I I’ve always felt drawn to,” explains Debbie. “I was the go-to person to help community members while I was working, so it was kind of a good segway to volunteering here.”
Debbie is just one of the many volunteers we want to recognize and celebrate National Volunteer Week. With the help of volunteers we house people, return money to the community through filing taxes, and opening doors for those needing support.
Volunteer Debbie
Using career skills to help people in the community
With a background and career in finance, Samantha was ready to find opportunities to give back outside of her west-end community. She had previously volunteered for her local community league and schools in her neighbourhood, but was curious about a larger impact she could make for a community in need.
Samantha volunteers through the tax clinic — filing 15 to 20 different tax returns each week, up to 1,000 different tax filings each year. She explains that the work itself is relatively easy (and almost kind of fun for her),and seeing how much money people in the community receive exhilarates Samantha the most.
“There are so many people that don’t do their taxes, and they’re leaving all this money on the table,” explains Samantha. “Taxes for people can be intimidating, so [this is] a place to be able to overcome the barriers they have and navigate some of those challenges people might experience.”
Volunteer Samantha
Walking and connecting with the people who need support
Everyone who volunteers with Bissell Centre brings unique skills and motivation for giving back — for university student Jashan, he simply knows it’s the right thing to do. Inspired by his cousin’s volunteer work in Vancouver, he looked up similar organizations in Edmonton. Bissell Centre was exactly what he was looking for.
“It gives me more real satisfaction knowing I’m helping people,” says Jashan. “I get to talk to so many different people with so many different stories. And I get to look in the mirror at the end of the day and know that I did something real today.”
Jashan finds anywhere and everywhere to contribute that his busy post-secondary schedule allows. From making deliveries to working in the Thrift Shop and taking part in major fundraising events like Coldest Night of the Year, it’s all about getting his boots on the ground and connecting with the people.
Volunteer Jashan (far right) at Coldest Night of the Year
A community of support
Much like Jashan, Debbie’s volunteer focus is connecting with people needing support and making as much of a positive impact as she can. She’s helped with a few different programs at Bissell Centre and today helps at Service Hub reception. She explains she’s often the first person people see when they come through the doors — and hopes a friendly smile helps people feel more comfortable and confident as they uncover their unique pathways out of homelessness and poverty.
Many people who choose to volunteer their time with Bissell Centre are motivated by a deep-seated desire to help people in any way they can. At the end of the day, what many volunteers with Bissell Centre want most is knowing that they did something to help strengthen the community.
If you’re interested in volunteering your time with Bissell Centre, reach out and discover how you help ensure programs reach people as they uncover their unique paths out of poverty and homelessness.
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]]>The post Bissell Child Care holds open house to showcase community-minded program appeared first on Bissell Centre.
]]>“This is an excellent opportunity for parents to see first-hand what makes Bissell Child Care so unique,” says Jaye Brown, Manager of the Early Childhood Development Program with Bissell Centre. “This is a space where programming has benefited countless children and continues to give them an incredible start to life before they enter kindergarten.”
A History of Quality Child Care in Edmonton
Bissell Centre has been running a respite child care program since the 1970s, expanding to offering full-time child care services when its new child care space opened in 2020. Children attending Bissell Child Care receive one meal and two snacks every day (provided by Bissell Harvest Catering), can attend field trips all summer long, and have access to specialized supports — all at no additional cost to parents.
“Bissell Child Care is not only for families living in the downtown core and experiencing instability,” says Brown. “We are an inclusive environment that recognizes how everyone can be a part of this community and we welcome all children and their family.”
Crucial to Bissell Centre’s Mission in the Community
Guests can treat themselves to light snacks and refreshments as they explore the nature-inspired space where children play, learn, and thrive. Educators and leaders will be on-site during the event to answer questions and provide guided tours with more information on what parents can expect when sending their children to Bissell Child Care.
Bissell Child Care is just one of Bissell Centre’s social enterprises that seeks to help fund Bissell’s crucial programs: also including Bissell Thrift Shop and Bissell Harvest Catering. All funds raised are directly invested back into programs helping people uncover their unique paths out of poverty and homelessness — increasing Bissell Centre’s capacity to meet people where they are at and help strengthen the community.
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]]>The post Hundreds of walkers show community pride and brave frigid temperatures to support Bissell Centre appeared first on Bissell Centre.
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Temperatures hit as low as –24 degrees that night with wind chill, but it didn’t deter any walkers from showing up and walking alongside people in need to help strengthen the community. The walk kicked off at YMCA Boyle Street Plaza at 4:00 p.m., starting with an opening reception where walkers picked up their matching colourful toques before taking to their routes.
Walkers could choose either a two-kilometre route that took them up to 100 Street, or a five-kilometre route which saw walkers traverse all the way to 109 Street. Once walkers completed their routes, they headed back to Boyle Street Plaza for a complementary pasta buffet from Bissell Harvest Catering.
Money raised at Coldest Night of the Year makes real impacts on people in the community. In 2024, Bissell Centre helped house more than 500 people, prevented more than 600 evictions, returned more than $7.6 million through more than 4,000 personal tax filings, and connected hundreds more people to resources to help them live with a better quality of life.
Next year’s Coldest Night of the Year walk will take place on February 27, 2027.
Thank you to our sponsors:
Alberta Residential Landlord Association
And thank you to all the volunteers who helped make this incredible event a success!
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