{"id":661683,"date":"2026-05-11T06:21:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T06:21:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/661683\/"},"modified":"2026-05-11T06:21:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T06:21:09","slug":"building-pathways-out-of-poverty-and-homelessness-at-siloam-mission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/661683\/","title":{"rendered":"Building pathways out of poverty and homelessness at Siloam Mission"},"content":{"rendered":"

At\u00a0Siloam Mission<\/a>, the work of addressing homelessness and poverty in Winnipeg is both immediate and long-term. For CEO Sonia Prevost-Derbecker, the role is deeply personal.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t come from a privileged place in life,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019ve experienced poverty and I know how dire and desperate that need is.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

That lived experience shapes her approach to leadership and reinforces a core belief: meaningful support can help people create lasting change in their lives. Each day, Prevost-Derbecker sees that belief in action.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery day I come in, I see our work in action,\u201d she says. \u201cI see the need and I see the strengths and the resiliency of our community.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

More than a shelter\u00a0<\/p>\n

Siloam Mission serves a diverse population. While many associate the organization with homelessness, the reality is more complex.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is all walks of life,\u201d Prevost-Derbecker explains. \u201cIt is single moms that just need to get a hand up, people that are precariously housed, people who were once homeless and still need support.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The organization provides more than 50,000 shelter nights annually and serves more than 551,000 meals last year.\u00a0But those numbers only tell part of the story.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"a<\/p>\n

Siloam\u00a0operates\u00a0as a hub of integrated services. Individuals can access meals,\u00a0shelter\u00a0and basic needs, but also medical care, including doctors, nurse\u00a0practitioners\u00a0and dental services. From there, many begin a journey toward stability.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not just the shelter beds and the meals,\u201d says Prevost-Derbecker. \u201cThat\u2019s a pipeline into a full spectrum of supports and services.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Like many communities across Canada, Winnipeg is facing increasing pressures related to housing affordability and poverty. Siloam Mission is seeing those\u00a0impacts\u00a0firsthand.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a huge lack of housing,\u201d Prevost-Derbecker notes. \u201cAnd an increase in poverty.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The toxic drug crisis has also intensified challenges for individuals and families. Prevost-Derbecker emphasizes the importance of including families in solutions, noting they are often the strongest advocates for their loved ones.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Another ongoing concern is the number of young people aging out of the child welfare system.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cFifty per cent of the unhoused come from child welfare,\u201d she says. \u201cThese are kids 18-plus that are aging out of care, and they often have no families.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Stories of transformation\u00a0<\/p>\n

Despite these challenges, Prevost-Derbecker\u00a0points\u00a0to\u00a0many examples of hope. She recalls a young man she knew growing up who later developed schizophrenia and experienced homelessness. Today, he lives in supported housing with access to mental health care.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are so many stories,\u201d she reflects. \u201cThat\u2019s what keeps us all coming to work \u2013 those relationships.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Some individuals supported by Siloam even return as staff members, bringing lived experience into the organization\u2019s work.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe only difference between us and them might be luck, trauma, supportive families,\u201d says Prevost-Derbecker.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Siloam Mission relies heavily on community support, with approximately 80 percent of funding coming from private donations. Volunteers are equally essential, with thousands\u00a0contributing\u00a0their time each year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe would not be in existence without these amazing volunteers,\u201d Prevost-Derbecker says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Even small contributions can have a meaningful impact.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the price of a coffee, you\u2019re helping someone out and getting them through that pipeline,\u201d she says, noting that a modest donation can provide not just a meal, but access to a range of\u00a0supports.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Looking ahead\u00a0<\/p>\n

As demand grows, Siloam Mission continues to explore new ways to expand its impact. Opportunities include\u00a0additional\u00a0supportive and medical housing, as well as potential social enterprise initiatives.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For Prevost-Derbecker, the path forward is rooted in\u00a0community.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all live\u00a0here\u00a0and we all impact each other,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Her message to those considering getting involved is simple: \u201cCome be a part of us. Give what you can. If you\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0have money, volunteer your time.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

At its core, Siloam Mission\u2019s work is about connection,\u00a0compassion\u00a0and the belief that, with the right support, people can transform their own lives.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Siloam Mission can be reached by calling (204) 956-4344 or toll-free at 1-866-648-4673. They can also be contacted via email at\u00a0info@siloam.ca<\/a>.\u00a0Additional\u00a0information about the Mission, including next steps for donating and volunteering, is available on its\u00a0website<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"At\u00a0Siloam Mission, the work of addressing homelessness and poverty in Winnipeg is both immediate and long-term. For CEO…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":661684,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194296],"tags":[49,48,22073],"class_list":["post-661683","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-winnipeg","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-winnipeg"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/661683","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=661683"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/661683\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/661684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=661683"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=661683"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=661683"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}