Raising the Roof

We are thrilled to announce that we are partnering with Raising the Roof, a national charity that helps prevent and alleviate homelessness across Canada through social enterprise, to help raise funds towards an affordable housing project on Mountain Ave.

The financing for the project on Mountain Avenue will be provided by ACU, with a loan guarantee from The Jubilee Fund, meaning that the project will get underway as soon as possible to ensure new housing is available in a timely manner. The Jubilee Fund is a long-time community partner of ACU in social finance initiatives, which are supported through their sale of Jubilee Investment Certificates.

Between February 14 – February 28, 2022, all proceeds from the sale of our collaboration toques will go towards this important North End initiative. This support is part of Raising the Roof’s national Toque Campaign, which sees hundreds of volunteers and supporters sell toques across the country, with proceeds benefiting Partner Agencies working directly with people experiencing homelessness.

Since 1997, the annual Toque Campaign has supported nearly 200 community agencies across Canada, raising more than $8 million to date in support of long-term solutions to homelessness.

More about the North End affording housing project

In Winnipeg, Raising the Roof purchased an abandoned nail salon that will be converted into three affordable housing units. Two of the units will be larger 3–4-bedroom units and will be made available to Indigenous families at risk of separation without safe, stable housing. One of the units will be a one-bedroom unit, made available to a youth aging out of care. North End Renewal Corporation and Fearless R2W (an Indigenous organization) will provide property management and ongoing wraparound supports for the tenants.

Purpose Construction, a Winnipeg-based social enterprise contractor, will use the renovations to train and employ 35+ people who are at risk of homelessness, including many Indigenous youth. 

In early March 2022, ACU employees also plan to donate some of these cold-weather accessories to a couple North End organizations as another opportunity to support our most vulnerable populations.

 To support the Mountain Ave. project through the purchase of a collaboration toque, check out the Raising the Roof webpage here: https://raisingtheroof.org/acu-toque-campaign/

About ACU

Assiniboine Credit Union is a financial co-operative in Manitoba with branches in Winnipeg, Thompson and Gillam. ACU uses its expertise and resources to foster self-reliant and sustainable communities, while taking care to consider the impact of business decisions on employees, members, the environment and the communities it serves.

About Raising the Roof

Raising the Roof provides national leadership on long-term solutions to homelessness through partnership and collaboration with diverse stakeholders, investment in local communities, and public education.

Media Contacts

All media inquiries can be forwarded to:

Assiniboine Credit Union
Dean Beleyowski
Director, Marketing
Assiniboine Credit Union
dbeleyowski@acu.ca