Indigenous services priority to new Siloam Mission CEO

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This article was published 27/10/2021 (1154 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When Tessa Blaikie Whitecloud steps into the CEO’s office at Siloam Mission next month, her top priority will be to keep her door open to the city’s Indigenous community on how the Winnipeg non-profit should proceed.

“A key piece will be working with the Indigenous community and listening and working with all people,” she told the Free Press after her appointment was announced Thursday.

“We’re working with all of their healing journeys and we need to offer the services they need.”

Blaikie Whitecloud takes over as chief executive officer of the downtown Christian humanitarian organization and homeless shelter on Nov. 15, after seven years with 1JustCity, an organization that runs three downtown-area drop in centres originally founded by United Church of Canada congregations.

She replaces Jim Bell, who stepped down as CEO in February after criticism from former and current staff that he failed to meet the spiritual and cultural care needs of Indigenous people, including practices such as smudging and drum ceremonies. About 80 per cent of the people Siloam helps are Indigenous.

After a social media campaign to lobby for changes at Siloam Mission by a group called Not My Siloam, the board hired consultant Crystal Laborero to develop an Indigenous relations strategy. Her recommendations include hiring an Indigenous relations director, recruiting Indigenous board members, educating board and staff on Indigenous issues, and fulfilling commitments made as part of Winnipeg’s Indigenous Accord and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

“We have been listening to our community and are committed to doing better in the future — and we know Tessa is going to be part of that,” board chair Garth Manness said in a media release.

“Her expertise, experience, and love for those we serve will position her well to help move our organization forward.”

Blaikie Whitecloud said her first task will be to implement the consultant’s report and introduce Indigenous spiritual and cultural practices, including smudging, which she said was offered when she volunteered at the downtown shelter about a decade ago.

“I’m excited to work on incorporating the Indigenous relations strategy and a lot of that as a leader is going to look like listening to Indigenous staff and guests and the wider community,” said the 33-year-old, who started a pop-up overnight shelter called Just a Warm Sleep in Osborne Village in response to concerns from the community.

Although she will preside over a budget more than 10 times more than at 1JustCity and leading a larger complement of staff, Blaikie Whitecloud has experience in growing an organization and meeting challenges creatively, says the chair of 1JustCity.

“She’s very social justice-minded, she’s very organized, she’s got a lot of empathy and enthusiasm to bring to Siloam Mission,” said Gail Purcell.

Blaikie Whitecloud plans to bring the skills and contacts she developed in her previous position to her new position and continue asking questions that address systemic issues around homelessness and poverty.

“How do we innovate, how do we be efficient, and how do we use and innovate efficiently so our guests can thrive and what does it look like for them?” she said.

Founded in 1987, the Siloam Mission has an annual budget of $11.2 million and employs 130 fulltime staff, plus several dozen more casual and part-time workers. The organization recently completed a 54,000 sq. ft. addition to its building at 300 Princess St., adding space for a transitional shelter, separate women’s shelter, a hygiene centre offering showers and laundry, and an expanded health care centre.

brenda.suderman@freepress.mb.ca

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