Zoongizi Ode creates housing solutions to help Indigenous youth aging out of care

For the past decade, Indigenous-led not-for-profit organization, Zoongizi Ode (Zoon-gai-zai O-day), has been working on smoothing the transition for Indigenous children aging out of Manitoba’s child welfare system. Along with reuniting families and strengthening community connections, this vital organization aims to educate and advocate for systemic change.

This year, Zoongizi Ode is further tackling the urgent issue of affordable housing for families, with a new housing development set to open its doors this fall—with partners like ACU on board to support the project’s success.

Zoongizi Ode’s journey

Zoongizi Ode began in 2014 as a grassroots group called Fearless R2W in Winnipeg’s R2W postal code, the heart of the North End. Founded by community leaders Michael Champagne and Mary Burton, Fearless R2W held weekly meetings in the community for years to support and discuss the challenges facing kids in care and their families, and youth transitioning out of care at 18 years old.

The postal code in particular, says Mary, has faced incredible challenges for decades, with respect to the number of children taken into care by provincial Child and Family Services (CFS).

“In 2014, the R2W postal code zone saw one in six kids apprehended daily. Furthermore, 365 babies were apprehended that year,” says Mary.

With the support of their community and small grants, Mary and Michael’s organization offered regular opportunities to learn about child welfare in Manitoba. They provided advocacy and tangible solutions for Indigenous parents working to reunify with their children and youth aging out of care.

In December 2020, the group began a more formalized approach, incorporating as a not-for-profit to reach more community members and increase funding.

Reflecting and rebranding

Earlier this year, the organization decided to take on a name that better reflected its approach and community.

“We gave an Elder tobacco and we asked her to go to ceremony and to get us an Indigenous name,” explains Mary, who now serves as the organization’s executive director. “At this point, we realized that Fearless R2W served its purpose. But it was a fear-based name and (since) everything that we do at Fearless is strength-based, we look at everything in a strength-based way.” With that feeling at its core, the organization’s new name, Zoongizi Ode, means “strong heart” in Anishinabemowin.

“We are very much community-driven at Zoongizi Ode. I look to my community and I ask my community what they want—and I do my best to give them what they want and what they need,” Mary says.

Donation to Astum Api Niikinaahk Tiny Homes Village helps a little home go a long way

Affordable housing solutions

For Indigenous youth aging out of Manitoba’s child welfare system, the issue of affordable housing, housing insecurity and the risk of homelessness is significant. Not only do they face the prospect of high monthly rent, they have to come up with a damage deposit—let alone thinking about buying furniture or groceries.

This year, Zoongizi Ode is involved in a new project aimed at addressing this issue head-on. The organization has a memorandum of understanding in place with Raising the Roof and several ACU members to create a collaborative solution. This includes a social enterprise construction company in Purpose Construction as well as another not-for-profit in the North End Community Renewal Corporation to create three affordable units for families reunifying and youth aging out of care.

“We have a one-bedroom for a youth aging out of care. We have a three-bedroom for a family that’s reunifying. We have another four-bedroom for a family that’s reunifying and they are all in the same building,” Mary elaborates.

The project is Raising the Roof’s first renovation outside of Ontario. Zoongizi Ode will provide support to the families and youth—including helping them open savings accounts in partnership with SEED Winnipeg, another financial empowerment community partner of ACU’s, attending weekly meetings and an aftercare program.

Tenants are set to move in this fall—and that’s where ACU comes in.

With $10,000 donated by ACU, Mary says tenants will be able to purchase furniture for their units—which will be theirs to keep when they move out. While there is no time limit on how long they live in the house, whenever they are ready to transition to independent living arrangements, they will be fully furnished, removing a common barrier to establishing their own home.

A shared commitment to community

Brendan Reimer, ACU’s Strategic Partner, Values-Based Banking, says the project supports the creation of affordable and safe housing while furthering ACU’s commitment to reconciliation. It also builds on the credit union’s vision of a sustainable future for all.

“We can’t achieve our vision on our own. Not-for-profits are at the forefront of solving the most complex, difficult challenges and they’re creating solutions that work. When they succeed, and have the resources required to do their work, we get closer to the kind of communities we envision,” says Brendan.
ACU and Zoongizi Ode share the belief that if the community has what it needs, it can thrive.

“ACU’s values are very similar to our community beliefs: being there to offer help and support whenever it’s needed,” she states.

For example, ACU’s Indigenous Leadership Circle answered the call to collect backpacks for Zoongizi Ode’s back-to-school backpack campaign this summer, donating 20 bags full of school supplies for kids. Several other ACU branches and departments also put together backpacks for their campaign.

According to Mary, “ACU always steps up to give the community a supportive hand.”

“We happen to be in financial services and they happen to be working on the front line in communities with families. Yet, there is a great similarity in our understanding of how you assess the world and how you create something better and different.”— Brendan Reimer, Strategic Partner, Values-Based Banking, ACU

Looking ahead, Zoongizi Ode is exploring a partnership with Raise the Roof on another house in the neighbourhood to co-create affordable housing solutions for more Indigenous youth aging out of care and more families who are reunifying.

“They’re not our participants, they’re not our clients, they’re our families and they become part of our family,” says Mary.

“We have a big meeting once a month and everybody comes together to share a meal and talk about our hopes and dreams for the future of our community.”

Supporting Zoongizi Ode

As Brendan explains, supporting Zoongizi Ode’s work starts with a deeper understanding of systemic change. This requires a societal shift in how we support families.

“The immediate piece is providing shelter, but we also need to get to the root cause of the issue,” he explains. This includes building relationships and investing resources in the healing journey.

You can also support the solutions and the work of Zoongizi Ode by donating to the organization here.

Learn more about Zoongizi Ode and how ACU invests in our community.

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