This inspirational article has not been previously published, by Teresa Carey…
Evergreen Basic Needs, began very humbly when a pastor of the Lutheran Church in Gimli, Manitoba, had the idea of centralizing the food hamper service. Up to then, each church provided food hampers to its own congregation. Pastor George Johnson initiated meetings between local churches, service clubs, the health authority, and local government, to come up with ways the community could better work together to help meet people’s needs. Together, they formed Evergreen Basic Needs (EBN). This was in the late 1980s. Now, Evergreen Basic Needs has burgeoned into 10 programs: a highly successful food bank program that gives out 1,880 hampers in the area, a second hand store called “Respun Threads,” a regional food distribution centre, a “Wish List” program, a “Kids in Coats” program, the annual Christmas Hamper program, a “Life Essentials” program, an “Emergency Supplies” program, plus educational workshops, youth training, and community services, with an affordable housing program envisioned for the future.
EBN’s motto today is, “Community Teamwork: Together We Can Achieve The Impossible!” Such enthusiasm is infectious, and evidently has the power to move mountains. All that is needed is for people to believe in the cause, and to have the right kind of leader to give direction and inspire action.
One such leader, 46-year-old Ann Kishka, came to EBN nearly seven years ago when she answered an ad in the local paper calling for an administrator of a food bank program. Born and raised in Fraserwood, MB, she later got training in business administration and Level 1 Accounting, and had spent 14 years volunteering in several communities close to home.
“I was a Cub leader and then a Scout leader. I won an award in 2003 for “Outstanding Community Leading in Scouts.” Ann had helped raise $15,000 in the short span of 1-1/2 months to take the group of 30 grades four to seven boys and girls and 10 adults on a bus trip to Churchill, Manitoba. “We went on a tundra buggy, saw the original Inukshuks, went wale watching, saw a polar bear being helicoptered out of town…the goal of the trip was to experience life!”
Ann had also volunteered at her church, and more. She was on a Parent Advisory Council that raised $24,000 in one year for playground equipment at the Winnipeg Beach Elementary School. “Most of it was from grants and writing letters for sponsorship. There was $7,000 from an anonymous donor. We also held a CFRY radio talent contest and raised another $7,000. The play structure was standing the first day of school,” Ann recounts with pride.
Within six months of starting her new job with EBN, the Respun Threads store was put on notice that it had to move from its Centre St. location in the town of Gimli, to make room for a new credit union building. The EBN Board of directors gave Ann a new mandate: “to find a permanent new home for EBN,” but these were tough times for EBN.
“There was no money for rent, and no money for wages,” Ann remembers, and she herself was working a second job on the side. “I cried myself to sleep one night fearing that it would all fall apart in my hands.”
That night turned out to be pivotal for Ann and for EBN. “I woke up at 4 a.m. and decided to write down everything I wanted in a new place. By 6:30 a.m. I ended up with a rough draft for a new building.” However, it wasn’t until much later that Ann shared her vision with the board of directors. “I didn’t have the confidence. I was afraid everyone would laugh at me.” This new building would cost a lot of money. “How will I ever raise a million dollars?” Ann asked herself. In the meantime the 3rd Ave. location for Respun Threads was found, and sales increased by 50% with the introduction of household items and some new items to the store. Many of the programs underwent changes and development with a little inspiration, and a lot of hard work.
Ann’s idea for a brand new facility for EBN remained strongly in her mind. It was to be over 10,000 sq. ft., with room for offices, a second hand store, a food bank, complete with walk-in cooler and freezer, and a food distribution centre. It would also have room for a learning centre, a place for volunteers to get together, as well as a room for each one of the programs.
Finally, about 4 years ago, Ann found the courage to present her dream to the board. “I thought if I wait I will never do it.” To her amazement they loved the idea. “They said they will walk the mile with me.”
This lead to setting up an advisory council comprised of a number of experts: members from the provincial and local government, business owners, and another individual with a doctorate in Business. It was through the advise of this council that Ann learned how to run a capital campaign.
By 2007, with her new title of Executive Director of EBN, Ann set about raising funds for the new building, with it’s price tag of 1.4 million dollars. After much promotion and community fundraising, letter writing, and filing of grant applications, the funds had finally been raised, a vacant lot on 4th Ave. in Gimli was purchased, and work started in the fall of 2009. “Everyone was so excited about the new building.” The new building was finally completed in the early part of 2010, giving EBN a permanent home at last.
“The Federal Government was unbelievable supportive,” says Ann, “They really lived up to their poverty reduction strategy.” EBN received a Federal grant of $275,000 under the Homelessness Partnering Initiative, $25,000 from Community Places, a provincial program, $15,000 from the Thomas Sill Foundation in Winnipeg, a $100,000 grant from the Gimli Credit Union, in exchange for title sponsorship of the building, an anonymous donation of up to $700,000 in two amounts (the first for the purchase of land, and the second one for “up to $500,000 or 20 per cent of the overall cost of the project.) The Kiwanis Club of Gimli chipped in $10,000, as did Larry Kristjansson of Gimli. Kevin St. Martin, grocery store owner and chair of EBN gave another $10,000. Marie Holme donated $1,000 after reading an article in the local paper about the building fund. “I have 100% faith in you, Ann,” she said. Early in the year Ann learned of an additional $10,000 from Holme, who had left it to EBN in her Will. The balance was raised through community members.
Unselfishness and enthusiasm are characteristics which can take an ordinary person and transform them into a powerhouse for positive change in service to their community. “I have the personal desire to help people,” Ann says modestly, “My priest classified me as a caregiver. That’s all it boils down to. It’s nothing more.”
Ann is, at once, humble and obviously proud of her achievements with EBN, though she is the first to point out that she could never have accomplished all of this single-handedly. “You are only as good as your board,” she said, “The EBN board of directors work really well together, and they are so supportive. They never said ‘No, you can’t do this.”
Ann gives credit to the EBN staff and the more than 300 volunteers, who “only had to be asked to help,” and to her husband, Rick, and son, Steve. “If I didn’t have those two,” she says, “I never could have done it. They gave me love, support and comfort, even when I was raving like a lunatic about the dishes not getting done. ‘Relax,’ they would say, ‘The dishes will get done.’”
The real story here is not simply about Ann Kishka. It is about what can be achieved when a group of people work alongside each other for the common good, determined that a job can be done, rather than getting hung up on what could stand in its way, as so many of us are inclined to do.
“In the olden days they called it “barn raising”. Everybody helped each other. Today it is called “food banks,” says Ann with a smile.
Ann Kishka is really an icon of every person who wants to take up a cause for positive change. Her faith and commitment to the cause never wavered. But, she says, “If it wasn’t for the community wanting this, it would never have happened. People give me the credit all the time and tell me I am amazing and have done so much, people I don’t even recognize. But I would not be where I am today without the strong support of the community.”
In a sense, Ann was like a benevolent warrior, leading the charge of willing change-makers to the task at hand. “I see a problem and I want to fix it,” she says, “I like to have challenges all the time, not the everyday, mundane things.
She has greater ideas for the future of EBN, seeing sustainability as the number one goal. Of her ultimate future with EBN, Ann says,” It’s hard to say where God is going to lead me.”
