Purchase Partners
Neechi Foods Community Store**
$35,160 – Christmas hamper food purchase
Neechi Foods Community Store is a full-range grocery store and Aboriginal specialty shop located in Winnipeg’s North End. Neechi Foods is a worker co-operative that provides employment, training and collective business ownership to inner-city residents. LITE purchases many of their Alternative Christmas Hamper supplies from Neechi Foods.
Youth Crew- Spence Neighbourhood Association*
$766 – Cookie Purchase
The Spence Neighbourhood Association supports youth with casual job opportunities, pre-employment training and hands-on work experience. One of these opportunities is a catering program that teaches youth the required skills and knowledge around food preparation. LITE supports SNA’s Youth Crew project by purchasing cookies for our Alternative Christmas Hampers.
Food Connections Program – Wolseley Family Place**
$1,535 – cookie purchase
Food Connections is a social enterprise and pre-employment program which provides hands-on training in the hospitality industry. Project participants operate a community store, cooking class, breakfast program and catering business. The Food Connections Project provides supported employment to single parent mothers who participate in Wolseley Family Place. LITE supports Food Connections through its purchases of cookies for the Alternative Christmas Hampers.
Native Women’s Transition Centre**
$2,500 – cookie purchase
The Native Women’s Transition Centre is a long-term safe home for Native women and children. The centre’s catering service provides employment and training to 23 women who live at the centre. Training includes preparing budgets, purchasing, food safety and handling and cooking. LITE supports NWTC by purchasing an annual order of baking for our Alternative Christmas hampers.
Star Blanket Project – Northern Star Workers Co-operative
$1,008 – blanket purchase
The Northern Star Worker Co-op is owned and operated by First Nations and Metis women who sew traditional and contemporary Star Blankets. For the past 10 years, LITE has purchased these blankets to donate to other community organizations for use in their fundraising events.
Northern Star Worker Co-op website
Star Blanket Project – Cree-Ations
$2,520 – blanket Purchase
Cree-ations specializes in handmade Aboriginal Arts and Crafts. They are a locally owned and operated family business who buys most of their furs and hides for their products locally. LITE purchases Cree-Ation’s Star Blankets to donate to other community organizations for use in their fundraising activities.
* Project working only with children and youth
** Project with direct benefits to children and youth