Multicultural centre poised to expand service
Welland Heritage Council and Multicultural Centre’s annual general meeting Tuesday was a small celebration of another successful year and of the people the organization has helped.
The heritage council brought together its board members and key community figures and organizations to share about the successes of the past year over breakfast at Casa Dante.
“When clients walk through our doors … our goal is to give them hope and turn their dreams into reality,” said Janet Madume, the centre’s executive director.
The way the 41-year-old organization does that is by offering a number of programs, such as English as second language courses, settlement programs, employment solutions and women’s entrepreneurship development to newcomers to Canada.
She said over the past year the heritage council has exceeded its target amount of clients, reaching 1,700. It hosted 80 workshops which had 884 total participants and leveraged more than 1,500 volunteer hours.
Wayne O’Connell, an auditor with Jones and O’Connell LLP, gave a positive audit report for the organization. He said he looks at the financials for the organization’s fiscal year and makes sure all rules are adhered to when it comes to the non-profit.
He said the centre had $202,874 in assets, which includes office furniture and equipment among other things, and had a revenue of more than $1.2 million, the majority of which came from grants and fundraisers.
The majority of the organization’s more than $1.2 million in expenses went towards salaries and benefits, with the remainder going toward operating and programming costs.
People present at the AGM also heard two success stories from people who have used the centre’s services, which include Employment Solutions.
Kenny Gwena, now a settlement co-ordinator with the centre, said when he came to Canada about 12 years ago, having the guidance of the vcentre was an integral part of him getting situated in the area. Now, he’s happy to be able to help others in the same position he was in.
“They just need someone to point them in the right direction,” he said of all newcomers.
A point in the right direction was also helpful to Nancy Fields, who used Employment Solutions services. It eventually led her to the job she has now as a dietary aid for Niagara Region.
A few volunteers also received recognition in way of certificates for their work with the centre.
In a booklet handed out at the AGM, it says for the 2017-18 year the organization plans to grow its second Employment Solutions location, which was added to Seaway Mall earlier this year, host a Welland multicultural festival to bring nations together, become an informational hub on social media, and expand its English as a second language classes into the Beamsville and Grimsby areas.