Supporting Vulnerable Communities with Ask Auntie

Funding provided through Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy’s Indigenous Homelessness funding stream.

The non-profit Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation (BNRC) is transforming lives in Brandon, Manitoba by helping to build vibrant, safe, and welcoming communities.

In March 2021, the federal government supported the city of Brandon and the BNRC in launching a unique program called Ask Auntie, which assists and advocates for vulnerable, precariously housed, and Indigenous populations.

Ask Auntie is an initiative that provides support, resources, and hope to community members. Grounded in trauma-informed, harm-reduction practices, the program operates under Indigenous leadership and actively seeks Indigenous perspectives to continually improve its services. At its core, the program connects individuals to community support initiatives, offering personalized plans that address their specific needs.

As a recipient of federal funding, the Ask Auntie program has also evolved to meet the needs of the community by supporting the Blue Door Project. A drop-in centre in downtown Brandon, the Blue Door Project offers a warm and welcoming place for those experiencing homelessness where they can also access basic amenities and assistance. In its first year, the Blue Door Project welcomed over 300 visitors, underscoring the growing need for the essential services that it offers.

Ask Auntie’s story is one of resilience, hope, and the profound impact that federal investments can have on communities in need. With federal support, this initiative is breaking down barriers and providing crucial assistance to individuals experiencing homelessness. Through programs like Ask Auntie, lives are being changed, one person at a time, as the Government of Canada continues to work with partners across the country to build a brighter, more inclusive future.

Quick facts:

• Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy is a community-based program aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness across Canada. This program provides funding and support to communities to help them address their local homelessness needs.
• Reaching Home’s Indigenous Homelessness funding stream provides funding to organizations that provide supports to meet the unique needs of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
• The Ask Auntie program was developed at the Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation in 2021 to provide direct assistance and advocacy to Brandon, Manitoba’s vulnerable and Indigenous populations.

For more information, visit:

• Ask Auntie
• About Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy