G.R.O.W. is wishingeveryone a wonderfulsummer! As the days get longer andthe weather gets warmer, we are looking forward tospending more time out in the community, enjoying outdoor activities, and making new memoriestogether.
Events
- AGM: September 18,2026 @ 7pm
- Mix and mingle: October 15, 2026@6:30pm at Trans Canada Brewing
Dates To Remember
G.R.O.W. will be closed onthe following dates:
- July 1, 2026 - CanadaDay
- September 7, 2026 -Labour Day
- September 30, 2026 - Orange Shirt Day
Day Program
Participant Updates
We have had the pleasure of welcoming 3 new participants to the day program. Joseph and Nikolas both joined the day program in September 2025. Lastly, Tevin joined us in June 2026!
While at the program, these new participants will be working hard to reach their personal goals o fobtaining paid jobs, building independent living skills, and expanding their socialization. Through our hands-on modules and community environment, they will learn everything from workplace readiness to daily essentials like cooking, cleaning, and money management. Best of all, they will have the opportunity to connect with peers, build friendships, and learn from our incredible peer mentors, who are ready to lead by example and cheer them on everystep of the way. Welcome to the program!
Participant Spotlight
Erica
Congratulations to Erica on an incredible achievementat the Special Olympics Winter Games! Erica brought home four first-place ribbons after competing in the 100m race, 60m race, shot put, and running long jump. We are all so proud of her. Amazing job, Erica!
Sarah
Sarah recently took part in an amazing performance at the Asper Centre for Theatre and Film as part of AIM 4 ALL’s Dare to Dream Jr. production. She brought so much energy and excitement to the stage. It was great to see her confidence shine while performing. We are all so proud of Sarah and everything she accomplished. Great job, Sarah!
Leo
A huge congratulations to Leo for an incredible year of music so far. Performing with his band GMH as the lead guitarist, Leo has taken the stage at Side Stage, The Osborne Taphouse, and The Park Theatre. If you have missed any of his shows, you can catch them at:
- September 11 – The Park Theatre
- October 6 – Side Stage
When he wasn't rocking out on stage, Leo also stepped up to lead our music club while our facilitator was away. He did a fantastic job helping run the group, keeping everyone engaged, and sharing his love of music with fellow participants. Way to go, Leo!
Peer Mentorship
Big congratulations to Akiva, Ade, Allie, and Kenyon on completing their peer mentorship training.
We recently wrapped up an exciting training session focused on our G.R.O.W. Peer Mentorship program, and we can’t wait to see it in action! The workshop was all about prepping our new Peer Mentors to team up with fellow participants (our Peer Mentees) to help them reach their independent living goals.
From kitchen basics to handling money and household chores, our mentors learned how to guide and cheer on their peers every step of the way. A big focus of the session was showing mentors how to set a great example and truly embody what a positive role model should look like, whether that's by being reliable, staying patient, or showing mutual respect. Our mentors left feeling inspired, equipped, and ready to make a huge difference in helping out their peers.
Some peer mentorship that have taken place are:
- Cooking a new recipe
- Bus training
- Helping with cleaning tasks
- Leading music club
- Assisting peer mentees during group work
Advocacy Group
ABCs of Advocacy
Members of the G.R.O.W. Advocacy Group recently attended the ABC's of Advocacy workshop hosted by the Independent Living Resource Centre. This workshop focused on helping individuals build self-advocacy skills and gain confidence when navigating services,supports, and systems that impact their daily lives.
Participants learned about goal setting and prioritization, effective communication skills, the importance of documentation, preparing for appeals, and the role of the Manitoba Human Rights Commission in protecting rights and freedoms.
My Rights Matter
A group of us attended the launch of the website www.myrightsmatter.ca. MyRightsMatter was created by people with disabilities, for people with disabilities. It's a place where knowledge and lived experience about rights is shared. The site includes 8 interactive modules that cover rights, responsibilities, the law, history, and how to make decisions in your own life. We wanted to show our support for the hardwork and effort that the self-advocates connected to this important work in our community have accomplished.
Disability Matters
G.R.O.W. is excited to be partnering with the organizers of Disability Matters 2026, acommunity celebration of disability pride, inclusion, and self-advocate leadership. This year's event, formerly known as Disability Pride, will be held at the Lyric Theatre in Assiniboine Park on July 8th, 2026 from 10am-2pm. The celebration will feature live entertainment, community activities, and opportunities to connect and celebrate inclusion.
We are proud to share that Akiva and Erica will be representing G.R.O.W. on the planning committee. We look forward to attending and supporting this exciting community-led event.
DASCH Relationship Essentials Course
This spring, three of our GROW participants attended a class at DASCH called Relationship Essentials. Once per week for 12 weeks, participants learned about healthy relationships, boundaries, sexual education, and dating. Each class, they engaged in presentations, group discussions, and watched educational videos. Our GROW participants asked lots of great questions and enjoyed the class immensely! The course will run again in the Fall, and we hope to send a few more participants!
Employment and Volunteering
Employment
We are so proud to announce that with the help of our Employment and Volunteer Coordinator, Carolaine, 4 participants have found paid employment in the past 2 months!
- Kenyon started working as warehouse and assembly assistant at West Point Technology in April.
- Graham and Tanya have both started as dishwashers at Schmoozers Cafe at the Rady JCC in April and May, respectively.
- Nik started working as a full-time seasonal General Laboure at Assiniboine Park Conservatory in May.
- Rachel received a Permanent Childcare Assistant part-time position at Congregation Shaarey Zedek.
Volunteering
- Sarah started volunteering as recreation assistant at Tuxedo Villa in March. Assists with weekly Bingo by preparing game boards and pieces, distributing materials to participants, and cleaning up and storing supplies after each game, as well as socializing with residents before and after Bingo.
- Jacek and Erica will be joining the Kids Zone team at Sea Bears games as volunteers. They will assist children with a variety of fun activities, including poster making,bracelet making, temporary tattoos, and other creative projects.
Alongside the update, participants have been continuing their current volunteer placements.
- Alex volunteers both at the zoo and Congregation Shaarey Zedek.
- Patrick, Sarah, and Cole volunteer at the zoo.
- Erica and Dusty continue volunteering at Tuxedo Villa.
- Ben volunteers at Gray Academy during the winter and fall reading to students and alsovolunteers by walking dogs at Winnipeg Pet Rescue shelter.
- Benji, Dusty, and Mikaila volunteer at Gray Academy during the winter and fall.
- Tanya, Mikaila, and Erica volunteer at the B'yachad Babies program at the Rady.
- Dusty and Akiva volunteer at the Mahjong program at the Rady.
- Various participants volunteer at Agape Table twice a month.
Day Program
Community Activities
Our recent community activities have been:
- The Leaf
- Bowling at Uptown Alley
- Jim’s Vintage Garages
- Watching the Mario movie
- Walking to 7/11
- Attending the Dare to Dream Musical
- Going out for lunch
- Sargent Sundae/Joe Black
- Minigolf at The Golf Dome
Outreach
Recent Events
Some of G.R.O.W’s most recent Outreach events have included:
- Moose game
- Fun Park
- Reality Drop
- Scrapbook making
- Bison tour at Fort Whyte
Upcoming Dates and Events
- July 9, 2026: Sock puppet show
- July 23, 2026: Music in the Park/Lyric Theatre and Picnic
- August 6, 2026: Goldeye’s game and dinner
- August 20, 2026: Money jar/vacation jarmoney holder and dinner
Reminder: Please ensure participants have a ride to and from Outreach events ahead oftime!
Gain at G.R.O.W.
Program Description
The Gain at GROW Saturday Program is a12-week session for adults who are neurodivergent and/or have an intellectual disability. The program focusses on developing life skills to support individuals achieve their long-term goals of livingin dependently. Each participant collaborates with an Occupational Therapist to set personalized goals. Participants receive targeted support from staff to help achieve these personal goals. Alongside individualized goals, participants engage in weekly group activities focused on various life skills. Examples include meal planning and preparation, grocery shopping, money management, self-regulation, home maintenance, and social skills.
Upcoming Session Dates:
- October 3 - December 19 , 2026
Winter/Spring Session
The Gain at GROW program was a greatsuccess this winter/spring. All participants arrived each Saturday with the motivation to work on their goals, which was evident in the way they achieved or even surpassed someof their goals. The group worked on meal planning, meal preparation, home maintenance, money management, and social skills in addition to many more areas. We also had a lot of fun playing board games, Spot It, hangman, and playing Just Dance. They even baked a homemade cookie recipe and ate them while they watched a movie to celebrate the final day of the program. It was a joy to observe the participants learn and grow,and we are looking forward to our next session in the fall!
G.R.O.W. in Gimli
Program Description
The G.R.O.W. in Gimli Program is designed for young adults (18-24) with social, developmental, and/or intellectual disabilities looking to enhance their independent community living skills. The program encourages growth of the person in a supportive environment.
Participants live cooperatively for a two-week period in Gimli, Manitoba, where they work towards individualized goals related to independent living.
G.R.O.W. in Gimli is in full force, and we are excited to be resuming the program this year! The program will run during three separate sessions:
- June 28 – July 11
- July 19 – August 1
- August 9 – August 22
We look forward to another summer filled with growth, learning, community involvement, and unforgettable experiences.