December
21
2020
Having a home is a gift
By Jim Bell, CEO, Siloam Mission ** This column first appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press ** I’ll be home for Christmas. And hopefully, so will you. That song is a favourite for many of us during the holidays. We all seem to love the cozy sentiment. But in a year where many of us […]
Tags: Christmas, COVID-19, Homelessness, Jim Bell
November
24
2020
Waiting is sometimes the hardest part
By Jim Bell, CEO, Siloam Mission ** This column first appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press ** You’ve probably heard of the long waiting list to get into addictions treatment programs in Manitoba. People who are desperate for help often have to wait weeks, if not months, to be admitted into a program. But did […]
Tags: Addiction Recovery Centre, Community, Homelessness, Jim Bell, Recovery
November
04
2020
Home is a feeling, not just a place
By Jim Bell, CEO, Siloam Mission ** This column first appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press ** The small girl at the back of the room raised her hand. “When you say it that way, maybe I’m homeless too.” The room fell silent. When it was still safe to do so, Siloam Mission would often host […]
Tags: Community, Homelessness, Jim Bell
September
28
2020
Working Toward a New Kind of Normal
By Jim Bell, CEO, Siloam Mission ** This column first appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press ** Schools are back in session. Stores are open. Families and friends are enjoying each other’s company. And for many of us, our days are business as usual — with certain inconveniences like wearing a mask. On the surface, […]
Tags: Community, Homelessness, Jim Bell, Mental Health
August
12
2020
Siloam Mission Celebrates Grand Opening of New Buhler Centre
Siloam Mission has opened a new facility offering expanded and integrated services, including an expanded shelter with a separate women’s area, for those experiencing homelessness. The new Buhler Centre adds 54,000 square feet of space, which also includes an expanded health centre and more space for mental health, employment readiness and spiritual care supports. The […]
July
15
2020
Health is the Real Treasure
By Jim Bell, CEO, Siloam Mission ** This column first appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press ** Would you rather be wealthy or healthy? One thing the coronavirus pandemic has made clear is that no earthly treasure can compare to having a clean bill of health. Most people with white collar jobs and sit very […]
Tags: Community, Homelessness, Jim Bell, Mental Health
June
05
2020
Coronavirus Brings Out the Best in Us
By Jim Bell, CEO, Siloam Mission ** This column first appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press ** It’s been almost three months since most of us went into lockdown. Months of anxiously waiting for the daily announcement of new COVID-19 cases. Months of wall-to-wall news coverage about how the coronavirus has disrupted the lives of […]
May
12
2020
‘Caremongering’ in the Midst of a Crisis
By Jim Bell, CEO, Siloam Mission ** This column first appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press ** There’s no denying it. Many of us feel anxious and stressed about the coronavirus situation. Even though restrictions are slowly lifting, we know there is a long road ahead, and all of us will need to continue to […]
March
17
2020
A Letter to Our Community: COVID-19 Response
By Jim Bell, CEO, Siloam Mission Dear Friend,I hope you and your family are safe. I hope you’re healthy. And I hope it stays that way for you.At this time of great concern for us all, please be assured that you remain in our prayers. I know that everyone’s inboxes are inundated with information about how organizations […]
Tags: Community, Homelessness, Jim Bell
March
01
2020
Being Homeless is Hard Work
By Jim Bell, CEO, Siloam Mission ** This column first appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press ** There are many assumptions about men and women facing homelessness. Perhaps the most common one is that they are too lazy to work. But what if I told you being homeless is actually a lot of work? Let […]
Tags: Homelessness, Jim Bell, Systems