Carey Richards, Executive Director of Acorn Family Place resource centre, speaks at a press conference with Minister Fontaine, Minister of Families of Manitoba.
United Way Winnipeg and the Province of Manitoba today announced a strengthened, multi-year commitment to For Every Family (FEF), a community-led initiative supporting a network of Family Resource Centres across Winnipeg. The renewed partnership confirms at least three years of sustained funding (2025–2028) to support prevention-focused services for families, with work underway to extend this investment over the longer term.
Building on more than a decade of proven impact, the Province of Manitoba has expanded its annual investment in FEF, increasing funding from $1.5 million to $2.0 million per year, contingent on matching community investment. United Way Winnipeg and its donors have stepped forward to meet that match, ensuring the initiative’s continued delivery and stability.
“This announcement reflects confidence in a model that works,” said Matthew Cutler, President & CEO of United Way Winnipeg. “For more than ten years, For Every Family has quietly strengthened families and communities across Winnipeg. Sustained funding gives organizations the stability to plan, adapt, and focus on impact, reinforcing that prevention, trust, and community leadership are the right long-term approach.”
Through current commitments, including support from The Winnipeg Foundation and volunteer-led fundraising, United Way Winnipeg has secured three years of funding for FEF, with active efforts underway to extend the initiative to five years and beyond.
“When I was invited to help lead fundraising for For Every Family in 2015, I was able to see firsthand how powerful this model could be,” said Anne Mahon, Campaign Co-Chair for United Way Winnipeg. “Seeing this work sustained and strengthened over time is incredibly meaningful, because it confirms that long-term, community-led investment truly changes outcomes for families.”
JP Perron, Past Campaign Chair for United Way Winnipeg, added: “Following the momentum of our record-breaking 2025 campaign, it’s especially encouraging to know that this partnership continues to grow. The commitment behind For Every Family shows what’s possible when donors, community organizations, and government work together toward lasting impact.”
Together, the funding will support the continued delivery of preventative, relationship-based family supports across Winnipeg and enable the expansion of Child and Family Services (CFS) Liaison positions embedded within nine Family Resource Centres. These roles support families by helping them navigate systems, access services, and advocate for their needs. Independent from formal CFS agencies, the positions are designed to build trust with families and contribute to earlier, preventative support.
“Our government wants all children to thrive, and that means investing in strong families at the heart of strong communities,” said Honourable Nahanni Fontaine, Minister of Families. “By growing our investment in the For Every Family initiative, we’re continuing to work alongside the organizations that know their neighbourhoods best, helping families access supports earlier, stay connected to their communities, and keep their children safe and supported at home.”
Over time, the FEF initiative has supported tens of thousands of community members through Family Resource Centres across Winnipeg. Through partnerships with SEED Winnipeg and Community Financial Counselling Services, community members have accessed financial empowerment supports, including free tax filing assistance. Since 2018, more than 11,000 people have filed 13,400 tax returns, resulting in $60.5 million in tax refunds and benefits returned to families. In addition, coordinated, community-based support has helped more than 480 families keep children safely at home and supported over 100 families in welcoming children back home from care. In the past year alone, more than 50,000 community members accessed programs and services over 400,000 times through participating centres.
FEF is delivered through a network of 25 Family Resource Centres, each rooted in its local community and responsive to the cultural, social, and economic realities of the families they serve. The initiative is grounded in a trust-based funding model that gives local organizations the flexibility to respond to emerging needs while remaining accountable to shared outcomes.
