About Us
Thrive Community Support Circle (Thrive) is a charitable not-for-profit organization with two locations that primarily serves Winnipeg’s west end.
Resource Centre – 406 Edmonton Street
Childcare Centre – 475 Sargent Avenue
Thrift Shop – Temporarily Closed
Thrive Community Support Circle began in 1973 as Pregnancy Distress Services. It was founded by Louise and Dr. Paul Adams as a crisis phone line for pregnant women. Several years later, the Adams broadened their services to include pre-and post-natal support for young mothers.
In 2017, our agency was rebranded as Thrive Community Support Circle. We’ve grown to offer many more resources from free mental health programs to CFS liaison support to essential needs for families and individuals.
It is gratifying and heartwarming to be able to see the effects of our work. Many people who come to us for help are so profoundly affected by our services and programs they will often come back to Thrive in a volunteer capacity. We see a new light shining in their eyes, a determination to help others as we have helped them. Sometimes they will tell us that Thrive literally saved their life. This is how we know what we do is working. We empower and support individuals and families to create positive change in themselves.
Today we serve more than 10,000 families each year, still providing services and group programs along with one-on-one counselling, as well as a Thrift Shop. We are incorporated as a non-profit organization, and supported through private donations, The United Way, Manitoba Early Learning and Childcare, The Department of Child and Family Support, and other groups.
We like to think the spirit underlying our evolution remains a straight line to the compassion and optimism first exhibited by our founders Louise and Dr. Paul Adams, when they first opened their doors to those in need, over half a century ago.
Our Guiding Principles
At Thrive Community Support Circle we believe:
- All people regardless of race, religion, status, means, ability, or sexual orientation are empowered to make their own choices about their lives.
- All people have equal rights and deserve to be treated equally in all areas of community and economic life.
- All people are unique and have a right to services that are flexible, non-judgmental, confidential, and respectful of their culture and religious beliefs.
- All people have the right to be heard and respected as the author of their own lives, including the right to a new beginning in their journey.
- Staff, participants, volunteers, and community members have the right to a healthy and safe environment.
- Communities, organizations, and society all play an important role in supporting individuals in the efforts to be empowered and make their own choices.
- Systemic and societal conditions and barriers contribute to the poverty, inequity, abuse, isolation, and dependency of vulnerable persons.
- All programs and services must respond to the changing needs of participants and of the community.
- In actively participating in our community by building relationships, and working collaboratively with community organizations and community members.
- Healthy individuals lead to healthy families and stronger communities.
Our Mission
Thrive Community Support Circle is a diverse agency dedicated to offering services that are inclusive to all persons, in all stages, to cultivate life, provide opportunities for empowerment, and to grow the community we serve.
Our Vision
Thrive believes in the potential of people and communities to grow and create change in a positive way. Through our community services including the programming, therapeutic counselling, drop in, thrift shop and childcare, we provide opportunities and support to individuals to create this change in themselves and the community as defined in their personal journey. By working in cooperation with partnerships of other community agencies; recruiting qualified, caring and like-minded staff, volunteers and donors, and by respecting each person’s individuality, we provide community members with professional and supportive service within the context of our resources.
Our Community Impact
Stats for 2022 to 2023
Rhonda Elias-Penner,
Executive Director
Message From Our
Executive Director
While our Thrive team has continued to navigate the challenges and impact of the pandemic, I am humbled and proud to be part of a team that has continued to work through difficult conditions with grace and grit, putting the needs of the community ahead of their personal fears and concerns.
In 2021-22 pandemic pressures and inflationary pressures drove the need for Thrive’s programs and services to new heights. Thanks to our generous funders, and extremely committed team, we were able to rise to the needs of our community, ensuring that everyone who came to our doors was supported. This year saw another significant jump in new faces seeking help, and Thrive responded with new programs and expanded services made possible through new grants, collaborations, and partnerships.
With the changing landscape of social services Thrive continues to evaluate how we can better streamline services, ensuring that we are responding to the needs of community and participants, reducing barriers to access programs and services.
We continue to work within a collaborative model, partnering with other agencies to reduce duplication of services and fill gaps in priority areas. As we move into a post-pandemic world we are refocusing our efforts to consolidate and expand our building on Spence to create one physical space to house all of our programs and services. We look forward to sharing more about our plans in the coming months. In the meantime, I extend my sincerest gratitude to our volunteers, staff, supporters, funders and new friends who are committed to making us grow and THRIVE as we celebrate 50 years serving the community!
Board of Directors
Founding President
Louise Adams (The Late)
Executive Director
Rhonda Elias – Penner
Board of Directors
Marni Waggoner – Board Chairperson
Sarah Mann – Secretary
Lena Pitsanuk – Treasurer
Directors
Rick Sutcliffe
Kathryn Gompf
Lana Stevenson
Mackenzie Swope
Board Sub-Committees
Finance
Rick Sutcliffe – Chair
Lena Pitsanuk
Rhonda Elias – Penner
Capital Campaign Cabinet
Kathryn Gompf – Chair
Darla Hooker
Jennifer Theissen
Liz Prall
Rebecca Mollard
Carrie Kulbinsky
Taylor Gagne
Building
Mackenzie Swope – Chair
Rhonda Elias- Penner
Marni Waggoner
Taylor Clackson
Governance and Human Resources
Lana Stevenson – Chair
Sarah Mann
Marni Waggoner
Members on maternity leave
Morgan Vespa
Dakotah Nadeau
Our Stories
We are grateful to our community members who have offered to share
their stories and how Thrive has played a role in their lives.
Amy’s Story
