The Mustard Seed set up at the River Valley Community Church (Photo by Ross Lavigne)

By Hayley Ferguson

Family & Wellness Centre

Mustard Seed hosting open house tonight at site of future home

Sep 16, 2019 | 2:03 PM

Medicine Hat, AB – The Mustard Seed is welcoming the public to come and see their expansion plans into Medicine Hat.

Dean Kurpjuweit, executive director of The Mustard Seed in Edmonton are merging with the Champions Centre, Hope Street Compassionate Ministry, and the Oasis Cafe to bring more services to the homeless and poor in the city.

“There’s everything from those basic services where somebody just needs a meal, we provide a meal. If somebody needs clothing, we help them find some clothing. To employment. Helping them find a sustainable work.” He explained. “To advocacy work, to wellness kind of initiatives. And then the other part of that is housing. And some people just need a place to live. And hopefully to provide a housing opportunity as well.”

Kurpjuweit says that people who use the existing programs won’t see any drops in programming.

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“What is happening will stay happening. If anything what will happen is that we’ll enhance it.” He said.

The Mustard Seed decided to expand to Medicine Hat to help fill a much-needed gap explained Kurpjuweit.

“What if your just one paycheque away from losing everything. Where do you go get supports? What if your taking four hours off work and those four hours makes difference between you being able to buy groceries or not. Where do you get supports that are after hours.” He continued. “So it isn’t just about serving homeless, it’s about serving people that are kind of on the margins and help them get over that margin so they are in full independence and wellness.”

To help fill that gap, Kurpjuweit said that the Mustard Seed would be leasing the River Valley Community Church, where the Oasis Cafe is, to build a “family resource centre.”

The space would be a place for people to come for help with employment, housing, or a meal.

Kurpjuweit said it would also be a safe place for children.

“It could be anything from after school programming for kids, lunch programming. Maybe even doing some cooking classes so kids can bring supper home for mom and dad.”

Within the building would also be a “wellness centre.”

“It can provide advocacy work. Meeting with doctors, meeting with a chiropractor, meeting with physiotherapists. Those kinds of services. Even something like councilors at times.” Kurpjuweit said.

He added that those services would be after traditional work hours.

“A lot of people, they work 9-5, they are working hourly. To take an hour or two off to go see a doctor is very difficult. So this is a way for them to come after work and to see someone who can help them out.”

To open the doors to the wellness and family resource centre, the Mustard Seed first needs to raise $250,000 to renovate the River Valley Community Church.

Until that capital is raised, Kurpjuweit says they will not know exactly when their doors will open.

“What I can say is we need the capital. And as soon as the capital comes in we’re going to go real, real fast.” He said.

Kurpjuwit is hopeful that people will come to tonight’s open house

“Our goal here is to just let you know the services we provide in other centres, what we expect to provide here in Medicine Hat. Invite people to partner up with us. Whether that be with their time, their volunteering, their donations so that we can begin doing what we want to do here.”

Staff members from both the Edmonton and Calgary branches will be on hand tonight at the River Valley Community Church on Allowance Avenue to answer any questions people may have.

As well as new Medicine Hat based staff.

Doors are open from 5 – 7 with a short presentation at 5:30.