Local church receives $10,000 from Women Who Care event

St. Nicholas Ukrainian Church won a $10,000 Community Impact Grant at the eighth annual 150 Women Who Care event to modernize its basement kitchen, and organizers said the gathering has contributed more than $100,000 to local groups over eight years.

St. Nicholas Ukrainian Church was named the winner of the $10,000 Community Impact Grant at the eighth annual "150 Women Who Care" event held Feb. 19 at the Glesby Centre. The church plans to use the funds to modernize its basement kitchen, which serves as a hub for cultural and social gatherings. The event is hosted by the Community Foundation of Portage and District and asks five local organizations to pitch projects to an audience of 150 women. Attendees vote to decide which initiative receives the grant. Key details: - St. Nicholas Ukrainian Church won the $10,000 Community Impact Grant to modernize its basement kitchen. - The church recently marked its 120th anniversary. - Three runners-up — the Family Resource Centre, the Portage Learning and Literacy Centre, and Red River College's Portage Campus — each received $1,000 for projects including menopause education, free self-defence classes, and a "Driving Forward" program to help women obtain driver’s licences. - The Salvation Army received a $5,400 Women Who Care Fund Grant to support the "BRAVE" program, which is reported as focused on preventing sexual exploitation and human trafficking by empowering at-risk girls and women. - The 2025 winner, the Infant Memorial Garden group, reported using its grant to purchase a central granite memorial stone for families grieving the loss of an infant. - The Community Foundation of Portage and District said the event has contributed over $85,000 through the impact fund and an additional $20,000 through the Women Who Care Grant Fund, totaling more than $100,000 to local organizations over eight years. Summary: The $10,000 grant will support renovation of the church basement kitchen, which hosts cultural and social events. Organizers described close voting among several strong pitches, and the evening also directed funds to other local programs. Undetermined at this time.