Working collaboratively with the agri-business sector and community partners, the Regina Food Bank launched Farmers Feeding Families, focused on harnessing Saskatchewan's agriculture industry to provide food insecure families more nutritious and food inclusive food choices.

Conexus has a long-standing relationship with the Regina Food Bank and has been a partner with them since 2005. With Conexus' investment in food security, the Regina Food Bank has a newly refurbished and fully staffed Conexus Commercial Kitchen, where the pulses will be processed, allowing for hundreds of healthy meals a day to be supplied to Saskatchewan families.

Regina’s population diversity has benefited from a 220 percent increase in self-identified visual minorities since 2011.  Many of these residents have culturally guided diets, and this will expand choices for Food Bank clients, addressing cultural and dietic food needs. Through this initiative, Regina Food Bank is bringing food to people when they need it and where they need it. This includes an enhanced delivery service, pop-up community mobile hubs, and enhanced rural delivery service. 

In the first month since launching, Farmers Feeding Families has delivered:

• Bagged pulses to 10 communities across Southern Saskatchewan and 40 community agency partners with a total of 17,850 bags
• 173 food hampers to households per day; and
• 6,893 meals prepared in the Conexus Commercial Kitchen

SOFIA House is a second stage shelter for women and their children who are fleeing domestic violence. They provide safe housing for up to two years, as well as counselling and programming. Because of the length of stay and services provided, women have a stable environment with which to move forward with their lives and can gain the skills and experience needed to move beyond the cycle of domestic violence. Gaining financial independence can be a first step towards breaking the cycle of domestic violence.

Through Conexus' investment and in partnership with Regina Work Prep Centre, the Employment Program is offered to women in Regina and other areas across Saskatchewan. Employment Program certifications include Microsoft Office Computer Basics, WHMIS, Service it Right, First Aid/CPR, financial literacy education, and participants are also  set up with a work placement.

"I'm so happy that I participated in this program.  I learned so many things that I had never heard of before.  I learned new skills that make me feel more confident to find work.  I have been involved with other programs in the community, but this was the best I have ever attended.  I'm so grateful." said one Employment Program participant.

Access to shelter is critical to achieving financial well-being; when basic needs aren't met, individuals can't focus on improving their financial health. This program provides the necessary support for women and their children to be set  up for success and achieve financial independence. 

For the past 5 years, we have partnered with the Prince Albert Literacy Network with an aim to reduce economic vulnerability.  Together, we have provided practical financial solutions through education to improve the viability and social well-being of the people in the community.  Facilitators with the support of Conexus employees, deliver financial literacy workshops to individuals interested in learning about basic money management, the benefits of creating personal and family spending plans, and options for borrowing and saving. The workshops broadened the participants’ awareness of the basics of financial literacy, thereby resulting in the reduction of personal barriers to success.

At the completion of each workshop, participants regularly express that they are motivated to improve their financial situation We consistently received positive feedback from both the partnering program coordinators and workshop participants.  Comments include:

• “I was able to realize how expensive little habits can become and how taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture can be very beneficial.”
• “Thank you. It sure opened my eyes with how fast debt can add up.”
• “I learned about the importance of paying off your credit card on time.”
• “I learned a lot about planning how I will spend my money, how I can meet my needs and wants, and how to get the most out of my money. I will have a less stressful time getting my ‘money ducks’ in a row.”
• “The presentation was an excellent review of some key money factors that I tend to be in denial about. You’ve provided a great framework for my path forward in becoming more fiscally responsible, and I am grateful for that.”
• “Learning about overdraft protection was very useful. That alone is going to save me so much stress every month.”

400+ participants attending over 60 workshops now have the tools to manage their finances with increased knowledge and confidence.

After calling on people to nominate individuals and businesses across Saskatchewan who were responding to COVID-19 with kindness in ordinary and extraordinary ways, Conexus Credit Union has re-invested $210,000, revenue received from the CEBA federal loan program, back into the province through the Conexus Kindness Capital Fund.
 
From La Loche to Coronach, we received 208 nominations that spanned across 995 kilometers and 37 Saskatchewan communities and treaty territories.  You didn’t just answer the call, you showed up in a big way!  Forty-two individuals and businesses in 37 communities have been chosen to receive $5,000 each to continue their acts of kindness and have helped to ease the strain on access to basic human needs during the pandemic. Watch the video here that shows the stories that have warmed our hearts, made us laugh, and even made us cry.

From its early days of combating the tuberculosis epidemic to today’s COVID-19 pandemic, the Lung Association continues to play a vital role for those not only experiencing lung concerns but as a valuable resource for education, research, support programs and more.  One way they offer support to individuals and families is through the Caring Breaths Financial Assistance Program.   

Caring Breaths helps ease the financial burden that lung disease can bring to patients and their families.  While the program was originally established to support those going through the process of lung transplants, the pandemic has presented significant opportunities to expand the impact.  Throughout 2020, the program assisted over 250 Saskatchewan residents who are not only struggling with the financial implications of lung disease, but also the isolation and restrictions in a variety of ways by:

• Providing medical masks and pediatric asthma kits, to St. Mary’s Pediatric Clinic in Saskatoon to help keep the staff and patients safe.
• Funding the cost of rent, utility bills and medical equipment for a person receiving a double lung transplant.
• Providing accommodation costs for a single income family with young children who have severe asthma and allergies when their home was condemned due to mold.
• Purchasing medical equipment for a young adult with cystic fibrosis so they could monitor their breathing at home.
• Purchasing home‐based pulmonary rehabilitation equipment so patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease  and other lung diseases are able to continue their prescribed exercises until their Saskatchewan Health Authority program can safely resume
• Expanding the criteria for those in need of radon mitigation systems who cannot afford this service.

Partnering with the Lung Association of Saskatchewan to administer such an impactful program enables us to deliver on our purpose of improving the financial well-being of our members and our communities.  We are proud to work alongside them to fulfill their mission to improve lung health one breath at a time.

After signing our agreement in December of 2019 and working through COVID restrictions, we are excited to finally announce our new partnership with STARS Air Ambulance!
 
To continue our support for basic human needs, such as critical health care services and to put the most cutting-edge tools in the hands of the best talent to save lives, a new fleet of helicopters is needed in Saskatchewan. We, on behalf of our members, are proud to donate $500,000 to the STARS Keep the Fight in Flight capital campaign.
 
Every life is worth fighting for. Where you live, work, play or travel shouldn’t impact your chance of survival. That is why, when there’s an emergency, STARS is there to give health care quickly and efficiently when seconds count. Just ask Chad Rogers and his wife Sonja, Consumer Support Specialist. STARS was there one fateful day when their lives could have had a different outcome.
 
“I owe my life to STARS,” said Rogers, who was cared for and transported in 2014, following a traumatic farming accident. “Having STARS  in our province has changed my life and my family’s life. Thanks to all the donors like Conexus for making it possible.”
 
 Critical health care services is foundational to Conexus' purpose of improving the financial well-being of our members and our communities. We are continuing our partnership and investing in  STARS so they can provide the very best in care when time is of the essence for our members, our employees and all the people of Saskatchewan #ConexusCares

Dress for Success Regina’s Professional Women’s Group empowers women with the skills for workforce readiness to become financially empowered. These women truly build confidence within themselves as a part of a sisterhood that inspires them to do great things for our community and grow in their career.
 
Beyond Conexus’ financial investment as the presenting sponsor for the Professional Women’s Group, Conexus employees are providing financial literacy education and professional skill building to these women to help nurture their career growth and financial well-being. Conexus is proud to invest in the Professional Women’s Group with a three year community investment partnership.

Conexus took an innovative approach to reinvesting in the community and gifted our Fifth Avenue branch in Regina to the Circle Project. In this new space The Circle Project will continue their mission to create stronger families, more resilient children, and a stronger and better community. The gift of this building to the Circle Project will create a stronger connection to community and empower more people by providing access to the family violence prevention, financial literacy education, and Indigenous cultural training and reconciliation.