The Wheatland Crisis Society unveiled a rebrand and a new website dedicated to walking the path with those in crisis; they are now called "True North."

This rebrand is to honour the past, provide support in the present, and awaken hope for the future for all individuals impacted by domestic violence.

Business Developer for True North Natasha Fyfe says there is a lot of work that goes into a rebrand.

"There's a lot of people that we need to talk to because we're an all-inclusive organization. Everybody was on the same page when it came to the rebrand and then it just came down to picking a logo and a new name." Fyfe says

Even from the top all the way down to the chef that cooks the meals in the kitchen, everybody has an opinion, and everybody has a say.

Fyfe said that they wanted a name that is strong and felt true to who they are.

Executive Director of True North Carol Manson McLeod explains the reason for the rebrand was the name Wheatland Crisis Society could be triggering for some clients, as they know they are fleeing from a crisis. 

True North has got a new future ahead of them and since they have been in the community for 30 years, they have made the point of growing and paving a new path forward.

"The word True North, it means finding your true north and going forward. So that's both of us as an organization and the individuals who we serve." Manson McLeod says 

"It took a little while, but we found it and are really proud of it. It feels fresh, it feels clean, and it feels exciting. We want people to be excited to come and stay with us. Yes, they're coming in some unlawful circumstances, but we want them to feel like they're at home."

Manson McLeod expresses there are many goals for the organization for the coming year. One of them is to provide some type of education to the children that are coming to the shelter. 

"We want to provide some sort of education while they're in shelter, because that's what part of keeping them moving forward."

Another one of the goals for the future is to grow the shelter and have some affordable housing for the clients.

"We're a crisis shelter mandated for clients to stay only three weeks, and they have no place to go. We know accommodation is really difficult. The vacancy rate in Strathmore is .5%., so we have got no place for people to go."

Manson McLeod says they want to build a facility. They have purchased land and a design is in place and then the next step is raising money to build it. 

Fyfe left off with saying they didn't want their name to put up barriers for clients outside of Wheatland County, because they'll help people from a much wider scope than just Wheatland County.

"Our catchment area is very large. It goes all the way from Trochu all the way to Vulcan from Calgary to Brooks and we are one of the only shelters in southern Alberta that do take men. So, we didn't want the location being in our name to hinder people in giving us a call if they're needing help."

Manson McLeod reflects by saying they are privileged to help members of their community who need support at a very vulnerable and scary time in their lives.

"Our experienced team is honoured to be part of our client’s journey, whether it is providing short-term accommodation or longer-term support in the community.” Manson McLeod says 

True North’s Board Chair Joyce Li says that they are so grateful to be able to continue this work every year alongside the amazing community partners that they have.

"Without the support of our community, we would not be where we are today, doing the work and having the impact we intend to have."

True North received a cheque of $5000 from CGC wallboard, who is also building a new facility in Carseland and wanted to ensure that they are giving back to the community however they can. The money was raised by customers through CGC wallboard through a golf tournament in the USA.

True North has been committed to building a safe community free from abuse through education and community programming, counseling and support services, emergency shelter, and survivor support and advocacy. Through these efforts, True North has been able to interrupt the cycle of abuse for over 2,215 adults and 1,638 children through its emergency shelter and outreach programs alone.

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