All Bissell Centre services are delivered at no cost with the exception of the summer camps where a nominal amount is charged. Click on the links below to read more about the services offered at Bissell Centre.

To access services, please call 423-2285

Essential Needs
Drop In
Adult Support
Community Liaison Program
Employment Services
Family Programs
Well Communities Well Families
Thrift Stores
Seasonal Events
Special Projects

Essential Needs
People facing a crisis can obtain assistance with food, clothing, and household goods. Other forms of help are also available depending on the situation. In addition to solving the immediate crisis, our intake workers try to identify the cause of the crisis and look for ways to find more permanent solutions.

A short-term solution is used to solve the crisis while we seek the cause and solution of an underlying problem.

Read an Emergency Needs real life story
Read our report "Living Without Food"

Drop In
Over 350 people come to our Adult Drop In (Robert Tegler Friendship Room) every day. It's the place many inner city residents consider as their "living room". Coffee, sandwiches and snacks are served, and meals are prepared and served. People can obtain basic toiletries and warm outerwear. A telephone is available, as are shower and laundry facilities, and volunteers give haircuts once per week. Workers from other agencies such as Legal Aid and the Health Centre provide assistance on a regular basis. Activities are planned regularly and a movie is shown weekly. Many participants borrow books and magazines, play card and board games or read the daily newspaper. Four computers, two with Internet access, are available for use. The Drop In gives people a place to relax and socialize in a safe, supportive atmosphere.

We are always looking for supplies for the Drop-In. Please visit the Donations page for more details.

Read a Drop In real life story

Adult Support
Support is available to help adults with many different aspects of life. Bissell Centre offers assistance with things like completing government forms, landlord/tenant issues, advocating for fair treatment, and referrals to other community resources.

Educational and recreational programs are held regularly to give people the opportunity to develop skills and experience new things. Every week Bissell Centre holds cooking classes to teach ways of preparing nutritious meals on a low budget. Ingredients are provided and participants take a meal home with them. A Collective Kitchen is also offered monthly, where participants plan a menu for five days, shop for the ingredients, and prepare the meals together. Outings are also held every weekday during the summer months to places of interest and seasonal festivals.

Bissell Centre also assists with issues relating to Supports for Independence and Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped. With Bissell Centre's support and guidance, many individuals who suffer from chronic and persistent mental health issues and those affected by Hep C are able to live independently and well in the community. Individuals receive assistance with life skills such as banking, personal hygiene, housing, and nutrition.

The emphasis of adult programs is to assist individuals to be as self-reliant as possible and to build community among the participants.

Read an Adult Support real life story

Community Liaison Program
The Community Liaison Program assists individuals with mental health concerns and those who face multiple barriers to independent living to be able to sustain housing and support services in the community by reducing the barriers involved in meeting their economic, social and personal needs. The program offers assistance to find appropriate housing and support service needs of individuals and couples who are homeless and often considered to be among those who are ‘hard to house.’ The outreach workers provide long term programming for those who need the support.

Watch videos on homelessness in Edmonton

Job Search services offered include resume writing, faxing and photocopying. Pre-employment training workshops, as well as exposure courses (First Aid, H2S Alive and CSTS), help workers to qualify for full time employment at many jobsites.

Employers: To place an order for a worker, call 424-4385. 
Workers: To register, come to Bissell Centre between 8:00 am and 8:30 am, Monday to Friday.

Donations of new or gently used work equipment are most welcome. Phone 424-4385.

Read an Employment Services real life story

Family Programs
A variety of support is available for parents to support and guide them through their experiences as moms and dads. It starts with expectant mothers - family workers give support and advice before the birth of the baby, and offer parenting advice after the baby is born. Bissell also gives assistance with formula, diapers, food, clothing, and baby equipment. A parent Support Group meets weekly, and several family camps are held every summer to help build strong family bonds.

To have a happy and healthy home, Bissell's housing worker helps parents find and maintain stable, affordable housing. This is a special challenge in Edmonton's current economy where there are very low vacancy rates and rents are always on the rise.

Free childcare services are available one day per week. Children are cared for in a stimulating and educational environment, allowing parents to keep appointments, tend to other tasks, or just have some time to themselves. This program works closely with the other services offered to parents at the Centre. Close links are maintained with a local health clinic, and nurses make regular visits to Bissell's Child Care to immunize the children or assist parents with health-related issues.

For more information about these programs, contact Patti at 423-2285 Ext 162 or at pviolette@bissellcentre.org. If you would like to donate items or money to support Bissell's Family Services, please contact Cathy Cross at (780) 423-2285 ext. 123.

Support offered to expectant mothers, children and parents helps them break the cycle of poverty

Read a Family Programs real life story

Well Communities Well Families
WCWF is a partnership program between Health for Two and Bissell Centre with the case management component of WCWF offered at Bissell Centre.  Long term, intensive relationships (based on the Seattle Birth to Three Model) are built and maintained with adults living with FASD, women/youth at risk of delivering a baby with FASD, and their communities.  Within these relationships, advocates provide a broad range of intensive support services to program participants. These may include: provision of information, access to vocational/academic education supports, advocacy, goal setting and crisis intervention.

Two WCWF Community Workers present information on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and coordinate training to community groups, residents, agencies, systems and schools.  In this position the WCWF Community Workers also work collaboratively with community organizations in order to strengthen the capacity of service providers to address gaps in support and build relationships amongst community residents and service providers. In addition, a WCWF / FSCC Transition worker assists identified Aboriginal Female Offenders impacted by FASD with case planning and support to ensure a successful transition back to the community following their release from incarceration.

Read a WCWF real life story

Thrift Stores
Clothing, furniture and household goods - both new and used - are supplied through Bissell Centre's Thrift Stores. Goods can be given to individuals in need if Bissell Centre or another community agency gives a client referral. Otherwise, they can be purchased at very affordable prices. Antiques, collectables, jewelry, and other interesting, one-of-a-kind items are available.

Our store locations are 8818-118 Ave and 9232-34 Ave. Donations of clothing and household goods can be made at either store. Pickup services are available for furniture only by phoning 471-6644. For more information about Bissell's Thrift Stores, contact Don Corness by phone at 471-6644 or by email at dcorness@bissellcentre.org.

Our South Side store will be closing on August 31, 2008. Come check out our closing out sale beginning August 11!

See pictures of our North Side store

Seasonal Events
Throughout the year, Bissell Centre holds seasonal and special events to ease loneliness and give people the opportunity to celebrate in the company of their friends.

During the Christmas season, Bissell Centre programs host parties for their participants - both children and adults. Entertainment and a festive meal are provided and Santa always drops by to give out presents. Over 1,500 people received gifts and attended parties last Christmas. A dinner for over 1,000 people, prepared and served by volunteers, is held on New Year's Day. And the giving is not limited to the holiday season. Throughout the year, businesses and organizations in the Edmonton community donate and serve special meals to Bissell Centre program participants.

During the summer months, Bissell Centre programs run weeklong retreats at Moonlight Bay Centre on Lake Wabamun. Retreats are held for families, children, adults and individuals with severe mental health problems. Special programs are planned including crafts, sports, nature walks, boating and other lakefront activities. A special training program designed for 14-18 year olds gives young people a chance to learn leadership skills and to volunteer at the summer camps. This program will not be offered in 2007 because of construction at Moonlight Bay.

Moonlight Bay Centre is available for rental during times when it is not being used for Bissell Centre programs. It is an ideal setting for groups or families to rent. Contact Kersten at 423-2285 Ext 114 or by email at kmorris@bissellcentre.org.

If you can help Bissell Centre make one of its seasonal events a reality - through a financial donation or volunteer time - please contact Cathy Cross at (780) 423-2285 ext. 123.

Special Projects
Through the Inner City Youth Housing Project Five homes, Bissell Centre and three other community agencies operate housing for 20 at-risk youths between the ages of 16 and 18 in Edmonton's inner city. The aim of the project is to provide a stable environment where youths are encouraged to lead productive lifestyles.

The Inner City Pastoral Ministry, an ecumenical church, holds weekly Sunday services at Bissell Centre. Services are followed by a lunch prepared and served by volunteers. The Ministry's staff also offers pastoral and spiritual care.

For more information about Bissell Centre's special projects, or to help by donating time or resources, contact Cathy Cross at (780) 423-2285 ext. 123.