BGC Battlefords annual general meeting was held virtually on May 18, with the organization looking back at the past year.
President Neil Georget, and Executive Director Nicole Combres said in a statement that 2020 has been described as 鈥渦nprecedented.鈥� The impacts of COVID-19 on their organization were significant.
March 17, 2020 was a 鈥渄ate we will never forget. This was the date we made the difficult, yet responsible, decision to suspend all programs and services. This was the start of what we thought was going to be 鈥榯wo weeks to flatten the curve鈥� 鈥� little did we know this was only the beginning of a year like no other.鈥�
Within a week of suspending programs and services, BCG began a Pandemic Support Service, to ensure members and their families continued to have basic needs met while schools and clubs were closed.
鈥淔rom daily meals and snacks, to cleaning supplies, hygiene products, toys, crafts, educational materials, household goods, clothing ... we did our very best to ensure our members were not left without. We cannot express enough thanks to our community and those who stepped up in an incredible way to not only give, but give more during these very difficult times.鈥�
They pointed to a quote from a single mother of five who stated: 鈥淚 have received lots of support from [BCG] and don鈥檛 know what I would have done without you. There were times I had no groceries and didn鈥檛 know what I was going to do 鈥� My kids are no longer complaining about being hungry. At some points we would only have a couple pieces of bread and a tiny amount of peanut butter for all of us. We have struggled a lot during this time and felt very alone. This has been very beneficial both mentally and emotionally. I don鈥檛 feel so alone anymore and the kids are happy again.鈥�
The staff as well as the board of directors were thanked for their efforts during the challenging time.
鈥淎t a time where we were encouraged to stay apart, the entire BGC Battlefords team came together (wearing masks and physically distancing, of course) and demonstrated what resiliency really looks like in the face of the unimaginable.鈥�
