Five decades and counting

Community Financial has gone by a few names over its five-plus decades of existence, but its focus has always been helping Winnipeggers facing money challenges.

The United Way-supported non-profit agency is celebrating its 50th anniversary this coming week, even if its founding was officially in 1974.

Founded by Greg Selinger, who went on to be premier of Manitoba (2009-16), and Clay Lewis, it originally went by Community Income Tax Services.

Its reason for existence at the time was helping economically disadvantaged Manitobans file tax returns so they could receive government benefits.

At the time, the alternative was dodgy tax preparation companies charging significant fees from the benefits their down-trodden customers received after filing.

Community Income Tax Services later became Community Financial Counselling Services and carried that name for decades, expanding its scope to debt counselling, financial literacy and, most recently, gambling addiction financial advice and support.

Only recently did the community-based organization change its name to Community Financial.

“We wanted to make sure people understood exactly the services we were offering,” Mike Goldberg, Community Financial’s executive director, says about the name change.

Often under its previous name, its abbreviation — CFCS — was frequently confused with Child and Family Services (CFS).

Community Financial certainly has one foot solidly placed in the spirit of social work, but it has been focusing on filling a big gap in the province’s social safety net for the last 52 years.

“Our programs are really about financial empowerment, which consists of five pillars that reduce poverty while increasing financial inclusion and information for individuals,” says Sally Massey Wiebe, financial empowerment lead at Community Financial.

The pillars are tax filing and facilitating access to government benefits, financial counselling, safe and affordable access to banking services, consumer protection and advocacy, and asset building.

Community Financial has not only focused on financial empowerment for Manitobans struggling economically. It has also long worked closely with related government agencies.

“We do a lot of capacity building training for other front-line service organizations that work in community with low to moderate income individuals,” Massey Wiebe says.

Working with community partners expands the scope of financial assistance across Manitoba, says Gopinath Kundukattil, a senior financial counsellor at Community Financial, who leads the non-profit’s problem gambling assistance program.

“We’ve seen an increase in demand from rural communities,” especially for problem gambling counselling, he says, noting Community Financial’s program is funded by Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Corp.

Among all its services, however, Community Financial’s free annual tax filing assistance program arguably remains its most impactful offering.

Last year, it helped more than 13,600 Manitobans file more than 20,000 returns.

“That tells you how many people are filing multiple years because they were behind,” Massey Wiebe says.

Filing taxes is essential for individuals to receive the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, the Canada Child Benefit, and other government supports.

Yet many Manitobans who could benefit the most from these supports are most likely to miss out on them because they do not file tax returns for a variety of reasons.

They may have been recently incarcerated or are living in health-care facilities. Others face domestic violence, are in the grips of mental health crises or cannot find stable housing.

Many have no employment or earn so little they see no reason to file their taxes — a misconception Community Financial has long sought to dispel.

Collectively, these folks are missing out on a lot of money.

Massey Wiebe points to the impact of this past year’s tax filing program, which helped its participants receive more than $77 million in tax refunds and benefits.

“That’s just one fiscal year, and the number increases every year,” she says, noting it is the largest volunteer tax-filing program in Canada. “It’s really very impactful and makes such a difference to the lives of the people we serve.”

Community Financial will celebrate five-plus decades of serving Manitobans who are struggling financially on Tuesday at the Millennium Centre in Winnipeg, with Selinger as the keynote speaker.

As well, Noralou Roos and Sharon Macdonald, two renowned University of Manitoba researchers, will receive the Esther Zorde Award for their work connecting economic well-being with physical and mental health.

“It marks a huge milestone for the organization,” Goldberg says, adding need for financial advice and assistance continues to grow.

With that in mind, Community Financial also recently refocused its mission. The values remain the same, only the vision is more ambitious.

“We envision a community where every person and household has good access to financial services,” Goldberg says.

Until then, Massey Wiebe says Community Financial will continue to abide by its long-stated credo: “We have a saying regarding our tax program that ‘We do basic taxes for complicated lives.’”

Community Financial helps thousands of Manitobans emerge from difficult situations in much better shape. And, equally important, more financially empowered.

Joel Schlesinger is a Winnipeg-based freelance journalist

joelschles@gmail.com