Housing project hopes to help families in need, provide skills for youth

Step-Up Construction has high hopes in helping those in the North End of Winnipeg by sharing the love of God through new homes. 

"We are hoping to build a duplex for families in our community," says Andrew Braun, General Manager of Step-Up Construction, a part of Inner City Youth Alive (ICYA). "Right now the North End has a lot of derelict houses that have been burnt and are vacant. We have a lot of families that are also living in homes that are really unlivable and we wanna be able to help as best we can."

The sub-division of ICYA started in 2021 after the staff saw the incredible need in the community. Step-Up also helps youth involved with job-ready skills. 

"They can learn different life skills and connect with the community that loves them and prays for them every day. We wanted to create a healthy environment where then they can come through this program and afterwards have different job skills and enter into the private construction industry after they finished."

The group is running a fundraising project in hopes of building two duplexes. 

"So we'll have two different properties, both on Magnus. They will be almost entirely built by the Step-Up crew. So it's youth from the community building them and in the end, it's gonna be families in need that will be living in them."

To date, the project has raised $240,000 with an end goal of between $800-900,000. 

"We've been incredibly blessed by the supporters of Manitoba. We've been fundraising now for about a year and a half. We like to look at Step-Up as, together, we are living out the heart of God. "

People interested in donating to this housing project can call 204-582-8779 or go to the ICYA website. Anyone in trades is also welcome to consider mentoring the youth in a trade.