Peg City Kindness Crew is finding ways to show love to their communities.

What started as a desire to help has become a large undertaking for Jai Siwak and her co-founder. After losing her travel agent job to the pandemic, Siwak began helping her friends in need, but the outward movement did not begin until she saw a Facebook post.

"It started as two of us who were just trying to do good things and help people out. There was a teacher on a buy-nothing Facebook group who was trying to feed her students who didn't have food at their homes and the breakfast program got shut down."

Stepping up to help, they were successful in creating a program for the school. Moving to support them and another school, Peg City Kindness Crew has raised over $20,000 for their work. Their homes and workplace have been overflowing with support and donations. Siwak has had a lot of support from others looking to show love towards Winnipeggers in this way.

"I think COVID has brought out a lot of bad things, but it has also brought out a lot of positivity, a lot of love. We need to be able to express that love when you cannot be near your loved ones."

Siwak is encouraged by the outpouring of support. This is the first time she has done anything on this scale and is deeply touched by the support she sees for Winnipeg. The co-founder says she cries tears of joy every day.

"It is crazy the way it has grown and everybody is all-in, all the time," Siwak says. "I think a lot of people realize there are a lot of sad stories and people believe in second chances."

The group's momentum continues as it branches out to help more people with hampers or giving meals to people part of the homeless community. They are now working on Easter baskets.

"We have met some amazing people with some truly amazing stories. Some people have truly seen some really, really raw times, some hard times, and are still so gracious and so kind."

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