January 10, 2009 - Over the past two years, Assiniboine has been building awareness of the Asset Building Program and the role it plays in fighting poverty, and for the second year we partnered with United Way to support the program. This year employees rallied again, increasing donations 21% over last year. In all, this year's United Way campaign reached a grand total of $76,023, 83% of which was earmarked for the Asset Building Program.

Run by non-profit organizations, Asset Building Programs provide participants with money management training and support them to set and achieve their personal savings goals, for example: education, housing, starting a business, health care, household fixtures or personal items (such as eye glasses, computers).

Participants save for these goals using their ACU Matched Savings Accounts. Every dollar saved (up to a monthly limit) is matched three to one with funds raised by the community organization. Once their personal savings goals are reached, their savings and the matching funds are used for the purchase of these asset goals.

ACU helped develop Winnipeg’s first asset building program and worked with SEED Winnipeg to start delivering the program in late 2000. Now, we are an active member of the Asset Building Network, launched in 2007, and offer the Matched Savings Account to participating members of the Network, including:

  • Fort Garry Women’s Resource Centre
  • Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre
  • Nor’West Co-op Community Health Centre 
  • Rossbrook House
  • SEED Winnipeg 
  • Urban Circle Training Centre  
  • Villa Rosa