Hearthstone Community Group strives to be an accepting place for clients, staff and families, and according to general manager Lori Zdebiak, it’s one of Selkirk’s “best kept secrets.”
Hearthstone is a community living and social program for adults and youth with intellectual disabilities. It offers day program services, before- and after-school care, and residential housing for those needing full-time support. “We are here for our participants, our staff and our families,” Zdebiak said.
Jeremy, a Hearthstone day program participant, enjoys spending time with dogs through the Gentle Pets program. Hearthstone is seeking a volunteer to help run the program
The organization first opened in 1992 and now supports nearly 60 individuals while employing almost 100 staff members. Zdebiak says Hearthstone is proud of the day program they’ve developed, which runs extended hours — from as early as 6 a.m. to as late as 6 p.m. — to accommodate families’ schedules. Activities include crafts, games and social outings to places like the grocery store, zoo, bowling alley or movies. The facility includes a kitchen, salon, laundry, music room, quiet rooms, movie theatre and fitness room. Spots are currently available, and Zdebiak says getting started is simple: “If you are eligible for Community Living Disability Services (CLDS), you can get day programming.”
Their before- and after-school program is available for youth ages 14 and older, operating out of the day program facility to provide care outside of school hours. Applying for residential services takes more time, as placements are determined by the government and there is often a waitlist for homes.
Hearthstone holds Imagine Canada and Gentle Teaching accreditation — two programs Zdebiak considers the organization’s foundation. As a mom to an adult with an intellectual disability, she knows how influential these services are. “I was once told my daughter would go through 600 support workers in her lifetime,” she said. “Gentle Teaching reframes that. It means she’ll have 600 people who love and care about her.”
Gentle Teaching is based on four principles: safe, loved, loving and engaged. All staff complete biannual Gentle Teaching training sessions and receive one of three certification levels. “If you cannot Gentle Teach, you cannot be successful here,” Zdebiak said. “It’s the core of the organization.”
Imagine Canada, meanwhile, ensures Hearthstone maintains strong financial, HR and fundraising standards. Of 86 similar organizations operating in Manitoba, only one other program has Imagine Canada accreditation — “and I think that’s pretty neat for us,” Zdebiak added.
Currently, about 30 individuals participate in daytime programming, while 29 individuals live in one of Hearthstone’s nine homes. “We are sustainable,” Zdebiak said. “Families can rely on us to be here for years to come.”
Other features unique to Hearthstone include its internal transportation system, medical support — such as tube feeding and medication administration — and end-of-life care. The organization operates five vehicles, including accessible vans and buses, and allows individuals to age in their care. A memorial tree in their facility honours those they’ve supported to the end. “It will never be our goal to cease support to people that are dying,” Zdebiak noted.
Hearthstone has also helped launch the careers of new Manitoba doctors by employing immigrants as they worked toward medical certification. Over the last decade, the organization has doubled its staffing numbers, providing meaningful careers for individuals from both near and far.
Another recent accomplishment was opening their community garden at the West Vaughan location earlier this year, offering something for the entire community to enjoy. “It’s just something to show the community who we are,” Zdebiak added.
Looking ahead, Hearthstone hopes to recruit more board members and gain the City of Selkirk’s support to complete their parking lot. “We want people to know we are good stewards of employment, and our staff deserve a safe place to park,” she said. “We want enough presence that people understand that this is a quality organization and they should consider board membership.”
They are also seeking a motivated volunteer to lead Gentle Pets — a program that allows participants to interact with volunteer dogs. “I’m looking for someone that wants to be a champion of the program. I’m looking for somebody that’s really into dogs, or a groomer, perhaps, because we have a dog washing station and everything set up down there — we just need somebody to enliven this program again.”
They are offering a free grooming space to a partner who can help keep the program running. Zdebiak says seeing everyone interact with the dogs is a reward in itself. Hearthstone participants even bake and sell treats for the dogs in-house.
“You should see their faces light up when they get to be with the dogs,” she added.
Anyone interested in Hearthstone’s services is asked to contact Zdebiak at Lori.Zdebiak@HCGInc.ca or 1-204-817-1996.
