Centre Flavie Mission: The Centre Flavie provides comfort and support to the impoverished and the vulnerable by distributing at-no-cost material goods.

I have been a customer of “Boutique Unique” for a year or so which is a sister program to the Centre Flavie at 301 Archibald Street in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Centre Flavie is a charitable program that provides free clothing, household goods, appliances, and furniture to those in need. Boutique Unique is an online auction program which provides a number of unique and higher-valued items that wouldn’t necessarily be needed for everyday use. I have bid on and won items like a Lalique glass statue and some Sherman jewelry. I buy confidently knowing that my money is going towards a good cause.

On the day I was picking up my newly acquired Sherman jewelry, I asked if I could go into the Centre Flavie side to see what it was all about. He said it was up to me. He explained that I would have to “register” at Reception and he warned me that because it was a Monday, it may not be the best day to go as there are many “clients” who come on Mondays. He said it will be very busy. I then realized that there were a lot of people outside the building so that made sense.

I proceeded to the Reception area and was surprised to see about 25 people sitting in a small waiting room in a lecture-style seating arrangement. There were three receptionists behind plexiglass. I explained I was there to get an idea of how the Centre worked and one of the young women told me to go speak to one of the other women around the corner.

I proceeded to the back side of the plexiglass reception area. I had entered the warehouse where all the goods were. There were small piles of clothing and other items lined up. There was a younger woman speaking with the receptionist already, so I waited my turn.

As I was waiting, a man came up to me and asked if he could help. I explained that I was a customer of Boutique Unique and also a retired social worker. I was interested in knowing more about the Centre Flavie side of the business.

He explained that people who are interested in getting free items have to be assessed or screened first. They are asked questions like if they have a car and what year it is. They are asked questions about why they need free items. People new to Canada, immigrants from Ukraine, house fires, and family breakdowns are some of the examples of why people may need their services. If the person qualifies, then they are asked to wait their turn to enter the warehouse.

He pointed out that there are clothes, shoes, books, DVDs, toys, appliances, and furniture. He said they accept all kinds of donations, even underwear (unstained and clean). He said they really appreciate bags, too.

We provide free basic life essentials (clothes, beds, furniture, etc) to people in need / Nous donnons les besoins essentiels gratuitement aux démunis – Instagram

Many of the clients or customers who come to the Centre take taxis. The bus route is #50. Also, parking is very limited. If items are too big or heavy, customers can pay $40 to have their goods delivered to their home.

When the person is done their “shopping,” they have to report back to Reception in order to document and itemize everything that was taken. This is for statistics purposes, and also to prevent people from taking more than they need. For example, if someone needs a bed, it will be recorded. If they come back in a week or two and want another bed, they will have to explain why they need another bed.

When I was there, I saw volunteers, a security guard, and people including children shopping for their needed items. Two people were arguing over a microwave oven. When things are free I guess enforcing the honour system is tricky. Tempers can flare.

The Donation Centre doors were also opened, so things were coming in as fast as they were leaving!

I figured the piles of clothing on the floor that I spotted when I arrived were selected items that the clients had put aside for themselves. I didn’t see any shopping carts so I guess this also helps curb how much people take.

The man who was giving me a tour said he was an employee. Volunteers are asked to give about two hours a month of their time. He explained that the customers who visit the Centre usually come about three times to help them get set up. I asked him what happens to the stuff that doesn’t go or isn’t needed, and he said, “Oh, it ALL goes.”

Welcome to our customers! From Thursday, September 1, 2022, customers will once again be able to come in person at the Flavie Centre to find the items they need. A reminder that we are now located at 301 Archibald Street (Winnipeg Mb) and assistance is available Monday-Friday between 9am and 1pm. Those attending the Centre at 8.30am Mon-Fri will be entered into a random draw we have each morning to decide the order of entry – there is no need or advantage to arrive earlier to line up. Customers arriving following the draw will have to line up. – Facebook

What I learned from this experience is that Centre Flavie is doing great work at providing free items including necessities to those in need. If you or someone you know is either looking to donate items or is in need, please consider Centre Flavie.

Centre Flavie accepts donations of clothing, furniture, appliances, beds, pots/pans, cutlery, household items, etc. They can arrange to have donations picked up at no charge, or donations can be dropped off during the day, Monday-Saturday.

For more information, call 204-231-9513, email fl@centreflavie.com or visit their website: https://centreflavie.com/en/

Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CentreFlavie/ and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flavius3439/

Angela Gentile