For more than 30 years, it’s been a familiar sign for children in trouble who are looking for a safe place.
But in recent years, the Block Parent program has been running into a roadblock. Many red signs have disappeared from windows and the program is in dire need of volunteers.
“What we need is more participation from our homes in Winnipeg,” George Jarvis, current volunteer and past president of Block Parent Winnipeg, said.
George Jarvis is a volunteer and past president of the Winnipeg Block Parent program.
In 1986, when the program first came to Winnipeg, 16,000 homes signed up within the first few years. Now, only 610 homes are registered.
River Heights (64 homes) and Fort Rouge (60 homes) are some of the more popular block parent areas, while the West End (21 homes) and Charleswood/Tuxedo (24 homes) have the lowest numbers.
The program is actively working to boost those numbers and hopes they can get 10-15 homes near each elementary school on-board. And with 173 of those schools in Winnipeg, that would mean a total of close to 2,000 homes as their target.
“No need”
Cheryl, who lives in River Heights, has been a block parent for 15 years, but has never had someone come to her house looking for help. She is considering getting rid of her red sign.
“Children, I don’t think are going to come to a stranger’s house, even if they do have a sign,” she said. “They’d rather use their phones and call someone to pick them up. I don’t think there’s a need anymore.”
On Tuesday, police say a man chased a 10-year-old girl who was walking to school near Harvard Avenue and Winona Street in Transcona.
The girl was able to safely reach a nearby relative’s house and wasn’t physically harmed. Police searched the area but weren’t able to find the suspect.
Jarvis said incidents like these are why the program needs to stay relevant.
“Who knows when a problem is going to happen? That’s what safe homes are all about, that’s what block parents are all about,” Jarvis said.
Anyone interested in becoming a Winnipeg block parent can visit their website.
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