YWCA Regina gets $2 million donation for new kikakihtânaw Centre

SGI Canada has donated $2 million to the YWCA Regina’s new kikakihtânaw Centre for Women and Families.

The money will go towards cultural program funding for the centre’s sacred site, which includes a year-round sweat lodge, ceremonial room, counselling rooms and medicine preparation.

Melissa Coomber-Bendtsen, CEO of YWCA Regina, said that the centre will open this fall.

“This is a huge moment,” Coomber-Bendtsen said. “This has been work that we have been working on for the last eight years.”

Construction crews continue to put the finishing touches on the new kikakihtânaw Centre. (Gillian Massie/ 980 CJME)

The 90,000 sq/ft building will operate in Regina’s Cathedral neighbourhood, working with clients through a trauma informed approach.

Coomber-Bendtsen said 90 per cent of the YWCA Regina clients are Indigenous, and including culturally appropriate healing practices people can connect to is important.

All Nations Hope Network has partnered with the YWCA to have Indigenous matriarchs lead different cultural healing practices at the sacred site.

The centre has been under construction ever since ground was broken in June of 2022.

The $2 million dollar donation makes the YWCA Regina only $2 million dollars short of the buildings $70 million dollar goal, according to Coomber-Bendtsen.

Melissa Coomber-Bendtsen, CEO of the YWCA (L), lifts the first ceremonial shovel of dirt with political leaders and financial supporters for the new centre for women and families in Regina. June 28, 2022 (Lisa Schick/980 CJME)

The facility also recieved $5 million dollars from Gordon and Jill Rawlinson and their family.

“To see it come to a place where I can be in this building without a hard hat on is a pretty incredible feeling,” Coomber-Bendtsen said.