Who we are
The Georgian Bay Native Women’s Association was formed in the fall of 1989. We are a non-profit organization, responsible to the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit families, women, and children in the Midland and Penetanguishene area. Currently today we offer over 12 different programs that are built and designed to support our community in several core aspects, regardless of where you sit across the lifecycle. From Mental Health & Addictions, to Parenting Across the Lifecycle, to Victims of Violence, GBWNA is here to support you.
As we are not core funded by any one organization, we leverage some of our funding through the hard work of volunteers who run various fundraising activities in our community. This is in addition to funding through various government grants available to the GBNWA.
Governance
The Georgian Bay Native Women’s Association is governed by a board of Directors consisting of 5 Members. Its members are elected bi-annually at the Annual General Meeting.
Objectives
The major tenet that the organization is based on is the unity of all Anishinaabe women, regardless of legal categories. The main concerns of the Association are the preservation and promotion of Anishinaabe culture, language and heritage. In order to achieve this stated objective, the Association has pledged:
- To create a forum through which Anishinaabekwewag can become involved in the solution of their problems and promotion of their interests.
- To help Anishinaabekwewag increase their feeling of adequacy and their sense of responsibility through planning, developing and managing self-projects.
- To provide a means through which Anishinaabekwewag can make a contribution of ideas and skills to the social, cultural, and economic development of the Anishinaabe society.
- To provide a communication link between Anishinaabekwewag through which they can share and exchange ideas in order to relate to each other fulfilling their roles.
- To encourage Anishinaabekwewag to assume a more positive and active part in developing skills to support their people in their achievements.
- To provide a means through which the Anishinaabekwewag can assist in identifying those ways that are unique to the Anishinaabe culture and through which their role in teaching these ideas to children can be strengthened.