ARW: Who are our Community Partners?
Community partners are non-profit or charitable organizations that we work with, and, through their partnership, we are able to offer this experience for you. Some of these organizations have been a part of every Alternative Reading Week (ARW) since it started, and some come in when our timelines best match. Check back again for more information on the community partners for ARW 2012.
Some partnering organizations from previous years are listed below. These may or may not be part of ARW 2012:

• Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre
• Saskatoon Friendship Inn
• Community Clinic Westside
• EGADZ Youth Centre
• Habitat For Humanity Saskatoon
• Saskatoon Community Youth Arts Programming Inc. (SCYAP)

Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre - www.saskatoonfoodbank.org
The Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre has a mission to respond to requests from people in need of food and self-help programs; and to address and be supportive of the learning needs and aspirations within a family oriented, empowering and self-directed environment.
The Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre serves a tremendous need - distributing 4,000 tonnes of food each day to a monthly count of about 6,000 adults and 5,500 children; providing clothing to about 1200 adults and 1600 children monthly; offering literacy programs, life skill and pre-employment workshops, resource library and computer access, community kitchens, and much more.
How they were involved
The Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre offered placements in their building reception, and with all aspects of their food distribution. In ARW 2010 and 2011, participants connected with people who access these services on a community needs assessment.

Saskatoon Friendship Inn - www.sfinn.ca
The Saskatoon Friendship Inn believes in community development, public education, and advocacy to encourage compassionate solutions to poverty in our city. It relies on community wide partnerships and support in fulfilling its commitment to regular meal service and friendship.
Friendship Inn serves an average of 500 meals to men, women, and children, every day of the year - 40% to children. But they are about more than food - they seek to offer their clients dignity and compassion, enabling them to have the courage to take the next step. They also strive to create agreater community awareness of hunger and poverty issues and encourage compassionate solutions to poverty in our city while working closely with other agencies.
How they were involved
The Saskatoon Friendship Inn offered placements in the kitchen and the dining hall, hosted our group for lunch for two days and for an afternoon information and discussion session after our second lunch at the Inn.

Community Clinic Westside - www.saskatooncommunityclinic.ca/westside-clinic.htm
Community Clinic Westside, a branch of the Saskatoon Community Clinic, operates in the core area of Saskatoon, offering many services and programs (most of which are free and drop-in). The health centre is also a community centre - everyone is welcome in to talk or have coffee.
Community Clinic Westside also works with the Student Wellness Initiative Toward Community Health (SWITCH) to extend the operating hours on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
How they were involved
Community Clinic Westside provided insight at the Community Plunge through their Human Resource Manager, Cheryl Hand; they also host the student run clinic SWITCH.

EGADZ Youth Centre - www.egadz.ca
EGADZ is "a place for new beginnings" whose mission is to encourage youth "at risk" in the city of Saskatoon to make choices that improve their quality of life through the provision of direct services and an inter-agency approach.
How they were involved
EGADZ provided a tour of their facilities with a glimpse at their extensive programming.

Habitat for Humanity Saskatoon - www.habitatsaskatoon.ca
Habitat for Humanity Saskatoon works in partnership with low income working families in need, to alleviate the effects of poverty by providing basic, affordable housing - helping them achieve the dream of homeownership through a hand-up, not a handout.
There are many ways to be involved with Habitat for Humanity Saskatoon. Everything from working with their ReStore to helping build a home!
How they were involved
Habitat for Humanity Saskatoon offered placements at their build sites and in the Re-Store.

Saskatoon Community Youth Arts Programming Inc. (SCYAP) - www.scyapinc.org
SCYAP works to address the social, educational and economic needs of youth and "at-risk" youth. SCYAP offers street-level, youth-oriented solutions to prevent youth crime and youth unemployment, utilising our youth's artistic interest and inclination as the basis for personal development and redirection towards a healthier, happier and more productive life.
Whether you realise it or not, you have probably already seen the work of these young artists. Through SCYAP's Urban Canvas Project, for example, their art was commissioned for the downtown traffic boxes. This is only one of the results of SCYAP's varied projects.
How they were involved
SCYAP hosted an afternoon session in their 3rd Avenue gallery, giving a tour of their facilities and introducing their programming.