Shoppers Foundation Donates $10 Million to Manitoba’s MMIWG2S+ Healing Fund

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Shoppers Foundation Donates $10 Million to Manitoba’s MMIWG2S+ Healing Fund

February 14, 2025

The Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health has donated $10 million to Manitoba’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit+ (MMIWG2S+) Healing and Empowerment Endowment Fund, Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine announced today. This marks the largest single donation ever made by the Shoppers Foundation.

“Every one of us has a role to play in building a better future for Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit peoples in our province,” said Minister Fontaine, who is also responsible for women and gender equity. “That includes all levels of government, non-profit and for-profit organizations, and even individual Manitobans. This significant contribution from Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health is an example of how corporations can answer the call to this work – by actioning their commitment to reconciliation with real, tangible supports to community, families and survivors.”

The MMIWG2S+ Healing and Empowerment Endowment Fund, launched in 2024 with an initial $15 million investment from the province, is managed by The Winnipeg Foundation. The fund will generate revenue to provide application-based supports for healing and empowerment for MMIWG2S+ families. The Manitoba government is collaborating with MMIWG2S+ families, community partners, and the Matriarch Circle to establish eligibility and distribution guidelines for the first round of funding, which will be available later this year.

This endowment fund is the first foundational initiative of Mino’Ayaawag Ikwewag: All Women Doing Well, Manitoba’s provincial strategy to support the safety, protection, and empowerment of Indigenous women, girls, two-spirit, and gender-diverse individuals.

“As the largest single donation from Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health, this agreement is a demonstration of our ongoing commitment to furthering equity and ensuring the well-being of women across Canada,” said Jeff Leger, president of Shoppers Drug Mart and chair of the Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health. “Thanks to the leadership of the government of Manitoba, we are proud to contribute to the work of Mino’Ayaawak Ikwewag and to the sustained healing and empowerment for Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit peoples across the province.”