The Martin Family Initiative

06/01/2026

Work is underway on a new set of Early Years resources being developed in partnership with the First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba (FNHSSM).

On May 13-14, Christine Mejia, Curriculum Writer & Facilitator, Ramona Shawana, Curriculum and Learning Strategist, and Micah Flavin, Content Developer, were in Winnipeg with the FNHSSM team to begin discussions around the resources and the work ahead. The gathering brought partners together to share and discuss ideas and priorities to help with shaping the direction of the project.

We were also pleased to be joined by Don Monkman, the project's illustrator, whose artwork will help bring the resources to life!

The team stayed an extra day to participate in the FNHSSM's Babies Are Sacred Safe Sleep Training. The session provided valuable learning and an opportunity for relationship-building that will help inform the development of the resources moving forward.

Thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge and vision! We're excited to continue working together and look forward to seeing this project take shape in the months ahead!

05/28/2026

📸 Some pictures of our first day at Seabird Island School this week!

MFI team members Chloe Ferguson (CEO), Jenn Wroe (Literacy Coach), Heather Pennie (Educational Well-Being Program Director), Griffin Marsh (Economic Well-Being Program Director), and Ramona Shawana (Curriculum and Learning Strategist), along with filmmaker Jay Gould from The Story Foundry have been spending time with educators and students to capture the incredible work happening through Seabird Island Community School's land-based learning and the Indigenous Youth Entrepreneurship programs.

One of the highlights this week has been seeing students in the high school entrepreneurship program prepare, brine, and smoke fish as part of their learning. Their final products will be sold during Seabird Island Days this weekend.

Ts’íthomé to Seabird Island for welcoming us!

05/25/2026

As Early Years Visitors Week comes to a close, we’ve spent this week reflecting on the people behind the work and the relationships they build with families every day.

Through Flower and Adrianna’s stories, we heard about the trust it takes to be welcomed into someone’s home. We heard about young parents looking for support, children running to the door when their Visitor arrives, hard conversations shaped around kitchen tables, and the small moments that stay with families long after the visit ends.

Early Years Visitors do so much more than “visit.”

They listen without judgement. They help parents feel seen. They answer questions, share resources, celebrate milestones, and show up again and again for families during some of the most important years of a child’s life.

For many families, these relationships become part of their support system. For many Visitors, this work becomes part of who they are.

To all the Early Years Visitors working in communities every day, thank you. Thank you for the care you carry, the trust you build, and the way you continue showing up for your children and families. Your work matters, and this week reminded us just how much can grow from one person taking the time to show up for another. ♥️

05/25/2026

Every family remembers the people who showed up for them during the early years. ♥️

Thank you to the Msɨt Mijua’ji’jk Home Visitors for the time and support you continue to give to children and families across your communities.

05/24/2026

There is so much heart behind this work. ♥️ Thank you Linda and the YFNED Early Years team for all the support you continue to bring your families and community!

To wrap up our Visitors Week spotlight series celebrating Early Years Visitors, we’re honoured to feature Linda. We extend our heartfelt thanks to her and our entire Early Years team for the care, support, and dedication they bring to families every day.

I’m Yukon First Nation-born from Tagish Wolf Clan, with Southern Tutchone and German heritage. I was raised on the Carcross Road in a traditional lifestyle of hunting, trapping, and gathering. It’s where my heart feels happiest, and where I still feel closest to my family today.

Working with YFNED as an Early Years Visitor and Culture Coordinator brings me great joy, especially seeing newborns welcomed into loving families.

05/24/2026

Being welcomed into someone’s home and trusted to support their family is something that stays with you. 🤍 Thank you to Priscilla and the YFNED Early Years team for the work they continue to do alongside children and families each day!

Welcome to the first profile in our Visitors Week series as we celebrate some of our Early Years Visitors. Today, we’re featuring Priscilla:

I’m from Ross River, proudly a part of the Ross River Dena Council and a member of the Kaska Dena.

One of the greatest blessings in my life is the work that I do with YFNED Early Years. I walk alongside families from the prenatal stage to their baby’s first steps and through the early childhood journey to the age of five. Watching them grow, learn, and develop their own personalities is truly special.

Even more meaningful is the trust families place in me. Being welcomed into their homes and personal spaces is something I never take for granted. Supporting families when they need encouragement and helping them feel seen and cared for is at the heart of what I do. And one of the best parts of the job? Endless baby cuddles.

This work is more than just a job to me; I carry it in my heart every day. I feel proud to serve my community, support our families, and help create positive beginnings for our children.

05/23/2026

Throughout the Early Years Visitors Week, we’ve shared stories about the relationships built through this work and the impact visitors continue to have in the lives of children and families.

Today, we wanted to let the visitors and participants speak for themselves. These reflections show how much trust grows through this work over time. Visitors become people families can lean on, feel safe with, and turn to during some of the most important years of a child’s life.

05/23/2026

Showing up for families can look different every day, but the heart behind the work stays the same. ♥️ Thank you to Lisa and the YFNED Early Years team for the care and support they continue to bring to children and families in community.

Today, as part of our Visitors Week series celebrating Early Years Visitors, we’re introducing you to Lisa!

I’m Family Visitor and I genuinely love what I do.

I support families through all kinds of moments, every day parenting, big transitions, or just needing someone in their corner. My days can include drop-ins, walks, check-ins, or connecting families to resources. But at the core of it, it’s about showing up in a meaningful way.

It’s not a small job. It’s about building trust, supporting parents, and creating safe, strong environments for kids to grow up in. I feel really lucky to be a part of that.

05/23/2026

We're honoured to see the stories and reflections being shared by the Msɨt Mijua’ji’jk program Visitors during Early Years Visitors Week. So much care goes into this work every day. 🤍

05/22/2026

“I want to be that somebody that somebody was for me.”

As part of Early Years Visitors Week, we’re honoured to share Flower’s story and the experiences that led her to this work.

Through her work as an Early Years Visitor in Ermineskin, Flower spends time with families during some of the hardest and most important moments of early parenthood. She listens, answers questions, helps parents find support, reminds them they do not have to figure everything out on their own.

Her story speaks honestly about becoming a young mother, living through difficult experiences, and how one person showing up for her changed the direction of her life.

Now, she hopes to be that person for someone else.

We encourage you to take the time to read and learn from her story.

Read here: https://themfi.ca/en/journal/she-changed-my-life