A Canadian charity. One Mennonite Family Centre in Zaporizhzhya, Ukraine
The Mennonite Benevolent Society (MBS) is a registered Canadian charity, incorporated in Manitoba in 1945 and governed by about 400 members. It was founded to establish Bethania, a home for the aged and infirm. The Society's founders were leaders of the Mennonite Hospital Society Concordia, which had already established Concordia Hospital in 1928. Members elect the board. The board approves the work. Since 2002, the Society's main work has been the Mennonite Family Centre in Zaporizhzhya.
— Charity registration
Registered Canadian Charity
- Incorporated
- December 19, 1945
- Jurisdiction
- Manitoba, Canada
- Type
- Charitable organisation
- Reporting body
- CRA T3010 filings
— MBS in brief
Who governs MBS?
A board of nine, elected by the Society's membership of about 400. Two board members represent Concordia Hospital and Bethania Mennonite Care Homes.
What does MBS oversee today?
One program: the Ukraine Ministry, carried out through the Mennonite Family Centre in Zaporizhzhya.
What is the Mennonite Family Centre?
A charity registered in the oblast of Zaporizhzhya in January 2002. It has its own by-laws and five-member board, and through an Agency Agreement carries out the mandate given it by MBS.
How is MBS related to Concordia and Bethania?
Both are separate organizations with their own boards. Since 1990, those boards have been elected by the same membership as MBS. Both receive government funding. The Mennonite Family Centre falls directly under MBS, not under either of them.
How are donations used and accounted for?
Donations to MBS are applied to the Ukraine Ministries program and its modest administration costs, unless the donor designates them for another cause, such as Concordia Hospital or Bethania. Audited financial statements are available on request.
— Statement of purpose
Christian-rooted care for acute, long-term, and frail clients
“The Mennonite Benevolent Society is an association of persons who are committed to the nurture and expression of their Christian faith by responding to the health needs of acute and long-term care clients in a broad continuum of sites and services.”
— From the MBS by-laws, Article II
That continuum runs from acute care at Concordia Hospital, through the personal care homes and seniors' housing of the Bethania Group, to the Mennonite Family Centre in Ukraine. Concordia and Bethania are governed by their own boards, elected by the Society's membership.
MBS is also a member of Mennonite Health Services in Manitoba, which in turn is affiliated with an Interfaith Health Council that coordinates efforts to influence provincial health policy.
— The MBS Board
Nine board members. Two represent sister institutions
Elected by the MBS membership at annual meetings. All board members must be members of the Society in good standing.
Officers
Chair
Robert Friesen
Vice-Chair
Rudy Peters
Treasurer
Paul Klassen
Secretary
Harvey Dyck
Directors
Director
Karen Vogt
Director
Noreen Gafic
Director
Revita Dyck
Sister-organization representatives
Concordia Hospital rep
Willy Janzen
Appointed seat on the MBS board
Bethania Care Homes rep
Joan Drosdoski
Appointed seat on the MBS board
— Project Director, Ukraine Ministry
Louie Sawatzky
Louie Sawatzky has worked as a volunteer with MBS, as Project Director, directing the work in Ukraine since 2002. He manages the Mennonite Family Centre's Ukrainian board and edits the Beacon of Hope newsletter.
Get in touch with Louie →— Become a member
Lifetime membership · $50
Applications are invited from anyone with current membership in a Mennonite Church congregation who is supportive of our Statement of Purpose. Members can stand for election to the boards of MBS, Concordia, Bethania, and Autumn House.
- Lifetime membership fee
- $50.00 CAD (one-time)
- Annual general meeting
- Each October, in Winnipeg
- Current membership
- ~400 across all bodies
— Transparency
We account for what we spend, every year
Our financial statements are filed annually with the Canada Revenue Agency, and the full statements are presented to members at the annual general meeting.
Audited financial statements are available on request.
Request a copy →