{"id":4654,"date":"2026-05-04T10:48:04","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T15:48:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.initiativesjc.org\/wpblog\/?page_id=4654"},"modified":"2026-05-04T11:21:38","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T16:21:38","slug":"our-history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.initiativesjc.org\/wpblog\/our-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Our History"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Our <\/i>History<\/h1>\n

The Klassens<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

\n
\"Gerda<\/a>
Gerda and Addison Klassen in the early years of El’dad<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/figcaption>\n

The story of Initiatives for Just Communities begins with Addison and Gerda Klassen and their lifelong commitment to restorative justice.<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

Growing up on opposite sides of the community of Watrous, Saskatchewan, Gerda and Addison knew each other from their youth. The couple were married in 1956 and settled in Saskatoon. In their early years of marriage, Addison was a milkman, using a horse for delivery. As they looked to the future, Addison yearned to work more with people and began to seriously consider a career in social services. However, as was the case with many young people at that time, Addison had not completed high school, instead working on the family farm. With that in mind, they moved to Manitoba, hoping that Addison could upgrade his schooling while farming. At this time, their family was growing, and life was full.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

On the advice of a friend, Addison entered in a program at Mennonite Brethren Bible College (MBBC) in Winnipeg in 1963 that eventually earned him a Bachelor of Arts degree through MBBC\u2019s affiliation with Waterloo Lutheran University (now Wilfred Laurier University). Upon completion of the program, Addison planned to work for a year and then pursue a degree in social services; however, an offer to teach at Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute turned into a ten-year project and a career in social services was put on hold.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A visit with friends during this time proved a pivotal moment for Gerda and Addison. Their friends had begun foster parenting. Gerda enjoyed being with the baby in their care and, after the visit, Gerda suggested to Addison that they too could take in children \u2013 this was meaningful work and could help pay off their school debt. Over the years, they provided foster care for many children, leading to three adoptions, which grew their family to six children.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As foster caregivers, they wanted to do more and considered the idea of starting a group home for children. With this in mind, they bought a farm outside of Steinbach in the early 1980s, hoping to run a home for children under the age of eight. As they investigated the possibility though, they realized this door may not open for them. The government was not prepared to support a group home for children under the age of six, so they submitted a proposal to run a home for older children. Eventually this proposal, too, was rejected.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Around the same time, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) approached Gerda and Addison, asking them to consider using their space to open a home for men with mental disabilities who were in trouble with the law. MCC already ran two homes in Winnipeg for this purpose (Grosvenor Place and Alexander House), and they hoped to add an additional program outside the city. Gerda and Addison agreed to take on this project and El\u2019dad was born.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

This was an emotional time for Gerda. The last foster child to stay in their home left in June and the first participant from the MCC program was expected to arrive in July. It was difficult to say goodbye to the foster child, and even as Gerda was coping with the loss of connection to that child, it was time to prepare for the men who would soon be joining them.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Gerda and Addison and their three younger children continued to live in their home on the farm, and a house trailer was brought onto the yard for the MCC participants. The participants worked on the wood lot and learned in that environment.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Gerda took great pride in preparing nourishing and tasty meals, planning menus with care \u2013 delicious food was an integral part of the program. She regularly baked fresh bread and buns. Initially she provided three meals a day for the participants, but over time, it was agreed that it would be good for the men to prepare their own breakfasts.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n
\"Pile<\/a>
Logs ready to be split into firewood<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

The early years were times of learning. There were minimal resources available for training, and Gerda and Addison were on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with no breaks. They encountered significant challenges when some of the participants began the occasional activity of waiting until Addison and Gerda were asleep, walking to the highway, catching a ride to Steinbach, hot-wiring a vehicle and touring around. In a community that was not very supportive, these kinds of occurrences created more opposition, but Addison and Gerda continued to work, even though many in the community would not speak to them.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n
\"Pencil<\/a>
Drawing of El’dad truck from the early years<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/figcaption>\n

One of the most difficult moments occurred in 1985. By this time, respite workers would occasionally run the program for a weekend, providing Gerda and Addison with much-needed breaks. One Sunday morning, the family prepared to go to church. Leaving the house took longer than planned since there were problems with the chimney, with some smoke entering the upper floor of the house. Once they felt the problem was under control, the family left for church. As they approached the farm on their way home after the service, they could see smoke, and as they drove closer, they saw flames coming out of the upstairs windows. Gerda and Addison ran in and recovered a few items, but most of their possessions were lost in that fire. To add to the pain of the loss, some in the community wondered if Addison had intentionally started the fire.<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

While this was a time of significant loss, it was through this time that Addison and Gerda also experienced immeasurable kindness and care, as people from their church and community rallied around them to move a house trailer onto the farm. Volunteers showed up, set up services and built a porch around the trailer. All the work was done in a day, and just in time! The following day the first major snow storm of the season arrived. While some snow crept into the house, the family was safe and warm inside their new home.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the anger in the community was not subsiding.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

In 1986, an opportunity to relocate was presented to Gerda and Addison. Their friend\u2019s aunt was selling a farm adjacent to his property in Giroux. Buying that farm meant their friend would become their neighbour. Knowing they would then have at least one supportive neighbour was a huge encouragement. In addition, this new municipality allowed more homes on a farmyard. As the program matured, the Klassens had hoped to bring an additional trailer to the property for relief staff; this new location allowed for this possibility. The new farm was purchased and remains the location of El\u2019dad Ranch to this day.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

After moving onto the new farm and setting up, a welcome was prepared for the staff and community. While there was still community opposition to the presence of El\u2019dad in this new area, there was also support. People would drop by with fresh buns or show up to help with odd jobs, like cleaning cupboards. There was warmth, kindness and love given.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

While at times Addison and Gerda felt like giving up, they would keep hearing from their supporters: \u201cDon\u2019t give in. Keep going.\u201d And they did.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n
\"Two-story,<\/a>
The Klassen House at El’dad Ranch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The Klassen House at El’dad Ranch<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

In 1990, Gerda and Addison left El\u2019dad to spend a year with the MCC Justice Van, travelling by motor home across Canada to promote concepts of restorative justice in churches, high schools, colleges, universities, elementary schools, community centres, wherever they could gain an audience. This was a tiring and exciting time. While they served with the Justice Van, their children continued to manage the El\u2019dad program.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

After their year with the Justice Van, they then spent three years serving with MCC in Newfoundland, developing prison visitation and mediation programs, before returning to Manitoba and El’dad in 1995. Addison spent three more years sharing the leadership of El\u2019dad with another staff person, but Gerda was no longer involved.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

In 2000, Addison and Gerda sold the farm to MCC and moved to Winnipeg. Addison passed away in 2007. For many years, Gerda continued to support the work of restorative justice through her involvement in prison visitation.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As Gerda is now in retirement, she is surrounded by many memories of the El\u2019dad years \u2013 framed drawings of some the El\u2019dad crew and the home at El\u2019dad Ranch, a coffee table with a wooden top from a tree cut down for the Klassen House expansion, many photographs and a lifetime of memories. She smiles with pride, sharing pictures of her growing family, and she can reflect on a life well-lived.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

We continue where Addison and Gerda Klassen left off, inspired by their life-long dedication to restorative justice and caring for those who need a place to belong. The vision continues to expand. In 2010, MCC Manitoba handed control of El’dad, Open Circle (a prison visitation program), Circles of Support and Accountability (support groups for the recently incaracerated), and Touchstone (support for adults with FASDs in Winnipeg) to the newly formed Intiatives for Just Communities. IJC has grown dramatically over the years, but its commitment to community and restorative justice continues.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n
\"El'dad<\/a>
El’dad Ranch in Giroux<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

An earlier version of this article\u00a0<\/em>originally<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/em>appeared in IJC’s Dec 2022 newsletter.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

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Our History The Klassens The story of Initiatives for Just Communities begins with Addison and Gerda Klassen and their lifelong […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4654","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.initiativesjc.org\/wpblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4654","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.initiativesjc.org\/wpblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.initiativesjc.org\/wpblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.initiativesjc.org\/wpblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.initiativesjc.org\/wpblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4654"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.initiativesjc.org\/wpblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4654\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4677,"href":"https:\/\/www.initiativesjc.org\/wpblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4654\/revisions\/4677"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.initiativesjc.org\/wpblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4654"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}