Pan Am Place, a home for at-risk young women, single mothers and children has announced that it is opening Pan Am Place 2. The charity’s space will be in the Exchange District and will be funded by a private investor.

“Pan Am Place 2 for women and children is the next step in the evolution of the Pan Am Place charity concept,” said Harry Black, founder of PAP, PAP2 and Pan Am Boxing Club. “At-risk young women and single mothers with children need more resources, and in many cases, more urgently, than our male PAP residents. Many of the young men at PAP came from a life of addiction and/or abuse, or from a childhood where a stable home or family was not their experience. While at PAP, many residents have earned their high school diplomas, gotten jobs, and successfully transitioned into independent living. The goal of PAP2 is to replicate this experience for women, and to give their children a much better start – one that may not have been available to their parent or parents.”

Black says fundraising will be essential to opening PAP2’s doors in 2019. To this end, PAP and Pan Am Boxing Club co-organize major fundraising events annually for PAP that include the 12-hour winter Sleep Out, and the Iron Ride, a 24-hour stationary bike competition. This year, Iron Ride 2018 participants will ride for and raise pledges exclusively for Pan Am Place for Women. The event was postponed from early September and is set to take place Nov. 3-4 outside Pan Am Place.

“Some people think 24 hours on a stationary bike in November in Winnipeg is going to deter participant enrollment, but here’s the thing, we’re nearly at capacity,” says Black. “So apart from getting a few more riders, now we can shift our focus to getting the teams sponsored, engaging women business owners, working with organizations and leaders who support homeless women and children, supporting our riders’ call for pledges and securing corporate donations.”

It’s hoped this year’s Iron Ride will raise $100,000 and see as many as 100 riders participating.

Pan Am Place is a registered Winnipeg charity where young, at-risk men live and work towards a positive life in supportive and healthy environment, and where they must complete volunteer hours and participate in workouts at Pan Am Boxing Club. PAP’s focus is on young people who are dedicated to changing themselves and their situation. Residents who complete the program benefit from improved self-esteem and social skills, a healthier mind and body, and a sense of discipline that can be applied to tough situations for the rest of their lives.