Health, Wellness & RecreationOffering a holistic approach to healthcare
Genaro Guevarra started Morning Breeze HealthCare at the height of the pandemic, despite concerns from family and friends about the less-than-ideal timing. Guevarra, with more than a decade of experience in long-term care, had a desire to take control of his work-life balance while giving back to the community in his own way.
Guevarra identified a gap in the healthcare system related to homecare services and care for those struggling with memory related disorders. He realized that improving the lives of an aging population would require increased access to healthcare professionals, especially those with training in elder care.
By creating Morning Breeze HealthCare, an organization offering specialized dementia care, healthcare staffing solutions, and homecare services, Guevarra found a way to make a difference right at his client’s
doorsteps.
Morning Breeze takes a holistic approach to healthcare. “We look at the family as a unit and if one member of the family is affected, it affects everybody,” says Guevarra. “It affects their loved ones, it affects their communities, it affects the activities of daily life, and so we’re there to provide support to families.”
Guevarra trained to be a nurse in the Philippines. When he arrived in Winnipeg 25 years ago, he spent his first few years working for L’Arche Winnipeg, which is where he learned about The Winnipeg Foundation.
“That’s when I heard about starting a fund for long-term growth in the community,’ says Guevarra. “Reading the history of The Foundation, I was really inspired to follow suit and start my own endowment.”
Guevarra accomplished this goal recently by starting the Morning Breeze Endowment Fund through The Winnipeg Foundation. The goal of the fund is to invest back into the community, supporting young students and community leaders as they become agents of change.
“I would encourage kababayan [‘fellow countrymen’ in Tagalog] to do their share of not just giving to their own family circle, but also to the community,” says Guevarra. “Having that sense of community will really help build a better future.