The final Taste Of Summer Charity BBQ in downtown Steinbach Wednesday raised $1,439.67 for Headway.

Through the program, Brenda Brown works with agencies like RCMP, Probation Services, Child And Family Services, Hanover School Division, Addictions Foundation of Manitoba as well as Southern Health to develop a coordinated approach to help troubled young people.

Brown says money raised Wednesday will go towards their operating budget. She notes there are a few lines in their budget which she is especially passionate about. One of those is a client support class which allows them to provide things for their clients which they might not otherwise be able to afford. This could include buying groceries or even steel toe shoes for someone looking for a job.

Headway has been around for about a year and a half. According to Brown, four young people have already graduated from the program.

"I can credit that to each of the agencies that we work with," says Brown. "Just a phenomenal group of people that we work with and the agencies being very stable themselves."

She notes they are currently working with about 19 individuals. Many of them have had small successes which could include using less drugs, attending school more or visiting a mental health worker.

"Certainly our hope is just to keep impacting more and more people," says Brown.

Steinbach RCMP Staff Sergeant Harold Laninga says Headway helps not only kids but their families. And he says it has a ripple effect.

"By helping these youth we're hoping that we're helping their children also that aren't even born yet," notes Laninga. "We're making that kind of impact we believe on society."

He says Headway changes the way RCMP does business. While most police work is reactive, Laninga says through Headway they are being proactive.

"If they have an issue we're trying to help them get past that issue so that they can just be more productive in their lives," he says.