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We have a 25-bed emergency shelter where we work with women and their children fleeing violence. We understand violence to take many forms.
We also recognize that there is a strong relationship between women and their children. The well being of the adults in their lives is the most important indicator for well being in children. In this spirit, we strive to improve the lives of children through advocacy and support for their mothers.
To this end, women receive support, counselling and referrals to community services, such as legal aid, subsidized childcare, subsidized housing, welfare, language and job training, employment counselling. Child and Youth counsellors work with the children to address the effects of witnessing abuse.
Please click here to see our calendar
Abused Women's Group
Held in English and Spanish. Eight to twelve-week sessions, held in the evenings, are designed to help decrease isolation and provide an opportunity to gain insight into the experience and impact of living with abuse and control. Healthy meal and childcare provided.
Newcomers to the community are welcome to drop-in. Information about the community, including services to newcomers in provided for all. Healthy meal provided.
Girlz Space @ 140
Girlz Space @ 140, an after-school program for girls ages 10 to 14 has been running since September 2007. Girlz Space runs three afternoons per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. during the school year. It also runs on PD days; full time during March Break and for one month, full days in the summer. The young women who come to Girlz Space are too old for daycare, or the programming at daycare no longer meets their needs. Each day of the week has a different theme, including Girl Talk; Social; Drama; Homework Help; and Recreation.
Good Food Market - Tuesdays, from 1 to 4 p.m. at 140 Islington Avenue
Good Food Markets are small fruit and vegetable stands that sell healthy, fresh produce at an affordable price. In co-operation with FoodShare, community residents and volunteers order, set-up and run the food market. The goal is to make sure that everyone in the community has access to healthy, fresh food. Where possible, the produce is organic. We run the market and sell the food at a slight mark-up - enough to keep the program sustainable. With weekly profits, we purchase the food for the next week's market. If there is food left over, we use it at the shelter and for our outreach programs.
Parent/Child Drop-In
This program provides an opportunity for Moms to socialize and trade information with other Moms. Sometimes the group runs special programs, such as Nobody's Perfect, run in conjunction with Toronto Public Health. Nobody's Perfect is a parenting and support program for mothers of children ages 0 to 6. It focuses on positive discipline and parenting skills. Childcare and a healthy meal are always provided for the drop-in.
Parent Relief
Women can leave their children for up to four hours with a qualified childminder while they do errands; go to an appointment; or take a much-needed break.
Respite Care
Our Respite Care Program is for mothers in transition - women living in a shelter, maternity home, with friends or family, or other short-term housing. Free overnight care is provided for children in a safe and supervised home environment for up to five days.
Women's Drop-In Program
This drop-in program is a casual atmosphere, where women enjoy arts and crafts; guest speakers; facilitated discussions; games and lots of laughs. A healthy meal is provided.
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