Domestic violence can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, background, or social status. In such a situation, it is very important to feel that you are not alone. Edmonton has several shelters and crisis centres that provide safe temporary housing, emotional support, and other necessary assistance for women and children who have experienced violence. In this article, we will tell you about such places. More at edmontonka.
WIN House
WIN House has been serving Edmonton and the surrounding area for over 50 years. The organization offers women, non-binary individuals, and children a safe place to escape. The organization is run by passionate professionals, volunteers, and donors.
The full name of the organization is “Edmonton Women’s Shelter Ltd.” The organization owns and operates three shelters in Edmonton, with a total capacity of 70 people. The organization’s work is primarily funded by government and community grants, donations, and fundraising at various city events. You can also help the shelter, but it is worth noting that they do not accept used items.
The shelter’s history began back in 1968 when a group of women gathered to discuss the pressing issue of the large number of homeless women in the city. They formed a special committee to start helping women.
Individuals can stay at WIN House for up to 30 days. This is the standard length of stay for all women’s shelters. The shelter offers various programs and resources not only for residents of the shelter but for anyone interested. On the WIN House website, you can find a lot of important information: a guide to healthy relationships, a safety planning guide, a guide to personal rights, and more.
The shelter’s hotline is open 24/7. Crisis support workers provide all the necessary information and refer you to various community agencies, including emergency medical and dental clinics.
The shelter employs cooks who provide women and children with 3 hot meals a day, as well as snacks. Everyone is also provided with diapers, shampoo and conditioner, soap, bedding, towels, and laundry supplies. The shelter also has space for your pets. In addition, Echo Promotions donates about $5,000 worth of clothing for shelter residents each year. Here you will be provided with all the necessary items and emotional support.
If you are familiar with the issue of domestic violence and want to help others, you can sign up for monthly donations to the shelter, as well as organize your own fundraising campaign. All funds go directly to supporting the residents of the shelter.
Lurana Shelter
Lurana Shelter is a first-stage, emergency shelter. It provides safe housing, emergency services, food, clothing, hygiene products, free city transit passes, and child support. The shelter also helps with advocacy and provides 24-hour staff for support and security. Each resident of the shelter is provided with individual counselling in partnership with a community organization. Catholic Social Services also provides a free taxi service for women and their children within the city so they can get to the shelter safely. In the shelter, a family is given a separate room.
At Lurana Shelter, you can get referrals for mental health and addictions treatment. You can also get access to various educational programs. Adaptation to a new life takes place on all levels.
The shelter has special assistance programs for children and youth who have been affected by violence. The shelter employs highly qualified staff who provide support, guidance, and various educational and recreational activities.
The shelter’s team recognizes that the problem of domestic violence is complex and provides comprehensive services so that women can comfortably go through these challenges. All of Lurana Shelter’s services are provided completely free of charge. Lurana Shelter is funded by Community and Social Services, as well as through donations to the Sign of Hope organization.
In 2021, Lurana Shelter joined Catholic Social Services (CSS). Prior to that, the shelter operated for 27 years under the direction of the Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement. The Sisters entrusted CSS to continue this important mission.
La Salle Shelter & Support
La Salle Shelter & Support is a second-stage women’s shelter for mothers and children transitioning from a first-line crisis service. The program provides women and children with housing for up to one year. During this time, clients receive psychological support and counselling on opportunities for further education and employment.
At La Salle Shelter & Support, women and children attend group workshops, individual counselling, receive help with childcare, as well as access Indigenous support services. The main goal of La Salle Shelter & Support is to break the cycle of violence in society.
This program is not completely free. Residents of the shelter are expected to pay a basic rent. Funding for the program is provided through Alberta Social Services, citizen support, and the Sign of Hope organization.
The La Salle Shelter & Support program was founded in 1988 by the “Grey Nuns.” The program joined CSS only in 2009. Over the past two decades, this program has helped more than 200 women and 350 children rebuild their lives.
Nisa Homes
The Nisa Homes shelter appeared in Edmonton in 2019. The shelter has 15 beds for vulnerable women and children in the community. Nisa Homes also provides various forms of remote assistance.
Nisa Homes primarily helps immigrant and Muslim women. This organization arose from the need to support the most marginalized and vulnerable residents of the community. Nisa Homes is a space where Muslim women can live comfortably and feel safe in a supportive home environment. Here, women can freely explore their cultural identity and connect with other Muslim women.
This approach helps to ensure long-term success in rebuilding lives and transitioning to independence after the trauma of violence. The shelter is a centre of empowerment where the vulnerable can find hope, the broken can rebuild themselves, and the helpless can regain their dignity.
If you want to help the residents of the shelter, you can purchase items from our Amazon wishlist to meet the current needs of the residents. Your support helps Nisa Homes provide a comfortable living for all those affected by violence. You can also join the team and become a Nisa Homes volunteer.
Nisa Homes also has its own hotline, which operates 16 hours a day. The line is available to all Muslim women in North America. You can get support in French, Urdu, Arabic, Somali, and English! The hotline provides women with mental health support and assistance in creating an action plan.
In conclusion, Edmonton has many organizations that are ready to provide affected women with not only safe housing but also emotional and legal assistance. If any of you are experiencing domestic violence – do not be silent. Reach out for help. This first step can change your entire life.