Your Support of Ernestine’s Makes a Meaningful Impact

On any given day at Ernestine’s, our staff welcome kids as they roll in after school, meet with outreach clients in our Clothing Room and Hygiene Bank, field crisis line calls, and support our clients with ongoing counselling, legal advocacy, employment assistance, housing support, safety planning, and much more. People staying at our shelter sit down for shared meals several times a week and gather to celebrate individual birthdays—because these milestones are important. Toys and food are collected at the holidays for our shelter residents and outreach clients alike.

And none of this would be possible without our incredible community of supporters.

While government funding ensures we can provide a safe space and meet basic needs, it does not extend to the crucial services that truly help individuals leave violence behind—the services that make Ernestine’s the fully supportive and life-changing place it is.

Our holistic approach focuses on each individual’s unique needs, including supporting children as distinct individuals. This builds trust, provides stability, and ensures access to the resources necessary to rebuild their lives. The enduring relationships and networks we foster also play a key role in empowering individuals to imagine a brighter future and remain resilient long after they leave our shelter.

Thanks to your generosity, we were able to deliver life-saving and life-changing services—from the Child & Youth Program that helps kids understand their emotions and heal from trauma, to 24/7 counselling in our shelter, to our housing support, Food Bank and other outreach services. This made a deep and lasting impact for the hundreds of adults and children we supported in 2024, and are forever grateful to everyone who contributed.

We also want to thank those who so graciously donated toys and food this holiday season. You really showed up—so much so that we had enough food and presents for our clients who needed the help.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge that the Canada Post strike hampered our annual holiday giving campaign. Yet, we are deeply grateful that so many of you responded to our emails and social media appeals. Your gifts through our Canada Helps page—and many cheques that arrived in late December and early January—are vitally important to keeping our comprehensive services running in 2025.

“You make it possible for individuals and families to leave violence behind.”

Still, donations are down, not just at Ernestine’s, but all sorts of organizations. While we understand that this is a reflection of the uncertainty of these times, the reality is this uncertainty tends to worsen gender-based violence. Shelters like Ernestine’s need support now more than ever.

Breaking the cycle of violence once and for all requires so much more than a safe place to stay. It requires time and care to heal and grow, steadfast support to lean on, and a community of people who care enough to help. Every one of our supporters is part of that community. Thank you for joining us in helping individuals and their children build a life free of violence.

To learn more about how you can help, please visit our Support Us page.