TORONTO — Nellie’s, a Toronto-based shelter for women and children fleeing violence, is getting $12 million from the Ontario government so it can move to a larger, more modern site.
Currently, Nellie’s operates two separate buildings: one for its shelter and another for its community support and outreach services for women living in the community at risk of becoming homeless, explains a government release
Nellie’s new location will be accessible and bring a 40-bed shelter with outreach and administrative offices under one roof. It is expected to open in fall 2020.
Ontario’s investment will increase Nellie’s number of shelter beds by more than 10 per cent and enable the agency to support survivors more efficiently.
Nellie’s has a strong focus on supporting marginalized women who have experienced violence, including women who may have been impacted by other issues such as addiction and mental health challenges, the release indicates.
“Nellie’s is operating at capacity, and as a result, women and children in need of support are often referred elsewhere,” said Jill Dunlop, associate minister of children and women’s issues, in a statement.
“This investment enables Nellie’s to build a new, welcoming space to help more women and children fleeing violence.”
“Our new location will be bigger, more accessible and increase privacy for women and children staying in the shelter,” said Sherece Taffe, co-chair of Nellie’s board of directors, in a statement.
“Currently, we only have nine bedrooms for 40 beds. These shared spaces can be challenging. The individuals we support have had traumatic experiences and come from diverse backgrounds. Our new site will have a total of 22 bedrooms and 20 bathrooms. This will help us support survivors much better, including single women and women with children.”
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