Insuring a Happy Holiday Season with Intact Insurance
The holiday season can be a challenging time in shelter. For families who have already faced such challenges in surviving and escaping gender-based violence, many spend the holiday season wishing things could have been different than needing to spend this special time of year in shelter. So, we at North York Women’s Shelter try to…
Read MoreActivism on Ice: York Lions Women’s Hockey’s recent advocacy campaign
Throughout the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, North York Women’s Shelter was proud to partner with a number of individuals and community groups who are united in our common vision to end gender-based violence. One of our new exciting relationships this year was with York Lions Women’s Hockey, a wonderful group of young…
Read MoreNorth York Women’s Shelter stands against Gender-Based Violence
November 25th – December 10th marks the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence; a time to both reflect on violence against women, and to take action to end it. Our shelter works every day towards the vision of a community characterized by gender equality where women, trans and non-binary people and their children…
Read MoreDespite efforts to strengthen responses to Gender-Based Violence, we have a way to go
At North York Women’s Shelter, we believe that advocacy is shown through action. There has been a number of positive steps forward in the local, provincial and national infrastructure to tackle the endemic that is gender-based violence – however, it’s not yet enough. This month, we have seen the release of the Toronto Police Service’s…
Read MoreShining a Donor Spotlight on our supporter of 14 years!
North York Women’s Shelter really is, as we say, built on community. From the in-kind contributions of our neighbours who bring gifts and food for our residents to enjoy, to the incredible support that our allies provided during our capital campaign for our new state-of-the-art shelter building – our work is buffered, amplified and made…
Read MoreCorporate volunteers: Thanking Purina for their Paws-itive Impact
Each year, Nestlé Purina PetCare Canada holds their annual Purina Cares Week – a time to give back to the pet community by volunteering with local organizations that are making a difference in the lives of animals. As Toronto’s first pet-friendly shelter, we were honoured to partner with Purina for this year’s initiative! North York…
Read MorePodcast episode: A dive into the work of NYWS with Renata Ortega
This past month, NYWS was happy to collaborate with Renata Ortega of the Cycle Breaker and Change Maker podcast. Renata is a survivor of abuse, driven by her own experiences and difficulties navigating support systems to ensure that survivors going through similar circumstances today have better access to resources – which is what brought her…
Read MoreGender-based violence services in Ontario struggling to meet growing demand
Gender-based violence really is an epidemic in our province. Despite a general trend towards understanding the nuances of power and control in relationships, and the vulnerability of marginalized genders to gender-based violence, investment in support services remains inadequate. Sadly, at North York Women’s Shelter, we needed to turn away 153 crisis callers last fiscal year…
Read MoreGolfing for Good with the Toronto Pearson Airline Operators Committee
At North York Women’s Shelter, we operate as a community. Our residents, staff, volunteers and supporters from across the GTA and beyond are all united by a common drive to support those affected by gender-based violence and to reduce the risk for future generations. This month, we were honoured to see the advocacy of one…
Read MoreCorporate Kindness in Action: Thank you, BMO!
At North York Women’s Shelter, when generous donors give gifts-in-kind of new personal hygiene items, kitchenware, clothing or gift cards, they aren’t always used right away. They are stored in a donations room, sorted by item type, size and expiry date, and distributed to each family entering our shelter according to each of their individual…
Read MoreHonouring the Anne Marie D’Amico Foundation: A Legacy of Kindness, Courage, and Community
On April 22, 2025, NYWS was honoured to unveil two commemorative plaques in memory of Anne Marie D’Amico, beloved community member, volunteer, and advocate for women and children. This deeply meaningful moment took place in the Anne Marie D’Amico Community Collective, a space within our shelter where survivors of gender-based violence are seen, supported, and…
Read MoreYour Donations Filled Our Shelves and Our Hearts
When people think of giving to a women’s shelter, they often picture cheques, fundraisers, or one-time donations. There’s a kind of gift that’s quieter, more tactile, and deeply human: Gifts-in-kind (aka, the clothes, supplies, and everyday essentials that fill our donation room, and hearts, with care). Let’s be clear: this isn’t “extra.” This is survival.…
Read MoreIn a Season of Giving, You Gave Safety
At North York Women’s Shelter, the giving season is never just about money. It’s about messages of belief, of support, and of solidarity. And this year, the support of the community left us speechless. Yes, we tracked every dollar. But we also felt every intention. The impact behind a charitable donation has lasting results. For…
Read MorePumpkins, Community, and BBQ corn: What Nicole Beinert’s 13th Annual Pumpkin Patch really Gave Us
At NYWS, We know safety is built layer by layer, policy by policy, but it’s also in small moments. A hand reaching out. A neighbour showing up. A pumpkin patch becoming a fundraiser. This fall, we were beyond grateful to be invited to join in the festivities at Nicole Beinert’s 13th Annual Pumpkin Patch, an…
Read MoreNYWS welcomes new Executive Director
We’re at an inflection point
We need your support By Kelsey Jones, Executive Director This past year, we served more survivors in a single year than we’ve ever done since we opened in 1984. While that’s an incredible accomplishment, it’s also explains the demand there is for shelter services and anti-violence supports. Since we reopened into our new shelter space…
Read MoreFilm Panel Discussion – “Motherland: Tales of Wonder”
View this post on Instagram A post shared by North York Womens Shelter (@northyorkwomensshelter)
Read MoreNorth York Women’s Shelter Statement on the Supreme Court of Canada’s Extreme Intoxication Ruling
May 21st, 2022, Toronto – On May 13, 2022, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that extreme intoxication that produces a psychotic state can be a defence against violent crimes such as sexual assaults and stabbings because the law that bans it is unconstitutional. At first glance, we were alarmed by the Supreme Court of…
Read MoreNorth York Women’s Shelter Re-Launches Volunteer Program with Grant from Ontario Trillium Foundation
OTF Media Release Toronto, ON – In June 2021, North York Women’s Shelter (NYWS) received a $130,000 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) to create a Volunteer Program that reflects the needs of the community, employees, and volunteers, including safety, training, and resources. NYWS put a pause on its Volunteer program…
Read MoreWhat Difference will my donation make?
We get asked these questions all the time: “What difference will my donation make?” and “Why is my donation more important Today?” These are fair questions. The answers are, respectively: Your donation will have a long lasting impact for women, trans, non-binary folks, and their children who are leaving violent situations, and Your…
Read MoreMEDIA RELEASE- April 30-2021
Toronto, ON: In March 2020, the North York Women’s Shelter (NYWS) opened its doors to a new, secure, fully accessible, 24,000 square foot centre consisting of an Emergency Shelter and New Anne Marie D’Amico Community Collective. The Anti- Violence Community Collective was equipped and furnished thanks to a $106,400 Capital grant from the Ontario Trillium…
Read MoreWe want to hear from you!
We want to remind you how important your voice is. You can use it to communicate, to advocate, to share, and to speak truth to power. Today we’re asking you to use your voice and help NYWS learn more about you, and help us make some decisions about what we talk about in 2021. Will…
Read MoreToronto’s women’s shelters highlight links between mass violence and domestic violence on December 6, 2020
A joint statement from 10 Toronto women’s shelters This December 6th, as we have for the past three decades, we remember 14 young women killed at École Polytechnique in Montreal on Dec 6, 1989 for daring to assert their right to a bright future in a career of their choosing. As we mark this day…
Read MoreLaunching The NYWS Fight For Justice Campaign
Everybody is impacted by violence. There is a tolerance for gender-based violence in this country that must be addressed. Several systems of oppression exist in our communities that create violence and allow it to thrive. These systems include white supremacy, misogyny, transphobia, classism and many other forms of discrimination. In order to stop gender-based violence,…
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