Corporate 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…

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Honouring 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…

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Your 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.…

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In 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…

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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…

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North 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…

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What 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…

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MEDIA 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…

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We want to hear from you!

An illustration of a woman hugging the words "we 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…

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Launching 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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