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 surrounded by care.

This unveiling, held the day before the official Anne Marie D’Amico Day of Kindness and Love, marked more than a milestone. It celebrated what it means to create beauty in the wake of loss.

The D’Amico family with Minister Cho (left) and Councilor Pasternak (right).

The plaques now stand prominently in the Collective, a hub named in Anne Marie’s honour and made possible through the vision and generosity of the Anne Marie D’Amico Foundation. In partnership with NYWS, the Foundation continue to champion Anne Marie’s legacy of compassion, volunteerism, and social justice.

We were grateful to be joined by community leaders including MPP Stan Cho and Councilor James Pasternak, who spoke to Anne Marie’s profound impact and the importance of survivor-centered spaces in our city. Their attendance reminded us of the collective responsibility to foster healing, safety, and dignity for women and children in every corner of Toronto.

The event was covered by several media outlets. The CBC featured the plaque unveiling in a story that reflected Anne Marie’s enduring legacy. CTV News also captured the day’s significance, noting how the commemorative space now serves as a sanctuary for healing.

Some of the NYWS Administrative staff team.

Four new local businesses shared their support for our work by donating items specifically for this event. We received floral decoration rentals from VintageBASH, fresh flower bouquets from Ficus Flora, chocolate and vanilla cupcakes from Whisk It, and colourful floral cupcakes from The Sweet Spot. Each of these small business owners saw value in what we do, and gave their time, energy and products for free to make this event a success.

Our heartfelt thanks go to the community for your ongoing partnership and belief in our mission. Together, we’ve created a space that doesn’t just honour Anne Marie’s memory, it carries her work forward.

This is what solidarity feels like: a shelter filled with flowers, cupcakes, laughter, and quiet strength. A plaque inscribed with a name that still moves and hearts. A community, grieving and growing, side by side.

To learn more about the Anne Marie D’Amico Foundation and their support of the Anne Marie D’Amico Community Collective, please visit damicofoundation.org.

Want to learn more? Check out the CBC story North York Women’s Shelter Unveils Plaque to Honour Toronto Van Attack Victim’s Legacy about the plaque unveiling, and catch the live radio clip from NEWSTALK 1010 that aired the morning of April 22.