Searching for Shelters From Abuse

An agency working to end interpersonal violence and abuse by supporting individuals and families who have experienced domestic violence, intimate partner violence, or gender-based violence through the provision of crisis intervention, emergency shelter, transitional support, children's programs, and counselling; and by fostering accountability for those who harm through intervention, counselling, public education, and systemic advocacy


Programs and services include:

• Crisis Line and Emergency Shelter - 33 emergency beds for abused and/or homeless women and children. Open 24/7 providing a safe haven, meals, support, and referrals to community resources

• Transitional Housing: Maria House - 8 residential units for longer-term residential stays for women and children in a setting that combines independent living with counselling and support

• Outreach- services for women wanting to make the transition to independent, violence-free living. Includes safety planning, accompaniment (i.e. to court, lawyer's office), home support, referrals and follow-up

• Counselling Services include:
  • Abuse Recovery Groups (for women 18+)
  • Caring Families (for high conflict families and their children)
  • Children Exposed to Domestic Violence (for children ages 6-16)
  • Mothers in Mind (for mothers and their children ages 0-5)
  • Challenge to Change ( PAR for men and women, SCRIBE for men only)

• Family Court Support - provide support and accompaniment for clients to family court, lawyers appointments and assist in navigating the Family Court system

• Violence Prevention and Community Outreach - presentations/seminars delivered to elementary students, secondary students, post-secondary institutions, service clubs, churches, businesses and other groups on such topics as domestic violence, teen dating violence, sexual harassment and healthy relationships

• Partner Assault Response (PAR) 12-week group education and counselling program on domestic violence and non-abusive ways of resolving conflict
• victims/partners of the offender provided with support including safety planning, referrals to community resources, and information on offender's progress

• Volunteer Program - volunteers play a major role in fundraising and assisting staff with programs and services. Positions include Shelter Assistant, Emergency Child care Provider, Volunteer Driver, Housing and Employment Assistant, Tutor, Special Events Volunteer, Receptionist. Skilled volunteers also offer services such as massage therapy, yoga, and hairdressing on a regular basis to residential clients
  
  
  
• Closet Couture Boutique - social enterprise - high end second hand women's clothing

Crisis Line and Emergency Shelter

• crisis phone line
• 33 emergency beds for abused and/or homeless women and children
• provides safe haven, meals, support, and referrals to community resources

Housing program is for individuals who choose to live independently and violence-free. It offers services for maintenance, revitalization and enhancement for single-parent families in safe, temporary housing

Shelter program provides stabilization through a safe, homelike atmosphere for individuals and their children who are seeking safety from abuse and violence. Program provides in-house individual and group counselling

Ganohkwasra provides services to individuals who are being abused, are abusive and/or at risk for abuse. Community Counselling offering the following services:

• Women's Program: Women's individual and/or group counselling, support advocacy, liaison for women living in high-risk situations
  
• Child & Youth Program: Children's individual and/or group counselling, support advocacy, liaison for children living in high-risk situations
  
• Youth Lodge: 6-bed co-ed residence for youth ages 12-18 experiencing serious difficulties in their lives
  
• Men's Program: Support and counselling available for men who have been abused or are abusive
  
• Emergency Shelter: 24-hour safe shelter for abused individuals and their children; provides in-house individual and group counselling
  
• Next Step Housing: Individuals and their children who require housing on reserve may stay up to 2 years Individual and group counselling supports are available
  
• Community Education: Available to present information to the community regarding the dynamics of abuse and its effects on individuals, families, and communities

Youth Lodge (Tsi Tionkwatention A'no:wara Rason:ne, a Mohawk word meaning My Home On Turtle Island)

• a co-ed residence for First Nations youth ages 12-18 experiencing serious difficulties in their lives
  
• provides a therapeutic approach intended to help participants to recognize their less effective behaviours and through self-evaluation, to learn to make more effective choices
  
• residents share in the daily upkeep of the lodge, attend school or a work/volunteer program, and participate in programming

Ratiweintehta's (They are Learning) Alternative Learning Classroom located at the Youth Lodge

• clients that are high school age and are no longer attending regular classes in a mainstream secondary school are eligible to attend the Section 23 classroom
  
• educational program is designed to address student's individual academic, social and emotional needs while obtaining high school credits

An emergency shelter for women and children experiencing domestic abuse, as well as programs for the children of residents.
Services available for residents include:

• child care
• legal advocacy
• referral to other community services
• safety planning
• transitional housing support worker

Offers transitional housing and support programs for up to 12 months for Indigneous women and children who are at risk of homelessness and poverty. The supportive housing facility is geared towards women and children who have been victims of violence.

Provides wraparound services for Indigenous survivors of Human Trafficking including emergency crisis beds, transportation, food, and trauma-informed culturally respectful care.

Women's Crisis Services of Waterloo Region operates two emergency shelters for abused women and their children: Anselma House in Kitchener (519) 742-5894 and Haven House in Cambridge (519) 653-2422 plus a regional Outreach program. They also offer transitional housing. Serve women age 16 plus, with or without their children.

Can be reached by text, instructions on website for how to erase browser history. Also offer translation services, both in person and on the phone.

This is a free service, both in shelter and outreach programs.

An emergency 22-bed shelter for women, with or without children, who are experiencing family violence, abuse and/or human trafficking. Offers emergency shelter, a safe environment, meals, and access to support workers.

A 20-bed emergency shelter for women that includes support programs addressing homelessness, poverty, mental illness, and violence, as well as programs for the children of residents.

A 40-bed emergency shelter for individuals and their children who are homeless and fleeing violence and abuse. Provides safe, short-term accommodation in private family-style units, safety planning and emergency transportation to the shelter, if needed, referrals and advocacy for legal, medical, financial, employment, housing and community services.

Women's Crisis Services of Waterloo Region operates two emergency shelters for abused women and their children: Anselma House in Kitchener (519) 742-5894 and Haven House in Cambridge (519) 653-2422 plus a regional Outreach program. They also offer transitional housing. Serve women age 16 plus, with or without their children.

Can be reached by text, instructions on website for how to erase browser history. Also offer translation services, both in person and on the phone.

This is a free service, both in shelter and outreach programs.

Important COVID-19 Information:
Domestic Abuse Services Oxford offers programs and services for women, children and adolescents impacted by domestic abuse and/or homelessness. Programs and services include:
* emergency shelter for women, children and adolescents impacted by domestic abuse and/or homelessness. Shelter space is limited and not all requests can be accommodated.
* 24/7 crisis/information/support telephone and text lines
* risk assessments and safety planning

Domestic Abuse Services Oxford has many services to offer. These include:

* Crisis/Help/Support Line
* Community Counseling
* Residential Shelter Services
* Sexual Assault Counselling
* Transitional Resource Program

Believe in Me

Program designed for children/adolescents who come from a home where their mother has been abused * weekly group offers participants the opportunity to talk about their feelings, learn how to express anger appropriately and improve self-esteem * a group for mothers is held concurrently which helps teach them how to support their child/teen * assistance with transportation and child care for siblings may be available * transportation can be coordinated. Free and confidential.

Emergency shelter for women and their children leaving abusive situations.

• shelter for those experiencing physical, emotional, sexual, verbal, financial abuse and / or stalking or human trafficking
• safety planning
• assistance with housing, legal, financial and custody issues
• individual and group counselling
• advocacy / accompaniment to police, court, hospital, lawyer, housing, etc
• referral to community supports / resources
• access to all other Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis programs
• education / training to community groups, schools, agencies on all aspects of woman abuse
• client library and resource materials

Note: Women and their children are provided with private bedrooms; single women share bedrooms; all other common spaces such as living rooms, bathrooms, kitchen, recreation and play areas are shared.

Consultation and assistance to consider options:

• access to help for vulnerable older adults and their families, especially those who have experienced or are at risk of abuse
• referral to community resources and informal seniors groups when appropriate
• temporary safe bed available through selected retirement homes with regard to elder abuse
• consultation for health professionals through the response network is available

Provides a safe supportive place to stay for women 16 years and over, with or without children

• confidential counselling and emotional support
  
• 24-hour crisis line (anonymous calls accepted) and transportation to the shelter if needed during a crisis

Women's Services provides shelter, counselling, support, and advocacy for women and children whose lives have been affected by abuse

Services include:

• STAR Counsellor - available for all students in every secondary school in Haldimand & Norfolk who are involved in an abusive relationship
  
• Shelter Program - provides a safe, supportive place to stay for women 16 yrs and over, with or without children. Confidential counselling and emotional support. 24-hour crisis line (anonymous calls accepted) and transportation to the Shelter if needed during a crisis
  
• Children's Program - provides individual counselling and emotional support for children staying at the Shelter. Parenting support for mothers
  
• Women's Sexual Assault Program - 24-hour crisis telephone line, immediate crisis counselling, accompaniment to hospital or police station after a sexual assault, short and long-term counselling for sexual assault and/or childhood sexual abuse, advocacy, group counselling, educational presentations
  
• Women's Counselling Program - provides in-depth short and long-term counselling for women 16 years and older
  
• Community Education and Counselling Program - educational discussion and support groups, presentations to any community or professional group. STAR (Stop Abuse in Relationships) provides counselling, support, and referral information for students at all secondary schools in Haldimand and Norfolk (half day per week), classroom presentations
  
• Transitional Housing & Support Program/Legal Advocates - assists women in developing goals as they leave an abusive relationship, provides information and helps to access and maintain housing, court support, and advocacy. Provides legal advocacy services for Family law and criminal law issues to women
  
• Elementary School-Based Counselling Program - counselling can be provided in any elementary school (either public or private) in Haldimand and Norfolk for any child who has witnessed abuse
  
• Children Who Witness Woman Abuse Group Program (My Circle of Friends) - group counselling to children aged 4-16 who have witnessed woman abuse, and concurrent groups for mothers
  
• Volunteer Program - recruits, screens, and trains volunteers to provide support services for abused women and their children
  
• CAS/Vaw Liason - joint response with CAS worker to low-risk cases involving domestic violence to inform the woman of program and services
  
• Youth Housing Advocate - assist crown wards leaving CAS care to obtain housing
  
• Quetzal Family Homes - provide counselling , support, and advocacy to residents of Quetzal Family Homes through the QFH Counseling Program
  
• Legal Advocate - provide legal advocacy services primarily to residents of Quetzal Family Homes
  
• Justice For Women - chair and coordinate Justice For Women meetings and projects. Educate the community through neighbour, friend and family presentations
  
• Family Court Support Worker Program - information on the family court process; assistance in documenting the history of abuse for family court proceedings; referral to specialized services and supports in the community; safety planning; court accompaniment to proceedings when appropriate

Office located in Simcoe with satellite locations in Caledonia and Dunnville

COVID-19 Update: Some services and support continue to be provided remotely - by e-mail, one-on-one phone support and video counselling. Visit Social Isolation Supports Online. This situation is being reviewed on an ongoing basis. The Crisis Line and shelter remain open.

Risk assessment, safety planning, one-on-one counselling, group counselling, workshops, emergency shelter, transitional planning, housing and legal support, custody and access support, victim impact statement and court preparation, advocacy and public education.

Programs include Marianne's Place (shelter), Transitional and Housing Support Program, Family Court Support Program, Rural Women's Support Program, Sexual Assault Centre, 24-hour Crisis Line, and the Anti-Human Trafficking Program.

Support and counselling for women who have experienced human trafficking and sexual exploitation recently or in the past. Services are free, confidential, and non-judgmental. No ID required.

• immediate telephone support and information through 24-hour Crisis Line
• individual / group counselling and support
• accompaniment to hospital / police / court
• advocacy / court preparation / community referrals
• assistance with victim impact statements
• sexual harassment support / accompaniment
• risk assessments and safety planning
• information on and support through legal / medical / immigration processes and options
• information on sexual assault / sexual harassment / childhood sexual abuse / incest / stalking
• housing or emergency shelter support
• substance use community supports
• support for family / friends of sexually violated survivors
• facilitated culturally appropriate connections
• public education, training, targeted outreach
• client library and resource materials

Provides a trauma-informed, harm reduction, intersectional approach and response to crisis, working from an anti-racism, anti-oppression framework.

Additional e-mail address: adminsac@gwwomenincrisis.org

Overview of emergency shelters in Halton and surrounding areas

HALTON

General Shelter: for intake call 311

Salvation Army Halton Lighthouse Shelter
* 905-339-2918 or call 3-1-1 and ask for referral
* located in Oakville, this is the general emergency shelter for men in Halton
* shelter may be able to arrange transportation
* for more details see full listing here

Wesley Housing Services - Halton
* email housing.halton@wesley.ca or call 3-1-1 and ask for referral
* emergency shelter services for women and families
* Housing First services and case management for adults, youth and families
* advocacy, referrals and community integration to improve housing retention
* for more details see full listing here

For abused women, their dependent children and pets:

Halton Womens Place
* Shelters - South Halton 905-332-1593, North Halton 905-878-8970
* Crisis Phone - South Halton 905-332-7892, North Halton 905-878-8555
* Administration 905-332-1200
* for more details see full listing here
* also protects pets from violence through the SafePet Program

HAMILTON:

To find shelter information call 905-546-2489, or 211
* for more information on shelters in the Hamilton area, see here

NIAGARA REGION:

To find shelter information call 211 or 1-800-263-3695
* for more information on shelters in Niagara Region, see here

REGION OF PEEL:

To find shelter information call Street Helpline Peel 1-877-848-8481
* for more information on shelters in Peel, see here

WELLINGTON COUNTY AND THE CITY OF GUELPH:

To find shelter information call the County of Wellington 1-844-824-1212
* for more Information on shelters in Wellington County, see here

TORONTO:

To find shelter information all the central intake line 1-877-338-3398
* for more information on shelters in the City of Toronto, see here

Major Services:

• 24 hour crisis lines for abused women
• HWP Chat provides online support, Mon-Sun 24 hrs, from a training Violence Against Women Counsellor
• safe shelter accommodation, food, and basic personal items for a maximum of 8 weeks for abused women and their dependent children
• individual and/or supportive group counselling at the shelter
• community agency information and referral when necessary
• court support for interim custody and restraining orders
• children's services
• emergency transportation to shelter, if necessary
• depart planning
• SafePet Program
• advocacy and public education around ending violence against women
• transitional support program
• accepts donations of goods for those in the shelter and those moving from the shelter to permanent housing (see list of needs here)

Family Court Support Worker Program

• information on the family court process
• assistance in preparing for family court proceedings (documenting history of abuse, accessing Legal Aid)
• referral to specialized services and supports in the community
• safety planning
• court accompaniment to proceedings when appropriate

Schools programs

• EngageMENt 'male ally' program is a conversation-based 8-week program led by a male facilitator that guides male students through discussion around popular and sports culture, through a gender lens, and discusses what 'healthy masculinity' means, wrapping up by planning an experiential or service learning initiative (participants may receive up to 15 volunteer hours toward their Community Involvement requirement)

This listing provides information on where to get help in Halton Hills for those in need of Emergency Housing, Long Term Housing Supports, Emergency Food, Food Banks and Crisis Support.

In an emergency, call 9-1-1 for police, ambulance, fire.

For Crisis Support, please see listing of resources here

Emergency Housing

Out of the Cold

• call 905-877-7585
• provides overnight shelter and a meal during the colder months to those in need

Salvation Army Georgetown Community Church

• call 905-877-1374
• Community and Family Services provide various emergency assistances to those in need

Lighthouse Emergency Shelter, Salvation Army Oakville

• call 905-339-2918
• provides safe, secure, short-term accommodations to individuals who are experiencing some type of housing crisis

Halton Women's Place

• call 905-878-8970
• provides emergency shelter, crisis services, and support to physically, sexually, financially, and emotionally abused women and their dependent children

Long Term Housing Supports

Halton Housing Help

• call 905-825-6000 or 3-1-1
• service that helps individuals access and maintain safe and affordable housing

Links2Care (Acton/Georgetown)

• call 905-873-6502
• Transitional Housing is available for families who are homeless * rent geared to income * a community support coordinator provides family support

Summit Housing and Outreach Programs

• call 905-847-3206
• provides housing, treatment, and case management services for those in need of mental health supports in Halton Region

Support House

• call 905-845-9212
• offers community-based housing, support and wellness programs to people living with mental health issues and/or problematic substance use

Emergency Food

Georgetown Bread Basket

• call 905-873-3368
• emergency help available if needed, by arrangement, outside of regular hours

Holy Cross HELPS

• call 905-873-1887
• supports people who are in need of emergency assistance

St Joseph Church, St Vincent Charities

• call 519-853-0784
• provides food vouchers to those in need

Salvation Army Acton Community Church Food Bank

• call 519-853-5610
• food bank available on an as-needed basis following a personal interview and completion of application for assistance

Salvation Army Georgetown Community Church Food Bank

• call 905-877-1374
• available to assist anyone facing difficult circumstances

Food Banks

Acton Foodshare

• call 519-853-0457
• provides easy access to food for those individuals or families who are in need of basic needs assistance

Georgetown Bread Basket

• call 905-873-3368
• provides food to those in need who meet the eligibility criteria

Community Fridges

• call 905-635-1106
• a community fridge at both branches of the Halton Hills Public Library, stocked with 'Good Food bags'

Salvation Army Acton Community Church Food Bank

• call 519-853-5610
• food bank serving Acton and the surrounding community

Salvation Army Georgetown Community Church Food Bank

• call 905-877-1374
• food bank serving Georgetown and the surrounding community

Women's shelter open to all women but focused on serving the needs of Muslim women in abusive domestic situations, confidential address

• halal meals
• personal wellness and professional counselling available