Women's House of Bruce County Serving Bruce

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Women's House of Bruce CountyServing Bruce
GreySecond Stage Housing ProjectRebuilding
HopeCasey Weichert Sandy Donald
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Mission Statement

• The WHBC will provide transitional, supportive,
  secure and affordable housing to women and their
  children, who are leaving an abusive
  relationship.
• Further, the WHBC is committed to assisting these
  women to obtain the necessary skills and support
  to move forward in their lives with dignity.
• All of the people in the team are committed to
  the vision of eradicating the abuse of women in
  our society and in our communities.

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The Team

• The lead team represents a wide selection of
  community stakeholders
• Casey Weichert, Dave Tucker, Sue Macleod, Elaine
  Walden Colleen ODonnell - Womens House
• Sandy Donald, Charlie Bagnato, Judy Ashbee Gwen
  Gilbert, Susan Earle - Municipal Councils
  County Housing
• Colleen Purdon, Connie MacKay - Grey Bruce
  Domestic Violence Coordinating Committee

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Womens House Programs

• Safe Shelter Childrens Support Groups
• 24 hour Crisis Lines Womens support Groups
• Counselling Transportation Program
• Child Youth Program Volunteer Program
• Transition Program Public Education
• Child Witness Program Partnership for Prevention
• Outreach Counselling Web Site

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Why Second Stage Housing?

• Provides stability
• Ongoing support Counselling increases success
• Poverty decreases success of an abuse free life
• Establishes networks of friends
• Allows remaining in own community/schools
• Promotion of positive adjustment.

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What we need to do

• We need to move beyond the short term.
• We need to move towards rebuilding of lives and
  hope
• We need to provide longer term (1-2 years)
  assistance
• We need to include safety, support through
  on-site counselling for women and children
• We need to build the facilities that will allow
  these things to happen

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How do we do this

• Build secure homes throughout Bruce County
• Using a decentralized model
• House up to 20 women and their children
• Provide affordable leases for one/two years
• Have options of one, two and three bedrooms
• Provide on site Counsellors

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Project Overview

• Acquire the land
• Design the facilities to house up to 20 women in
  total and their children
• Secure the funding
• Build the facilities
• Open facilities late 2006
• Establish on site programming

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Financial

• We are developing a model for the innovative type
  of financing this will require.
• Each locale may have its own unique financial
  plan.
• We will need in kind donations, grants, land
  donations etc.
• It cannot impact on the established ongoing
  fundraising initiatives.

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Key Issues

• Near Term
• Needs assessment
• Funding feasibility
• Business plan
• Property acquisition
• Long Term
• Establish network of safe, supportive housing for
  abused women

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Key Messages

• A Community is only as safe as the support it
  provides to is most vulnerable citizens
• Safety Stability Success