The federal government has announced a total of $492,000 for two women’s organizations in the Kawarthas: the Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough and Women’s Resources of Kawartha Lakes in Lindsay.
Maryam Monsef, Minister of International Development and Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Peterborough—Kawartha MP, made the announcement on Friday (April 26) at the Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough.
The announcement also included funding for Community YWCA of Muskoka in Bracebridge, Huronia Transition Homes in Midland, Luke’s Place Support and Resource Centre for Women and Children in Oshawa, and Couchiching Jubilee House in Orillia.
These organizations are six of the more than 250 women’s organizations and indigenous organizations serving women across Canada receiving funding under the Government of Canada’s Capacity-building Fund, part of the 2018 federal budget announcing $100 million over five years to support a viable and sustainable women’s movement across Canada.
“With this historic investment, we recognize the women and women’s organizations breaking through barriers and we express our gratitude to those who have been doing this work for decades on little more than a shoestring budget,” Monsef states in a media release. “With this stable and flexible funding, we are helping organizations across Ontario, including in Peterborough–Kawartha, to grow and endure, because we know that investing in women’s organizations is the most effective way to advance gender equality.”
The Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough is receiving $246,000 to develop a community hub for women living with complex trauma. In partnership with the Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre and Peterborough Community Legal Centre, the charitable organization will build capacity to respond to community issues and incidents of gender-based violence.
“Women who need our support rarely have the financial means to cope with multiple barriers to recovery after incarceration,” says executive director Debbie Carriere. “For some, even the attempt to avoid incarceration can create social and administrative obstacles that form a whole other kind of cage.
“Thanks to the Government of Canada’s new way of funding women’s organizations over a multi-year term, our plan to create a community hub for women with complex trauma can proceed and rely on funding for the life of the project. We are grateful for this chance to build capacity and bring hope to women in Peterborough who need our expertise and assistance.”
Women’s Resources of Kawartha Lakes is receiving $246,984 to build its capacity for the future. The funding will support ongoing planning and expert analysis, including training staff to incorporate gender-based analysis into all aspects of the organization. This will help the charitable organization advance gender quality by meeting it human resources goals to become more competitive and diverse in both leadership and in program staff.
“The needs of abused women and children have become much more complex and require specialized counselling skills to meet their needs,” says executive director Lori Watson. “We work very hard to maintain our position as a competitive employer attracting well-qualified shelter workers and counsellors.
“This funding will help us to provide the ongoing training and development our staff need to respond effectively to the changing needs of women in our community, and to strengthen our organization and the services we provide for years to come.”
For more information about the Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough, visit www.efryptbo.org. For more information about Women’s Resources of Kawartha Lakes, visit womensresources.ca.
