Local philanthropists David and Patricia Morton have donated $50,000 through the Morton Family Foundation in support of the YWCA’s Haliburton Emergency Rural SafeSpace (HERS).
HERS provides safe and supportive temporary accommodations for women, with and without children, who are fleeing abuse in Haliburton County. The service, designed to be available on an as-needed basis to help reduce costs, offers space for as many as two families at a time.
With HERS, women can move away from the abusive situation in their home without leaving their support systems, jobs and schools, and families and friends behind. For safety reasons, YWCA Peterborough Haliburton ensures 24 hour staffing during evenings, nights and weekends when the units are occupied.
This is the second year in a row the Mortons have donated $50,000 to support the YWCA’s services for women and children experiencing gender-based violence in Haliburton County. Last year’s donation was in support of YWCA Women’s Centre of Haliburton County Outreach Services.
“We are deeply moved by Patricia and David’s positive impact in the Haliburton County community,” says Kim Dolan, executive director of YWCA Peterborough Haliburton, in a media release. “The Mortons’ compassion for others is helping to ensure that women and children have ongoing access to our Emergency SafeSpace, nutritious food, basic necessities, and 24-hour support when home is the most dangerous place to be.”
According to the YWCA, the pandemic has resulting in a “dramatic rise” in domestic violence through a combination of increased stress, isolation, and job losses — especially for rural women, whose physical distance from police services and lack of resources to assist in accessing safety and support greatly increases their vulnerability to gender-based violence.
HERS has been fully occupied since January 2021, the YWCA says, and rural women in Haliburton County have reported abuse that is far more serious and complex throughout the pandemic.
“We are so happy to give this donation to such a worthy cause,” says Patricia Morton on behalf of The Morton Family Foundation. “We have been greatly inspired by the expertise and tremendous dedication which the YW’s Haliburton staff bring to their work, both in providing women with safety and security to plan how to build better lives for themselves and their children, and in providing expert professional support services to assist their healing from trauma.”
“As a man I am just appalled and disgusted by violence against women and children,” David Morton adds. “I am grateful at least to have this opportunity to extend a helping hand to the brave women who, with the wonderful support of our YWCA, are striving hard to empower themselves.”
Members of the community who wish to donate or find ways of supporting YWCA services in Haliburton County can visit www.ywcahaliburton.org or contact Ria Nicholson directly at 705-743-3526 x113 or rnicholson@ywcapeterborough.org.
Donations made before December 31st will be doubled during the YWCA’s holiday season matching-gift campaign.
The Mortons are well-known philanthropists in the Peterborough community, having made generous gifts to organizations including Trent University, Peterborough Humane Society, United Way of Peterborough & District, and the Morton Community Healthcare Centre in Lakefield.
Last April, during the height of the first wave of the pandemic, they encouraged the community to donate to the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) Foundation by matching donations up to $50,000.
