When YWCA Cambridge opened the doors to the city’s first women’s emergency homeless shelter earlier this year, we knew the work ahead would be challenging, but we also knew it would be filled with moments of connection, resilience, and hope.
Our shelter is located in the lower level of Grace Bible Church in downtown Galt, Cambridge, while we continue to search for a permanent home. Even as a temporary location, this space has quickly become a hub of care and community. Our 20-bed, 24/7 model is designed with wraparound supports that recognize the many barriers women and gender-diverse people face. From personal safety and mental health to housing navigation and rebuilding lives, our focus is to meet each person exactly where they are and support them on their own journey forward.
Housing Success Stories
Since opening, we’ve been able to celebrate FIVE housing placements in just five months. Each one represents courage, persistence, and the strength of community support.
One of our first residents to be housed earlier this spring, CM, continues to thrive. With ongoing support from Jackie, our Transitional Housing Support Worker, she has settled into her new home and feels empowered to handle challenges that come her way. She decorated her home with butterflies on the wall and wanted to express her gratitude to our team for helping her get to this point.
Another resident recently transitioned into housing with the help of a rent supplement. Jackie supported her through viewings, advocated for a fair lease, and even made sure she had a few bags of her favourite cheese popcorn for move-in day. She had been such a caring and generous presence at the shelter, even gifting each staff member a handmade ornament as thanks before moving out. She will continue to receive support for the next several months to ensure she feels secure and connected in her new home. See more on this story on our socials.
Stories like these remind us why we do this work. Housing is not just a goal; it is a lifeline, and having wraparound support during and after the transition makes all the difference.
Gender-Based Violence and the Need for Safe Spaces
The connection between GBV and homelessness is stark. Across Canada, a woman or girl is killed every 48 hours, and intimate partner sexual assault reports rose 163% in just eight years. Between November 2023 and November 2024, 62 women and children were killed by GBV in Ontario alone.
Housing is a critical part of healing:
- 75% of women experiencing homelessness are survivors of GBV.
Only 13% of shelter beds in Canada are dedicated to women.
79% of survivors say housing unaffordability prevents them from leaving abuse.
Our shelter work is inseparable from these realities. Every meal shared, every woman off the streets, and every housing placement is a step toward realizing the Cambridge every single one of us deserves to enjoy – where everyone has their rights to housing, safety and dignity realized and where everyone is enabled to thrive.
A Whole-Community Effort
YWCA Cambridge has been advocating for a women’s shelter in Cambridge for years. When the Region of Waterloo issued a call for proposals to address homelessness in 2023, we put forward a plan for a shelter that is trauma-informed, gender-based-violence responsive, and rooted in community partnership. The Region recognized the urgent need and agreed to fund our operations, and Grace Bible Church stepped up to offer space for our temporary location.
Operating funding is vital, but it doesn’t cover everything. From beds and dressers to appliances and everyday essentials, we’ve relied on the generosity of our community to furnish the shelter and make it a welcoming space. That generosity has been incredible, and it continues to remind us that addressing homelessness requires all of us.
Supporting Change Beyond the Shelter
Change also starts with youth. Girls and young women ages 12–24 are almost seven times more likely to experience intimate partner violence than male counterparts. YWCA Cambridge offers free, youth-led programs that teach consent, healthy relationships, and how to stand up to violence. Programs like these are made possible through community support and fundraising initiatives.
💜 One way you can make a difference is through Walk a Mile in Their Shoes, YWCA Cambridge’s signature fundraising event. Your participation and support help fund both youth programs and shelter services, ensuring we can continue building safe spaces and empowering survivors.
Looking Ahead
As we continue searching for a permanent shelter location, our focus remains on building community, supporting residents, and celebrating milestones both big and small. Whether it’s the comfort of cheese popcorn, decorating a new apartment, or sharing a meal, every moment of stability matters.
To everyone who has supported the shelter so far—through donations, partnerships, or encouragement—thank you. You are part of these success stories, and we are so grateful to have you walking alongside us.
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