This season, we experienced the holidays for the very first time in our Women’s Emergency Homeless Shelter, providing a variety of celebrations and moments of connection for residents and clients.
Among the joy, this time of year can also trigger deep feelings of grief, isolation and uncertainty for many. For women experiencing homelessness in our community, this is a harsh reality, but for folks we’ve been able to temporarily and permanently house, there was a different story. Women in our shelter program were seen, valued and supported. With the help from our community, through support towards our Festive Futures and Hidden No More campaigns, our clients’ holidays were made brighter!
Thoughtful Giving, Real Impact
This holiday season, we provided substantial, thoughtfully assembled gifts to
- 30 women connected to our shelter:
- 20 currently staying in shelter
- 4 in hotel overflow
- 6 who have recently transitioned into permanent housing
Each gift bag was filled with so much care and intention. Clients received a curated collection of items generously donated from our community to support comfort, warmth, and self-care, things we can so easily take for granted:
- Robes and slippers
- Hats and mitts
- Personal care items
- Chocolates and treats
- Hair care products and accessories
- Satin pillowcases, brushes, and barrier creams
- Heated eye masks
- And, most importantly, gift cards
These gift cards offered the power of choice. The ability to purchase most needed items, whether it be groceries, medication, or winter clothing. That autonomy matters.
Nourishment, Connection, and Care
Food was another powerful expression of care throughout the season!
Thanks to our incredible restaurant partners through donated meals and diligent staff coordination, we were able to provide special holiday meals while also ensuring frontline staff were supported during statutory holidays and well-deserved time off.
A big thank you to:
- 13 Food & Beverage
- Cambridge Dominos Pizza
- GreekStreet Gyro
- Little Mushroom Catering
- Swiss Chalet (Hespeler Rd.)
- The Mule
On December 23, our team prepared and served a beautiful holiday meal for residents, creating a moment of togetherness, warmth, and celebration ahead of Christmas.
Residents and staff also gathered for a tree-decorating party, complete with cookies, hot chocolate, and festive cheer. It was an important reminder that celebration and care can coexist with realism, compassion, and life-saving practices.
Who We’re Seeing in Shelter and Why It Matters
Behind every holiday moment is a deeper reality we must continue to name.
As of December 17, 24 women were booked into shelter or hotel overflow. Of those:
- 62.5% were aged 50+
- 17% were 65+
- Only 8% were under 30
This reflects what data consistently shows across our region and beyond: The dominant face of women’s homelessness is an older woman.
For many older women, homelessness is driven by intersecting systemic factors:
- The housing and cost-of-living crisis, including a severe lack of affordable and accessible housing options
- Loss of a partner or family support
- Limited income through OW, ODSP, OAS, or CPP
- Stigma around homelessness
- Barriers accessing long-term care or supportive housing
- Higher medical and mental-health needs
Too often, housing is either affordable or accessible, but not both. Women using walkers or other mobility aids are repeatedly turned away from units deemed “accessible enough,” or face landlords who cancel viewings or rent units without notice.
These realities don’t pause for the holidays.
A Shelter Built on Care, Not Just Beds
The YWCA Cambridge Women’s Emergency Homeless Shelter is a 20-bed, 24/7 model designed to meet women and gender-diverse individuals where they are.
When a woman walks through our doors, she offered a bed, but also safety, warmth, and wraparound supports, including:
- Personal safety and gender-based violence prevention
- Mental and physical health support
- Life skills and transition planning
- Cultural and spiritual care
- Housing, employment, and education support
Our shelter exists because our community recognized that women could not go another winter without a place to go.
The Campaigns That Made This Possible
The care women experienced this holiday season was made possible through community generosity and campaigns designed to meet urgent needs while building long-term sustainability.
Hidden No More helped shine a light on women’s homelessness — a crisis too often unseen.
Festive Futures ensured women had dignity, choice, and moments of joy during a season that can otherwise feel heavy and isolating.
Together, these efforts fueled a holiday full of hope.
Moving Forward, Together
The holidays at the shelter were filled with care, generosity, and community, but they also underscored a truth we cannot ignore: women’s homelessness is growing, aging, and deeply tied to systemic inequities.
This work doesn’t end when the decorations come down.
