Walk a Mile in Their Shoes
Walk A Mile in Their Shoes 2025 Walk a Mile, End the Cycle
THANK YOU! Together, we raised an incredible $12,428.96!
Walk A Mile in Their Shoes is YWCA Cambridge’s annual community fundraising walk and a public stand against gender-based violence (GBV). It’s a powerful, visible show of solidarity.
On Saturday, October 18, our community gathered downtown Cambridge to complete a symbolic 1-mile walk, starting and ending at City Hall Civic Square. Together, we raised our voices, took up space, and raised funds to support the vital services that combat gender-based violence in Cambridge and North Dumfries.
All proceeds go directly to YWCA Cambridge’s life-saving work
- Our recently-opened 24/7 emergency shelter for women experiencing homelessness
- Free, youth-led violence prevention programs in local schools and community spaces
💔 Gender-Based Violence Is Getting Worse
A woman or girl is killed every 48 hours in Canada.
Intimate partner sexual assault reports in Canada rose 163% in 8 years.
62 women and children were killed by GBV in Ontario between Nov 2023 and Nov 2024.
📈 The Economic Toll of GBV is Massive
GBV and IPV cost Canada more than $9 billion annually—from healthcare and legal costs to lost productivity (according to a 2013 CCPA report)
Each sexual assault can cost between $136,000–$164,000, including victim suffering, justice system involvement, and healthcare.
Survivors often lose a month of work productivity per year, translating to systemic loss and personal hardship.
🏠 You Can’t Heal Without a Safe Place
75% of women experiencing homelessness are GBV survivors.
Only 13% of shelter beds in Canada are for women.
79% of survivors say housing unaffordability prevents them from leaving abuse.
🧒 Change Starts With Youth
Girls and young women (15–24) are 5x more likely to be assaulted.
YWCA Cambridge’s free, youth-led programs teach consent, healthy relationships, and how to stand up to violence.
These programs rely on fundraising events like this one.
📢 Fundraise as a Peer-to-Peer Champion
THANK YOU to all our team leaders and fundrasiers! Your voice became a true vehicle for change.
Stay tuned for how to get involved in 2026!
❤️ Donate or Support a Team
Couldn’t walk? No problem. You can still donate directly or support a friend’s campaign.
Every contribution fuels local solutions—shelter beds, youth education, survivor support.
🤝 Become a Sponsor
Align your brand with real impact and be seen as a community leader in the work to end gender-based violence.
Your sponsorship supports:
✅ Supportive and impactful shelter services
✅ Free youth education and programming
✅ Powerful public awareness campaigns
📩 Contact Nataleigh Ballantyne, Director of Philanthropy at n.ballantyne@ywcacambridge.ca to become a sponsor today!
Join the Movement
It takes a community to end gender-based violence. Be part of the change—walk with us.