Edmonton Women's Shelter (Business Office) - Edmonton

Throughout this unprecedented time, we will continue to work hard to keep our clients and staff healthy and safe by adhering to all government directives and to the health measures provided by Alberta Health Services. This includes both at the shelters and at the business office, where we have increased our vigilance on cleaning and disinfecting all surfaces many times throughout the day, ensuring that physical distances of two meters are adhered to at all times, and no longer allowing outside visitors or external services enter any of the buildings.

At each shelter we have also provided our clients with clear instructions and information on how they can keep themselves and their children healthy during the pandemic and have developed new protocols for food service (cooking and clean-up), child care, and other programs and services our clients need to settle in and start the journey towards living an abuse-free life.

At the business office, we are no longer able to accept secondhand donations of in-kind items that we rely on to provide our clients with the basic needs they require daily. This includes clothing, hygiene products, baby items, and so much more that we distribute to our shelters when they need them. We just cannot take the chance of allowing the virus to spread through physical contact with our wonderful donors through drop-offs or pick-ups, regardless of how much we may need them.

For the short-term, we can sustain the stockpile of these types of donations that we already have stored at the shelters and office but not indefinitely. As time goes on, these supplies will begin to deplete, and our clients will be left with very few needed items.

So, to think and act proactively and prepare for the sincere possibility that we will run out of supplies, food and necessities, we have developed a fund to help mitigate and supplement our needs and the needs of our clients.

The WIN House COVID-19 Relief Fund will be used for purchasing all the items noted above when we need to, at a time when accepting any of them as secondhand in-kind donations is out of the question. As well, the COVID-19 Relief Fund will be there to provide immediate funds for the many other foreseen and unforeseen needs of the future.

Below are a few examples of what the WIN House COVID-19 Relief Fund and your cash donation will help provide over the foreseeable future. It is not an exhaustive list as we are learning daily of new needs that arise. For now, we hope it provides you with some context as to what we need today and what we are preparing to need tomorrow…