For the 15th year, Global Edmonton’s annual “Give Me Shelter” campaign to help hundreds of women and children who are escaping domestic violence is underway.
READ MORE: How Edmontonians can get the most value for their dollar when donating to charities
Who benefits?
Each year, thousands of women and children seek safety at one of the Edmonton and area women’s shelters.
Many leave quickly, taking nothing more than the clothes on their backs in a desperate attempt to get away to someplace safe. That means come the holiday season, they are often without the things most people take for granted.
WATCH: Jennifer Crosby spoke with Sarah Cornett with Lurana Shelter on how the donations will help women and children fleeing abusive relationships.
The “Give Me Shelter” campaign collects the essentials, as well as Christmas gifts, to go to five women’s shelters: Win House, WINGS, A Safe Place, LaSalle Residence and Lurana Shelter.
WATCH BELOW: During Global Edmonton’s Give Me Shelter all-day donation drive, Erin Chalmers spoke with Jan Reimer about how the donations will help women and children fleeing abusive relationships.
What to donate
The most needed items are:
- Gift cards
- Toiletries: deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrushes, body wash, lotion, feminine products
- Unwrapped gifts: toys for all ages and genders, gift sets for women, new pajamas for kids
READ MORE: Edmonton woman knits dozens of teddy bears for children each Christmas: ‘I just love doing it’
Where to drop off donations
Donations can be dropped off by Dec. 14 at Global Edmonton (5325 Allard Way NW, just off Calgary Trail and 51 Avenue) or at any Royal Pizza location below:
- Old Strathcona – 10433 – 80 Ave.
- Blue Quill – 290 Saddleback Road
- Mill Woods – 2609 – 66 St. NW
- West End – 9977 – 178 St.
- Ottewell – 6120 – 90 Ave.
- Newcastle Centre – 16721 – 127 St.
- Ellerslie – 1214 – 101 St. SW
- Sherwood Park Baseline – 590 Baseline Road
- Leduc – 7712 Sparrow Drive
- Sherwood Park Broadmoor Blvd – 800 Broadmoor Blvd
- Spruce Grove – 98 Longview Drive
- Hys Centre – 11010 – 101 St. NW
- Fort Saskatchewan – 37 Westpark Blvd
- Hamptons – 20024 Lessard Road
Last December, the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters (ACWS) said a funding increase from the province in 2015 was having an effect on the number of people receiving care and outreach services, but there was still more to done to help women and children fleeing family violence.
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READ MORE: Women’s shelter group looking to prevent violence during Grey Cup week
In 2015, the province announced it would boost funding to women’s shelters by $15 million. Data collected from April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017 shows that outreach services provided to women and children increased by 45 per cent, supporting an additional 6,147 women and children, according to the ACWS.
The figures from the ACWS show that the numbers of people turned away at shelters were down by 18 per cent, however, the ACWS said demand still outstrips supply when it comes to those escaping domestic violence. In fact, the ACWS said 22,274 women and children were turned away from emergency shelters from 2016 to 2017.
Watch: Wednesday was delivery day for all the generous donations to Global Edmonton’s annual Give Me Shelter campaign to help women and children fleeing domestic violence. Margeaux Maron reports.
READ MORE: Increased funding for Alberta’s women’s shelters having impact but more needed
The Give Me Shelter campaign was started in 2004 by former Global Edmonton news anchor and current Vancouver CKNW radio host Lynda Steele.
WATCH: Gord Steinke speaks with Lynda Steele, who started Global Edmonton’s Give Me Shelter campaign. (Aired 2016)
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