Thanks to the generosity of Edmontonians, Global Edmonton raised over $87,000 for women and children fleeing domestic violence this holiday season through its annual Give Me Shelter campaign.
The 19th annual campaign is aimed at building awareness and collecting donations to ensure those escaping situations involving domestic violence have the items they need when they arrive at women’s shelters.
Online donations this year totalled $68,879.01 and in-person donations of cash and gift cards totalled $18,305.89.
The cash and gift cards collected this holiday season will be distributed to half a dozen women’s shelters: A Safe Place, Jessie’s House, La Salle, Lurana Shelter, WIN House and WINGS of Providence.
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Leslie Allen, the executive director of WIN House, said the fundraiser “gives us a chance to talk about domestic violence and to help bring some facts and some statistics to help people understand what’s really going on in the field of domestic violence.”
READ MORE: Alberta women’s shelters are under-resourced, leading people to be turned away: report
This year’s Give Me Shelter campaign ran from Nov. 29 to Dec. 15 and saw Edmontonians make donations online or in-person at the Global Edmonton TV station.
READ MORE: Global Edmonton’s 19th annual Give Me Shelter campaign kicks off
“It’s an amazing thing to see people, particularly men, driving up and making a donation to women’s shelters,” Eoin Murray, a director at Catholic Social Services, said outside the Global Edmonton station this week.
“Because we know it’s a really hard issue, we know it’s a big problem in our society.”
–With files from Caley Gibson, Global News
Anyone at risk or experiencing family violence can reach the Family Violence Info Line 24 hours a day at 310-1818.
The Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters also has a map of shelters across the province for anyone needing support.
Additional family violence supports are also available online.
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