For the first time since 2019, the Women and Children’s Shelter of Barrie will host its annual International Women’s Day Luncheon and march in person with the need in the community growing.
The Empowerment Luncheon is on Wednesday, March 8, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the keynote beginning at 12:30 p.m.
Proceeds from the event will go directly to help women and children in the community recover and rebuild their lives after fleeing violence through many programs, counselling, and safe and affordable housing.
The shelter has 27 beds and often runs over capacity with close to 35 people at a time, executive director Teresa MacLennan said.
“We have only continued to see an increase in the amount of women and children who need our services,” said MacLennan.
“While we recognize and we celebrate International Women’s Day, it is also an opportunity for the community to fundraise and to support the work that we do here because we have to provide for every need for the women and the kids who come to our services.”
This year’s theme, Embrace Equality, is focused on the topic of gender equality and the fight for it.
“As a feminist women’s organization, our shelter is always advocating and supporting the voices of women and men to examine, analyze and improve gender equality in our city, provincially and at a global level,” she said.
The Empowerment Luncheon will be hosted at the Barrie Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram showroom on Dunlop Street.
Following the luncheon, all residents are invited to join a march through downtown Barrie, starting at the Barrie City Hall Rotunda and going across Collier Street, down Clapperton Street and across Dunlop Street before going up Mulcaster Street back to city hall.
The shelter said the march, which will start at 5 p.m., is a chance for women to come together at night and walk through downtown Barrie while feeling safe and heard.
“The goal of the annual marches is to advocate legislation and policies regarding human rights and other issues, including women’s rights, reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, racial equality, freedom of religion, workers’ rights and tolerance,” the shelter said in a statement.
MacLennan said they are hoping to raise over $5,000 from the luncheon, with tickets still available on Eventbrite.
“It is equally important for us when we think about the empowerment luncheon, and we think about the rally, for us to have as many folks from the community come out to those events because it is a time to celebrate and it is a time to be very vocal in the community and to be seen to raise the issue about gender equality,” she said.
The luncheon raised a total of $14,000.
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