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Newsletter

Q&A with Elona Nazaj, Women’s Counsellor/Advocate

By | Newsletter, News

Your support ensures counsellors like Elona are available 24/7 to women and children in need.

Q: How does your day begin?

A: It depends which shift I’m on, morning, evening, or overnight. All shifts begin with a shift change debrief with other staff. We talk about how things are going, if anything urgent is coming up, new residents, or if anyone has left the shelter. I can then start prioritizing my day based on risk assessments.

Q: How would you describe your job? 

A: The biggest part of my job is active listening, being available for women to vent, cry, share their frustrations or successes. I find out what their needs are and help connect them to services we can provide. I do a lot of advocacy, especially for housing, legal issues such as custody, or for women who do not speak English. We are there for them, every step of the way.

Q: What are the first few days like for women who come to Interval House? 

A: The first few days in the shelter are the hardest because usually women are coming with a very high level of anxiety and stress, which is very understandable. They are confused. They wonder if they made the right choice. But with time, everything becomes more clear and they are able to see things in a different perspective. They find the strength to move forward.

Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job? 

A: I am honoured when I know that these women are allowing me to be part of their feelings. The way that I can see the positive effect I’m having on my community, along with my coworkers. Just the connection, the empathy that we create with each other, that’s rewarding. The women talk about their frustrations, they talk about their lives, they talk about what they went through, and it’s not easy. It’s not easy to trust. I really appreciate it.

Life at the House: A Youth Perspective by David

By | News, Newsletter

*name and identifying details have been changed for the safety of the clients

If I were to say what impact living at Interval House had on me, I guess I see it as a good Disney story. Things start out nice and everything, and then snap, there’s a plot twist and the evil entity comes and that’s where my family is at right now. Eventually it’s all going to be good again.

My mom left Vietnam for Canada in search of a better life for us. A few months later, my dad, my two younger siblings and me all came to join her. They were always working, mom all day and dad all night. We only hung out as a family on weekends. For years, they hid their fighting from us. But the fights increased and then the secrets just poured out. It used to be like once a month then it became weekly. At one point I had to step in. I didn’t want to but it was getting out of hand and I had to get the police involved.

A few months ago we had to just get out — grab what we had and go. That’s when we came to Interval House. Being here affects us but it didn’t devastate us. We’re all far away from the people we know now though. My siblings miss their friends and my mom had to quit one of her jobs.

Our family has become closer since coming here. We interact with each other more. My mom actually gets more rest here. Everyone is getting something out of the sessions with the counsellors. We’re all getting advice and steps for how to get up and get things back together. Feeling empowered.

I’m studying at college now and the next stage is to have our own place again. Interval House supports you at your lowest; they’ll always be that safety net. But it’s better to pick yourself up again, find a job, find a place, just do something that’s going to help you to start over again. It’s like the new Karate Kid movie where he says, “Everyone falls down, but it’s up to them whether they choose to get back up or not.” Interval House can help you get there.

Thank you for helping families like David’s rebuild their lives!

Beanie Babies for the Brave: How one mother and daughter are making a difference

By | Newsletter, News

How can a little stuffed animal help women and children rebuild their lives after abuse? By being auctioned off and having the proceeds directed to Interval House! That’s what Beanie Babies for the Brave is all about.

Morgan and her daughter, Stacey, have been collecting Beanie Babies since Stacey was just five years old. Now 31, Stacey decided it was time to part with her beloved collection and donate it to Interval House, so the organization could sell the classic toys and raise funds for their programs helping women and children recovering from abuse.

“Stacey and I both agreed that we would rather give them to a child or to an organization that helps people instead of selling them online for ourselves,” explains Morgan. The thoughtful mother-daughter duo donated 70 Beanie Babies in their original packaging to be auctioned online with 100% of the proceeds benefitting Interval House.

“When I was trying to find a place to donate the Beanie Babies to, it was important to me personally that it benefit women and children experiencing abuse,” explains Morgan. “I am a survivor of abuse and I understand how important a place like Interval House is.”

Do you have your own idea for a unique fundraiser or gift-in-kind donation? Contact Cass Nagar at cnagar@intervalhouse.ca 416-924-1411 ext. 238

Behind the Scenes at the Interval House Renovation — See how your gifts helped transform the shelter!

By | Newsletter, News

The first thing most people notice when they walk into the newly renovated rooms at Interval House is how bright and cheery everything feels. Your support helped transform the shelter’s 12 residential bedrooms and six bathrooms, including the main floor accessible suite.

“This renovation is something I’ve been wanting to do since I first started working here three years ago,” explains Cathy Leekam, Facilities Manager. “The shelter is used by so many people and it was getting really run down, especially the bathrooms. It’s hugely satisfying to see them freshened up, and how happy the residents are with it.”

Thanks to donor support, Cathy’s team recently completed the 3 month renovation project. Bedrooms were refreshed and bathrooms updated with new sinks, vanities and fixtures. The team also changed out flooring, added new window blinds and put on a fresh coat of paint. It was so important to bring the aging infrastructure up to date.

“What I’ve always heard from clients is that our shelter is very welcoming and warm,” says Cathy. “It’s nice that the bedrooms and kitchen are now part of that. Everything feels very fresh and welcoming, like a home.”

“Working at Interval House has been one of the most rewarding jobs I’ve ever had. You can see the direct result that your work makes. It’s a concrete change you make in people’s lives every day.”

 

Summer 2018 Newsletter

By | Newsletter

It’s hard to believe, but Interval House turned 45 this year. That means that for almost half a century,we’ve been a place of refuge for women fleeing intimate partner violence and their children.

Celebrating 45 years of empowering women

  • 1973 Interval House is founded by 12 feminists to help women and children cope and heal after abuse
  • 1980 The first man is hired as a counsellor for the Children’s Program to help model positive, respectful interactions between different genders
  • 1998 Our Building Economic Self-Sufficiency Program (BESS) is founded, allowing us to reach even more survivors with crucial services

Inside this issue:

Winter 2018 Newsletter

By | Newsletter

Many women come to Interval House so wounded and traumatized they can’t even describe it. They’re not ready or able to talk about their experiences. They don’t want to relive their trauma by recounting it to a counselor. Sometimes, they’ve been living with abuse for so long they don’t even completely recognize it.

Inside this issue:

Summer 2017 Newsletter

By | Newsletter

A small band of volunteers were committed to providing a crisis centre for women and children who were fleeing abuse–they knew it needed to feel like a home. They put up a sign on a bulletin board asking women to help get something starts. With just a handful of committed supporters, Interval House opened in 1973 as the first shelter for abused women and their children in North America

Inside this issue:

Winter 2017 Newsletter

By | Newsletter

“My healing began in the Interval House kitchen. Whenever I needed support, I knew I could head to the kitchen and find someone to talk to…The kitchen is truly the heart of our home. More than helping to feed our bodies, it helps to nourish our souls.”

Inside this Issue:

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