TORONTO, Canada — In Canada every five minutes a woman experiences intimate partner violence, yet approximately 700 women and children are turned away from shelters each day. These stark realities underscore the urgent need for safe spaces and resources for women experiencing abuse.
This September, join Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health in supporting more than 300 women’s shelters and programs across Canada by donating to the Giving Shelter campaign. Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix stores nationwide are raising funds for local organizations to help women and children find safety and take steps toward a life free from abuse.
“Gender-based violence is far more prevalent in Canada than many people realize,” says Paulette Minard, Director of Community Investment and Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health. “This is a national issue and Giving Shelter is a national campaign, but the funds raised stay within the local community, giving Canadians an opportunity to help neighbours and friends who may be fleeing violence.”
From now until October 9, customers can participate in the fundraising campaign by rounding up their purchase total at checkout at any Shoppers Drug Mart or Pharmaprix store across the country. One hundred percent of donations remain in the communities where they are raised, helping local organizations provide women and children with the safety, services and resources they need.
“Safety changes everything. When a woman experiencing abuse reaches out for help, she needs to know there is somewhere safe to turn,” says Kim Ruse, CEO of FearIsNotLove, one of the local charities being supported this year. “Giving Shelter is more than a fundraising campaign - it is our community saying that violence in our homes matters, and that no woman or family should face it alone. Through Giving Shelter, we can come together to provide the support women and families need to move toward safety and healing, and ultimately a life free from violence and abuse.”
This year’s campaign will also offer Canadians a special opportunity to make their support go even further. From September 25 to 27, Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health will match funds raised through in-store round up and online donations, up to a total of $150,000, helping generate even more support for local women’s shelters and programs.
To donate or to learn more about Giving Shelter, visit shoppersfoundation.ca(Open in a new tab).
