Gillian’s Place facing COVID-19 funding crunch
Women’s shelter sees fundraising events cancelled or scaled back
With fewer beds for women in distress, less money coming in and expenses on the rise, Gillian’s Place programming faces an uncertain future as the COVID-19 pandemic marches on.
Each year the local women’s shelter has to raise about $500,000 to keep its programming to house, protect and help woman escaping domestic abuse running. But as it is for so many other agencies, the novel coronavirus has upended everything.
“If we don’t raise that money then we will not be able to provide our programming at the level we currently do,” said Nicole Regehr, Gillian’s Place director of development.
There are several key annual
fundraisers that allows Gillian’s Place to do its work. Regehr said there are three large third-party events that raise about $250,000 that have been cancelled due to the pandemic.
And the shelter’s marque event — Walk a Mile in Her Shoes — has had to scale back and move online, changes that forced the agency to set a more modest fundraising goal.
“Originally, we set a goal of $135,000,” said Regehr. “We have had to scale that back to $50,000, which I am confident will be reached. But it does have an impact.”
Each year, Walk a Mile in Her Shoes features hundreds of men marching through The Pen Centre shopping mall in high heels who collected pledges to Gillian’s Place.
COVID-19 means the large gathering is out of the question. So the event has been moved online. Boosted by a group of designated “ambassadors,” including St. Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik, Gillian’s Place is asking people to donate online and participate in walks in the community.
“We are asking as many people to walk as possible. Asking men to wear the heels,” Regehr said. “We have a virtual map on our website so people can see where others are walking.”
The event is being held Saturday, Oct. 17, at 11 a.m. and will feature opening and closing ceremonies on Instagram Live.
Regehr said COVID-19 has forced some changes to Gillian’s Place programs and increased some costs.
Its St. Catharines shelter has space for 35 women, but since not all of them have private bathrooms, Gillian’s Place can only accommodate 25. Regehr said, so far, it has not had to turn any women away and has used hotels to house women when necessary.
Gillian’s Place also operates transitional housing units, which has helped the agency assist some women.
“We have also had to hire more staff for cleaning, which increases our expenses,” she said.
The virus has also directly touched the agency, recently infecting two of its administrative staff. Regehr said since neither were in contact with women at the shelter, the infections did not trigger an outbreak that could close the shelter.
However, Regehr worries about the impact of the second wave of COVID-19. If it results in another shutdown, it could make bad situations in the community even worse.
She said during the first lockdown, women in abusive situations had a much harder time seeking help.
“Before COVID, a woman could call us when her partner went to work or the store. But with everyone stuck at home, they did not have those kinds of opportunities,” she said.
For more information about Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, or to donate, go to walkamileinhershoes.ca.