This year marks 50 years since Nellie’s first opened its doors — and while it’s bittersweet for an organization like ours to be just as necessary now as it was in 1973, there’s still so much to celebrate in the progress we’re making towards a world free of gender-based violence. 

We’re continuing to focus on delivering empowerment and prevention programs that disrupt the cycle of violence. From December 2022 through March 2023, Nellie’s reached a total of 297 unique participants through Rock and Water (an anti-bullying program aimed at children) and our empowerment self-defense (ESD) programs. It’s been inspiring to see how these programs are taking off and becoming highly sought after by other organizations in our community — the requests for ESD workshops have been so high over the past few months that we’ve now trained two more instructors to help meet the growing demand. We’re also planning on piloting a writing workshop created by the Voices and Faces Project, in order to add an opportunity for internal reflection to our empowerment offerings. We’re really excited to see how this new workshop will help the women at Nellie’s on their journey to recovery.

Through our Transitional Housing Program, we continue to focus on finding ways to move women and their children out of the shelter and into safe, affordable housing — and the growth and incredible leadership this program has seen in the past year has been staggering. Since I started at Nellie’s three and a half years ago, our housing staff has increased by 40%. I’m proud to see this team’s growth, and their ability to evolve in order to meet the needs of our community. The complexities around gender-based violence are so much greater now than they were 50 years ago. From mental health issues, to addiction and trauma, the needs of our clients are often compounded, but I feel confident in our team’s expertise when they’re out in the community providing our services to those who need them most.

For the first time ever, Nellie’s is also starting to explore cost recovery programs. Presently, we don’t have a dedicated funder for our empowerment programs, so all costs associated with running these sessions for community organizations, we need to raise through fund development. This summer, however, four of the organizations that we are running ESD programs with are actually paying for their sessions. We believe that these essential trainings should be accessible to all, so this flexible payment structure has only a nominal fee that helps to cover our travel costs and our time. Again, this is for cost recovery, not for profit — but this is hugely helpful for the viability and longevity of our organization until we can obtain dedicated funding for this program. Investing in prevention and disrupting the cycle of violence is crucial if we’re to build a world free of gender-based violence — the return on this investment is going to be monumental.

As we look forward to the next 50 years, I’m really proud to witness the innovation of Nellie’s. Over the past five decades, we’ve primarily been known for the shelter and support we provide to women and their children fleeing violence, trauma, and homelessness — and while these crisis services will always be a core priority, we’re excited to continue the break the mold and help to stem the flow of violence on a systemic level through empowerment and prevention. Thank you for your generous, continuing support; it is what makes everything we do possible.

Jyoti Singh

Executive Director

Like so many of us, Neda Zanjani found herself becoming more reflective during the COVID-19 pandemic. While she spent more time at home, she began to think more about her life goals, and she decided that she wanted to find a volunteer opportunity that was meaningful to her. After learning about an opening on Nellie’s board of directors through a friend’s LinkedIn post, Neda applied and became one of our newest board members in September 2022.

“Nellie’s was a perfect fit,” says Neda. “I’ve always been interested in supporting women’s causes, especially those that are in vulnerable circumstances and need support the most.”

Born in England to Iranian parents, Neda and her family immigrated to Canada when she was 11 years old. It was this personal experience that also made Neda realize that Nellie’s was the right match for her, because many new immigrant women come through our doors each year. “That resonated a lot with me because I know exactly what that feels like — to come into a different country and start from scratch. I saw my parents go through a number of these challenges, too,” explains Neda. “I would love to have that type of an impact on these women who are in need of support or guidance.”

Whether when she was growing up, studying in university, or now in her career, Neda knows that the one thing that has made a significant impact on her life was having a strong support system. From her family members and friends, to her colleagues and her mentors, Neda credits this support to being critical to her personal and professional successes. “I think Nellie’s community work really serves the same purpose,” explains Neda. “It’s so invaluable and has so much potential to truly change the direction of these women’s lives — not to mention for the kids that come through the organization, as well.”

With over 15 years of experience in the financial services industry and as the current Head of Business Management, Wealth and Personal Banking at HSBC Bank Canada, we’re very fortunate that Neda has also joined our fund development committee. Knowing that the health of any charitable organization is dependent on funding, Neda hopes to contribute to these efforts by knocking on as many doors as possible to help increase our financial support. “I’m thrilled to be a part of that committee, and I hope to do my best to raise awareness and make as many introductions in the industry as I can,” says Neda.

Neda considers it a real privilege to be able to effect change through her new role at Nellie’s, and to work alongside a team of incredible women. “The women who work in this organization are so passionate about what they do and the community that they serve. The work that they do has never been so impactful than at a time like this, when there’s so many different challenges that are impacting the wellness of these women. I think contributing to Nellie’s is really an investment in the future of many women and kids who have already overcome extraordinary challenges, but really need our support right now.”

To make a donation to Nellie’s, please visit our Donate page.

When Maria Belfon was approaching the end of her maternity leave with her second child, she realized it was the perfect time to do something she’d been thinking about for a long time: join an organization working on a community level to help women in domestic violence situations.

“Being a parent, you have that much more at stake in making sure that other kids are doing well, and that our community is helping to support other families,” explains Maria. “I really wanted to join something meaningful, and fortunately the timing lined up perfectly.” In September 2022, Maria became one of the newest members of the Nellie’s board of directors.

As a family lawyer in Toronto, Maria is a passionate advocate of social justice issues for underserved groups. Early on in her career, she was exposed to the social injustices in the legal system, through her work representing children’s legal interests at the Office of the Children’s Lawyer, as well as in family courts across the GTA, assisting unrepresented litigants in navigating the court system. “Having the opportunity to represent children’s interests in court, and work with families in that way, was a wonderful experience,” says Maria. Prior to her career in law, Maria also worked as a research assistant on a project working with children who had experienced abuse, an opportunity that she says really ignited her passion for child and family welfare.

Currently, Maria practices family law and frequently works with women in domestic violence cases. “I wanted to be a part of Nellie’s so that I could do work in this area on a community level,” says Maria. “It’s amazing to be a part of the strategic planning process for Nellie’s future, overseeing how a non-profit is run, and making a difference in our community.”

“Nellie’s is an incredible part of Toronto’s community services — the reach is so much greater than just the day-to-day shelter work,” explains Maria. In fact, Maria says that she was particularly interested in being a part of the Nellie’s board because we are so much more than just a shelter, citing our community engagement, children’s programming, advocacy work, and more. As a member of our governance board, some of Maria’s priorities include expanding Nellie’s reach within the community, fostering more relationships with sister organizations, and continuing to ensure a smooth and expeditious transition to stable housing. “When women and their children come to Nellie’s, we want them to feel safe, welcome, and supported — always.”

Because of her work with children and families in the legal system, Maria has seen first-hand how important organizations like Nellie’s are for the overall health of our communities. “There need to be safe, welcoming spaces in our community for people to go. Otherwise, there will be really serious repercussions, and a trickle down effect from adults down to their kids,” explains Maria. “Having a shelter system and community resources that work well is critical. Having a place like Nellie’s available can literally change and save people’s lives.

Even when she was a teenager, Jeboah Miranda knew that one day, she would create her own non-profit to fight for women’s rights, and that she would be a keynote speaker in the mental health space — a cause close to her heart, after losing both of her brothers to suicide when she was 16 and 17 years old.

“It was something I always knew I wanted to do, and something I knew needed to be done for the advancement of women,” says Jeboah. “Somebody needed to take on the advocacy work and take action if we want to actually bridge the inequality gap. I always felt like it was my responsibility to be part of the movement for women and the women who will come after me.”

After working in brand marketing for many years, Jeboah left her corporate career to enter the entrepreneurial world, becoming a full-time keynote speaker, while also founding a non-profit and launching a mobile app. Her national non-profit, the Jeboah Miranda Foundation, helps women ages 16-24 build their mental grit through programs and technology. Last year, she also launched Blazer, a free mobile app that allows women ages 16-24 to make friends, find and connect with mentors, and receive peer-to-peer mental health support.

In an effort to continue her push for women’s rights and bridging the gender divide, Jeboah joined the Nellie’s board in September 2022. “I’ve been on boards before, and I wanted to find one that was really aligned with my core values. Nellie’s really fit the bill: it’s a feminist organization, it’s very involved in advocacy work for women, and it has a very strong team of women leaders that I ultimately wanted to be a part of,” explains Jeboah.

“I like that Nellie’s focuses on women and children, and not just from an operational standpoint. The advocacy work is really important to me. A lot of non-profits and charities focus on operations and delivery of services, but Nellie’s takes it a step further by being involved in advocacy work and determining how to effect systemic change as part of that. That can be rare to find.”

As an aboriginal woman, Jeboah’s also excited to provide a different perspective to the board by shedding more light on what aboriginal communities need. “I think it’s really important to have that perspective included, because a lot of people who live in dire poverty are aboriginal — especially aboriginal women and aboriginal single mothers,” explains Jeboah. “I think if we’re going to help society, we need to do a better job at helping aboriginal women get more resources and support. I want to bring the aboriginal lens to the table, to have them be included in conversations that they aren’t usually included in.” She also notes that there’s not a lot of aboriginal representation in leadership roles, and she hopes to help inspire more young aboriginal women to take on these types of roles.

When she’s not busy with her advocacy work and entrepreneurial projects, Jeboah loves to travel and learn about other cultures by staying in more rural areas of the places she visits. She’s obsessed with animals (including her own dog, a Border Collie – Labrador mix named Dolce), and has also founded Pawlistic Pals, a canine nutrition company focused on manufacturing species-appropriate supplements for dogs. For Jeboah, all of her work is connected by her passion for health and wellness: “Everything for me comes back to health and wellness, whether it’s physical health or mental health, and to supporting women.”

Thank you, Jeboah, for sharing your story and for your time and service to Nellie’s.

Website: https://jeboahmiranda.ca/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeboahmiranda/

“There will be many more like me that will walk into Nellie’s … and come out stronger for it.”

In 2017, Krystal Joseph showed up on Nellie’s doorstep, pregnant with her two-year-old daughter in tow. She had just a few hundred dollars to her name and nowhere else to go.

“I was so scared that first night. I had no one else here in Canada but the staff at Nellie’s took us in like we were family,” Krystal told us back in 2019 after she had moved into her own apartment with daughters Joshae and Journeiy, who was born at Nellie’s. “The staff at Nellie’s made me feel special and safe. They gave me hope.”

Krystal and her girls lived at Nellie’s for 14 months. In that time, she began to process the trauma she experienced, learned how to cook on a budget, developed a better understanding of how to manage her finances, passed her high school equivalency exam, started college, volunteered often, and found her first job in Canada.

In the Spring of 2022, we caught up with Krystal to chat about where life has taken her and her girls. It’s been an amazing adventure, to say the least, and she has made it her mission to support those facing difficulties similar to the ones she once faced.

“I have used my experience to show others that homelessness is not the end of the world and that many of us are only one pay cheque away from being homeless. We don’t know what tomorrow brings, but if we hook up to the right support we can have a successful life moving forward,” says Krystal.

First, she worked with vulnerable youth in Toronto. When the pandemic hit, she became a case manager at one of the city’s shelter hotels. Recently, she moved to Hamilton to work with women living at Good Shepherd.

“I want the women I work with to know that I know what it’s like and that I’ve been there. But life doesn’t stop because you move to a shelter. I tell them that nothing has been taken away from you; you still have your integrity and your dignity and you can persevere,” she says, adding that some days however, she is still in awe of the fact that she works as a case manager, considering she herself once had a case manager.

Her living and working situations are not the only things that have changed since Krystal left Nellie’s — her family life has also changed. In 2021, she married her partner, Prosper, and they welcomed son, Micah, to the family. Big sisters Joshae, now 6, is learning to read and write and dreams of being a gymnast, and Journeiy, now 4, fills every room with joy, love and peace.

Krystal has dreams beyond working in the social service sector and is currently exploring her options to pursue a political science degree.

“Any contribution people make to Nellie’s is money well spent, I’m living testimony of that. I’m not the only Krystal in the world, there are many more Krystals like me that will walk into Nellie’s, be in need as I was in need, and will come out stronger for it.”

The move to the new shelter building this past winter gave us much more than additional space. It made us one of just a handful of shelters in Toronto to accept pets.

“Leaving your pet can be devastating and there are women who may delay leaving a partner, or choose not to leave at all, out of fear for their pet,” says Jyoti Singh, executive director.

The link between animal cruelty and intimate partner violence is well documented. Research shows that violence toward people and violence toward animals are part of a larger pattern of violent crimes that co-exist, known as the violence link. Fearing for a pets’ safety, and choosing not to leave an unsafe situation because of it, is not uncommon.

“A pet left behind can even be used as a tool to hurt or control a woman,” says Jyoti.

With Nellie’s shelter building now big enough for every family unit to have their own room, pets can stay close to their human. (At 21,800 sq. ft, the building has 40 beds spread out over 22 bedrooms, compared to 36 beds in 9 bedrooms in the old shelter’s 8,900 sq. ft. building.) All types of pets are welcome — cats, dogs, rabbits, birds, even reptiles.

On the building’s lower level, there is also a pet care room with an enhanced ventilation system, designed with dogs in mind. It has a dedicated shower that allow dogs of all sizes to easily climb in and out. And, the fenced yard means pets (and kids!) have an outdoor space to play.

“A pet is much more than an animal; a pet is a loved member of the family who provides comfort and even therapy. If you are feeling isolated and uncared for, a pet loves you and is dependent on you and is going to be a part of your support system,” says Jyoti.

Even with the space and the pet care room, the shelter is not designed to house pets long-term — another resident may have allergies, multiple pets living in the shelter at the same time may not get along, and more. As such, we have partnered with the Toronto Humane Society to find loving foster families to care for the pets that come to Nellie’s until their owner is ready to move into her own home with her beloved pet. The Toronto Humane Society will also donate pet food to the shelter when we have pets in our care.

“Being in the new shelter gives us the ability to provide even greater support to women and their children. It’s hard enough to tear yourself away from your home and your belongings; bringing a loved one with you who is not human gives that little bit of extra comfort.”

Danijela Obradovic was barely 12 years old when the civil war in former Yugoslavia began. Danijela, along with her mother and older sister, left their hometown of Sarajevo, Bosnia. After bouncing around between friends’ and relatives’ homes, they ended up in a refugee camp where they spent the next couple of years.

“Being displaced from our home was quite devastating, but it also allowed me to see the good in people. Having shelter and a safe place to go meant a lot to my family,” says Danijela.

A few years later, at the age of 16, the family was given an opportunity to immigrate to Canada and start over. She went on to study chemical engineering at the University of Waterloo, graduating top her of class, and worked for five years at a large oil and gas corporation before returning to school to earn a Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall Law School. She is now a corporate governance lawyer practicing in-house at Toronto Hydro.

“I believe in the ability of people to come out stronger and more resilient when faced with adversity, if there is someone on the other side to offer a hand and help lift them up. Whether it is the Government of Canada, which brought my family and thousands of other immigrants here and provided settlement support, or it is Nellie’s, which provides shelter for women and children experiencing oppressions such as violence and poverty, it is giving someone an opportunity for a new life and a chance to start over,” says Danijela, who now has two children of her own and lives in Toronto.

Passionate about helping to create environments in which children and women can thrive (while in school, she was involved with the Women in Engineering program focused on encouraging the next generation of girls to pursue careers in engineering) and wanting to pay forward the kindness and generosity she experienced while living in a refugee camp, Danijela joined Nellie’s board in September 2021.

“Because of where I come from, I really appreciate the magnitude of the work people do to help in changing lives. Nellie’s has the capacity to turn someone’s life around and I think that is amazing.”

Danijela is excited to bring to Nellie’s both her own lived experiences and her professional experience to help fulfil on Nellie’s vision and mission. “Just being on the board with these women is an honour and I look forward to contributing my skills going forward.”

Thank you, Danijela, for sharing your story and for your time and service to Nellie’s.

Back in December, we hosted holiday parties for the women and their children living at Nellie’s. The holidays can be a difficult time when you are in living in a shelter, and we do what we can to make it cheery and bright with delicious food and small gifts. I had the pleasure of helping to give out some of these gifts—care packages filled with essential items and little luxuries that we were able to put together because of the generous gifts-in-kind donated by all of you in our community.

As I handed a package to one woman, she was overcome with tears of joy. She told me that she and her 16-year-old son had come to Toronto from an abusive home in Northern Ontario. In their short time at Nellie’s, he was now thriving at school and she had started a job as an executive assistant. The two would be moving on in the early new year, as Nellie’s staff had helped them secure housing, and this generous care package would help them get settled, she said.

She thanked me through her tears. I looked at her and said that we are just the conduit making a delivery from the compassionate people in our community; it is them who are thinking of you and sending you their best wishes.

Months later, this woman’s story has stuck with me. As the pandemic rolls into its third year, the care and compassion from everyone in our community has been inspiring. Across the city, the province, the country, and even the world, we are all sick and tired of being sick and tired of COVID-19. The staff at Nellie’s feel no different. But you give us, and the women and their children living at Nellie’s, a much-needed lift, not just over the holidays, but all year round.

With every generous gift-in-kind dropped at our shelter, every creative fundraiser in honour of Nellie’s, every care package lovingly wrapped and every volunteer hour selflessly given, you are helping us change the trajectory of lives.

At the end of February after numerous pandemic-related construction delays, we finally moved out of our old shelter and into the beautiful new building we now call home. With its 40 beds over 22 bedrooms (each with their own bathroom) and ample program spaces and common areas, we will now be able to make an even bigger impact on the lives of the women and their children who need us. The complexity of needs amongst those who come to Nellie’s is evolving, and because of your generosity, we can continue to evolve our supports.

The move means that we are now all once again under one roof. Since Spring 2020, for pandemic health and safety reasons, half of our residents had been living in the shelter and the other half had been living in a nearby hotel with our staff working out of both locations. With all of our staff together again, we have stronger communication between us and a better understanding of everyone’s successes and challenges as we expand our programs and services.

One such new program is Rock and Water, an internationally-recognized program that decreases bullying and depressive feelings and increases self-esteem, self-regulation and social acceptance in children and teens. Several of our staff were certified last fall, and we are thrilled to soon be the first organization to bring it to Canada.

We are excited by the promise of new growth, new opportunities and new accomplishments in store for us at Nellie’s. Thank you for your ongoing and continuing support; it is what makes everything we do possible.