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.
