15 years ago, Erin Pollon moved to Toronto from Ottawa and decided to run in the Toronto Waterfront Marathon to get to know her new city. She looked through a list of charities she could support through her run, and she ended up choosing Nellie’s. The rest, as they say, was history.

“After running the marathon, I wanted to learn more about what Nellie’s was doing,” explains Erin. “I started volunteering with them and I thought what they were doing was so important — giving women a safe space.” After volunteering for a few years, there was an opening on the Nellie’s board of directors, and they were specifically looking for someone with experience in human resources. Erin currently works in HR at Women’s College Hospital, and has previously held similar roles at York University and Sunnybrook Hospital. “I thought I could bring my expertise, and Nellie’s felt really meaningful to me,” says Erin.

Now, six years later, Erin has completed three 2-year terms on the board and will be moving on in September. One of her proudest accomplishments during her tenure was helping to arrange the sale of our old shelter building. “Selling it during the pandemic was really an all-hands on deck situation,” explains Erin. “We all put in a lot of work, and it was such a relief when the shelter was sold.”

Erin also sat on our strategic planning committee for two cycles, which has helped her feel really connected to the organization’s future vision and goals. Through her time at Nellie’s, she’s come to have a deep understanding of how Nellie’s is providing crucial support to the community. “Donations really mean the world to Nellie’s,” says Erin. “Contributions empower Nellie’s to provide safety for women and children in need. With these donations we can ensure that women don’t feel alone or without a place to turn to, and I really feel it makes a genuine difference in our community and in Toronto.”

Although Erin plans to take on another board position in the future, she’s looking forward to a bit of a break after the last few busy years with Nellie’s. Or, as much of a break as her two kids under 3 will allow! In the immediate future, she plans to give back to her community through soccer coaching — but she’ll definitely still be watching what Nellie’s is up to next. “It’s been such a rewarding experience being on the board at Nellie’s,” says Erin. “I really can’t wait to continue to watch the organization grow.”

Thank you, Erin, for your time, service, and dedication to Nellie’s over the years!