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A Life Reclaimed, photo exhibit at Nellie’s 40th Anniversary Open House

Posted on: May 31st, 2013 by Nellie's No Comments

A Life Reclaimed

An exhibition by Annie Sakkab
Text by James Wareham

Nellie’s 40th Anniversary Open House:
June 1, 2013. 1pm-6pm.

Press Release

Marking the 40th Anniversary of Nellie’s shelter for women and children fleeing violence, poverty and homelessness in Toronto, A Life Reclaimed by photographer Annie Sakkab will feature during the Riverside ‘Eats & Beats’ Street Fest in conjunction with the Riverdale Artwalk.

A photo exhibition involving women from the shelter, A Life Reclaimed strives to shed light on the hidden truth of gender-based violence that affects 1 in 2 women in every society, across every class and race, at every stage from infancy to old age.

Freezing moments of sadness and hope, it echoes the deep sense of abandonment and isolation of women forced into exile from their homes, while capturing their extraordinary resilience and the rebirth of their identity and empowerment. Women’s shelters like Nellie’s are vital harbors on this journey back to emotional and physical security.

Annie Sakkab is a documentary photographer who lives in Toronto. Born in Jordan, she has worked and resided in London, Rome, Dubai, and Amman. Her documentary practice investigates socio-cultural issues and questions of identity, and seeks to raise awareness on experiences of exile, uprooting, and displacement among marginalized groups. An honors graduate in Fine Art and Graphic Design, Sakkab’s photographs have been exhibited in Canada as well as abroad. Her work Non-spaces (1993) is part of the collection of the National Gallery in Amman, Jordan. Her recent series, Projections – Ghosts of Dubai’s Boom (2010), was exhibited in a featured group exhibition in the 2013 Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival in Toronto, Ontario.

*Please join us this Saturday June 1st at Nellie’s Community Support and Outreach Office, 754 Queen Street East, between 1 and 6pm to view A Life Reclaimed.

Invitation to Nellie’s 40th Anniversary Celebration

Posted on: May 28th, 2013 by Nellie's No Comments

This Saturday June 1st we will be hosting a 40th Anniversary Community Open House & Drop-In as part of the Riverdale Street Fest. We invite you to stop by our Community Support & Outreach Office at 754 Queen Street East between 1 and 6pm to view some beautiful photos taken by photographer Annie Sakkab and meet some of Nellie’s staff and volunteers.

(click image to enlarge)

Take Back the Night 2012: September 15th

Posted on: September 10th, 2012 by Nellie's No Comments

On September 15th, 2012, the women and children at Nellie’s will go to the Maseryk-Cowan Community Centre in Parkdale to participate in the 32nd annual Take Back the Night Community Fair, Rally and March, organized by the Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape. Every year, women, children, genderqueer and transpeople take to the streets to protest violence against women and victim-blaming. The march takes place in different areas of Toronto each year in an attempt to reach out to different communities and to reiterate that violence against women can happen anywhere.

This year the theme is Un-Occupying Our Minds, Healing Ourselves. The event starts with the Community Fair and dinner. Representatives from various women’s and other social service agencies will have booths set up in the community centre to provide information pamphlets, key chains, magnets and other items. Nellie’s will have its own booth so please feel free to stop by and visit! Then, we will step outside for the rally. The rally is usually a combination of cries to action, stories, poetry, music, self-defense demonstrations and more. After this, we will take to the streets for the Take Back the Night march. We will walk, sing, chant, march, rally and cheer.

As a shelter for women and children who have experienced violence and other forms of oppression, the march feels like a new home; it is not only a place of solidarity but also a call to action. The message is heard loud and clear throughout the streets:

“Hey hey, ho ho – violence against women has got to go!”

“Hey mister, mister – keep your hands off my sister!”

“Together, united, we cannot be defeated!”

The march is empowering, engaging, fun and builds community. It is quite moving seeing so many women and survivors of violence rallying together for change. But, it is also a reminder; it reminds us why we are marching and why we continue to work to end violence against women.

We walk for our own safety, for the safety of our mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmothers, aunts, partners and friends. We march to commemorate the murder and life of Barbra Schlifer, a feminist/activist lawyer who on the night that she was called to the bar, was murdered. We walk to commemorate her death and the death of so many women who have died through violence. We also walk to commemorate their lives. We walk to remember, to build solidarity and to build a future free from violence against women.

This year, it is especially important to take to the streets to march. Given the sexual assaults in the Annex and the murders and other acts of violence against women that appear in the news daily, it is important to get involved and take action. Given the current political climate, we need to hold abusers responsible and make it clear that “Short skirts don’t rape – rapist rape”. Join us on September 15th at 4pm for the Community Fair, 6pm for the Rally and 8pm for the march – we need to march together to take back the night and take just one more step towards making this city a safer place for all women and children.

For more info about Take Back The Night, please see the Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape’s website.

Toronto Waterfront Marathon Update

Posted on: September 6th, 2012 by Nellie's No Comments

With just over 1 month to go, our runners and walkers are getting ready to take on the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Half-Marathon and 5K for the second year in a row. So far we have 22 wonderful people helping us to reach our $20,000 fundraising goal, and today we would like to invite you to join them. If you have been considering participating in the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Half-Marathon or 5K, now is the time to join as the race always sells out!

We are offering a free registration to every member of our team who agrees to fundraise $250 or more. That’s a savings of up to $110! If you’re nervous about fundraising, don’t worry, our fundraising team is here to offer support and inspiration whenever you need it. All our team members will be treated to a post-race brunch buffet, and best of all, you won’t have to brave the crowds at the Direct Energy Centre to pick up your race kits – we’ll do that for you.

If running isn’t your thing, you’ll be excited to know that we have joined forces with Viva Pulse: Vivacious Women Out to Transform the World to put together a 5K walking team. Viva Pulse is an initiative of vivacious plus size women and the people that love them to support our communities and each other in transforming the lives of women in the world. Viva Pulse is currently accepting new team members to walk and raise funds for Nellie’s. As a member of the Viva Pulse 5K walking team, you will be invited to 2 walking clinics complete with health and fitness advice, stretching and walking techniques, nutritional support, and a 1-hour training walk. For more information about joining the Viva Pulse team, please contact us.

Whether you’d like to run the half marathon or walk the 5K, we would love to have you join us on October 14th as part of Team Nellie’s at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon! Together, we can make a difference in the lives of every woman and child who arrives at our doorstep, fleeing violence, poverty and homelessness. This October, cross the finish line knowing you’ve made a difference. Join Team Nellie’s today!

To join our team, call us at 416-461-0769 or e-mail info@nellies.org

International Women’s Day Around Toronto

Posted on: March 2nd, 2012 by Nellie's No Comments

As a global celebration, International Women’s Day provides us with the opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the status of women both at home and around the world. At home in Toronto and here at Nellie’s one of the ways we acknowledge International Women’s Day as a day of solidarity with our allies and friends working to end Violence and all forms of oppression against Women. This is why:

In 2011 at Nellie’s…
– 137 women and 24 children accessed shelter services
– 260 women sought support through our Housing Access Programs
– 249 women joined us at Nellie’s events
– 2025 women called our 24-hour crisis line

Tomorrow, Saturday March 3rd Nellie’s is participating in International Women’s Day Toronto. This event will begin at 11:00am with a rally at OISE (252 Bloor Street W). At 1:00pm participants will march to Ryerson University and at 2:00pm there will be a celebration and fair at the Ryerson Student Centre (55 Gould St). The theme for this year’s event is “Reclaim our City: Good Jobs, Services, Dignity. Together we are Stronger.”

Nellie’s is proud to participate in this event with many other women’s organizations around the city including: The Ryerson Women’s Centre, The North York Women’s Shelter, and YWCA Toronto. If you’re at the fair on Saturday, please make sure to come by the Nellie’s booth to say hi!

In addition, here are some other great events happening in the city to Celebrate IWD!

– Exposed: The Female Perspective & Voices – Art Show celebrating IWD at Steam Whistle Brewery. Show runs all of March. Details here.

– The Centre for Women’s Studies in Education presents The F Word. Performances March 8th-11th at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. Details here.

– Screening of Miss Representation film followed by panel discussion at U of T Hart House, March 8th. Details here.

– Gender at the Crossroads: Women and Culture at the Centre of a Changing Southeast Asia exhibit and talk at Art Square Gallery, March 8th. Details here.

However you choose to celebrate, we hope your International Women’s Day is a great one!

“Toronto Mom Now” supports Moms at Nellie’s

Posted on: September 28th, 2011 by Nellie's No Comments

Toronto Mom Now, a website for moms in the city, is launching soon and they are supporting moms at Nellie’s by donating $1 for every person who signs up to their e-mail list.

Filled with yummy places to eat, unique places to shop, and cool neighbourhoods to walk – (with or without your kids), Toronto Mom Now is a local guide for urban moms who love where they live! If you love to discover the best neighbourhoods in the city and what they have to offer, Toronto Mom Now is the place for you.

Toronto Mom Now supports the important work Nellie’s does and is pleased to donate $1 to for every person who signs up to their e-mail list. Since 1973, Nellie’s Shelter has helped to rebuild the lives of over 15,000 women and children. As mothers themselves, the women at Toronto Mom Now know that every woman deserves a life free of violence and poverty for herself and her children.

Nellie’s is so pleased to be a part of such a wonderful initiative and we wish Toronto Mom Now much success as they launch their new website in October. Please visit http://www.torontomomnow.com and sign up today!

Our thanks to the United Way Toronto!

Posted on: September 15th, 2011 by Nellie's No Comments

Earlier this month, the United Way Toronto launched their 2011 Campaign. This year their goal is to raise $116,000,000 to “provide stability in an uncertain time to UW agencies and support long-term efforts to strengthen neighbourhoods.” Speaking at the launch event, Campaign Chair, Janet Holder said “Together we have the energy to make a difference and can help strengthen neighbourhoods across the city while making a lasting difference in people’s lives.”

Nellie’s is a proud member agency of the United Way Toronto.

United Way Toronto supports over 200 member agencies and focuses their work on three main areas: helping people move from poverty to possibility, building healthy people and strong communities, and helping kids be all they can be.

Last year, the United Way provided over $220,000 in core funding to support Nellie’s work. These funds are raised by the United Way through individual donor support as well as workplace giving programs and special events like the Enbridge CN Tower Climb and the Toronto Waterfront Marathon .

The support we receive from The United Way Toronto enables us to better assist the women and children in our care. Thank you to the United Way for making our city great!

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