From the moment you meet her, Marilyn Hill has a story to tell. On the coffee table in her home, the same one she grew up in, she’s arranged a selection of stories from her life. Some are single page vignettes from her childhood, and others are spiral bound tomes of family history.
A chronicler of life in Hamilton through the years, Marilyn began recording her memories through a project with the YWCA Hamilton Seniors Centre (now the Active Living 55+ Centre). When Marilyn retired in 1996, she went to the Players Guild to volunteer painting sets. There she met a member of YWCA Hamilton staff and was recruited for their memoirs group and storytelling project, Gems from the Jewel Box.
This project told stories from the YWCA Hamilton seniors community through the decades. Students from Sir John A. MacDonald High School helped to type up the stories and create artwork for the different sections.
Writing these stories from her life became an outlet for Marilyn, as well as a coping method to help her process her sister Lorraine’s dementia. Marilyn hopes her stories will be a legacy she can pass on to future generations so they can see how Hamilton has grown and changed through the years.
Some of Marilyn’s favourite memories of the Active Living 55+ Centre include the time when she and the other members were loaded onto a school bus to attend the Port Dover Friday the 13th Motorcycle Rally. For Marilyn, the most important service the Active Living 55+ Centre provides is social connections.
Through the pandemic, Marilyn made the transition to Zoom programming. She attends aerobics, line dancing, and mindbusters everyday. It’s helped to keep her busy and her mind active during lockdowns.
Marilyn recently took a tour of the new Active Living 55+ Centre at the Putman Family YWCA on Ottawa St., and hopes to be able to rejoin her fellow members for in-person programming in the new year, where she’ll continue to share her stories.
At YWCA Hamilton, we see the realities of homelessness every day – but there are still many misconceptions and stereotypes that exist surrounding the issue of homelessness.
We’ve compiled a list of some of the most common assumptions about the women who access our housing services and programs in the hopes of debunking some of the misinformation that continues to stigmatize this complex, multifaceted issue.
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Myth: People become homeless due to their own bad choices.
Reality: People experience homelessness due to a variety of factors often beyond their control, including evictions, violence, a lack of affordable housing, past trauma, and mental health issues or addictions.
For women and non-binary people in particular, homelessness can occur only when all other housing options have been exhausted. It is a difficult, dangerous, and lonely situation to face: those experiencing homelessness are also more likely to be malnourished, more likely to be the victim of crime, and more likely to experience mental or physical health issues.
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Myth: People experiencing homelessness are usually men.
Reality: Women make up about 25 to 30 per cent of the homeless population, not including the women and non-binary people who experience hidden homelessness.
We know that gender-based violence is a major factor that contributes to women’s homelessness. According to the Canadian Women’s Foundation, on any given night in Canada, 3,491 women and their 2,724 children sleep in shelters because it isn’t safe at home. One study found that almost 40 per cent of domestic abuse survivors said it was difficult for them to work, and 8.5 per cent said they lost their jobs.
We also know that women’s homelessness is vastly underestimated, and is often considered invisible. Women may experience homelessness as they move in and out of various housing situations, including couch surfing, short-term rentals, living in overcrowded situations, or shelters. These experiences are difficult to track – and as a result, it’s extremely difficult to truly know how many women and non-binary people experience homelessness.
*** Myth: People experiencing homelessness are dangerous and violent.
Reality: People experiencing homelessness, particularly women and non-binary people, are far more likely to be the victims of violence rather than the perpetrators.
For women and non-binary people, violence is both a cause and a consequence of homelessness. Data shows us that 91 per cent of women in Canada who are homeless have experienced assault in their lifetime. Women are also at a much higher risk of violence if they are experiencing homelessness – in fact, according to reports on the state of women’s homelessness in Canada, many women and gender diverse peoples may feel safer remaining in violent or exploitative relationships than they do on the streets or in a shelter because then they face violence from only one man, rather than many.
*** Myth: There are plenty of adequate services and supports to help those experiencing homelessness.
Reality: There is a deep need for more supports in the homelessness and housing sector, including more shelter spaces, wraparound services, and more affordable housing.
According to The Women’s National Housing and Homelessness Network, approximately 699 women and 236 accompanying children are turned away from domestic violence shelters across Canada each day. Here in Hamilton, our shelter system is over capacity, particularly for women and non-binary people. A recent city report showed that shelters serving women, transgender people, and non-binary adults have remained at full or over capacity since 2018.
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Homelessness continues to be a complex, highly individualized issue. No two people who experience homelessness have the same needs, background, or set of circumstances – which is why it remains so important to debunk the myths, stigma, and stereotypes that those experiencing homelessness may face in order to provide compassionate, person-centered support.
It’s been a week of celebration and cheer at YWCA Hamilton as our staff came together to celebrate the season – virtually, of course!
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we couldn’t hold our traditional, in-person holiday gathering this year – so instead, we held a week of online gatherings to help spread the good cheer to our talented and hardworking staff.
The week kicked off with an opening ceremony on Monday, where staff were entertained by a comedy routine and we held the first of our random staff gift card draws. Throughout the week, staff were also treated to an online dance class, daily raffle draws, and a guided stretch break.
Our holiday celebration culminated Thursday afternoon with a special Zoom concert by Juno- and Polaris-nominated (and Woman of Distinction nominated!) singer-songwriter, Terra Lightfoot. Terra has been a friend of YWCA Hamilton for several years and we’re so grateful that she shared her time and talent with our hardworking staff.
A screenshot of our virtual holiday concert with Terra Lightfoot (spot her in the top right!)
The week also included a celebration of our employees’ milestone years of service. We’d like to recognize all of our employees below for their years of service at YWCA Hamilton:
Celebrating 5 Years of Service Lydia James, Health and Wellness Annette Hamm, Health and Wellness Stefanie Rudzinski, Health and Wellness David Howson-Jan, Central Administration Maisie Raymond-Brown, Employment and Training Kaitlyn Haalstra, Child and Youth Services Elizabeth Castellanos, Child and Youth Services Alexander Alemu, Developmental Services Ashley Gardrie, Developmental Services Samantha Barless, Developmental Services
Celebrating 10 Years of Service Jennifer Gavin, Health and Wellness Kelley Ladniak, Developmental Services Denise Christopherson, CEO
Celebrating 15 Years of Service Lindsay Leclerc, Developmental Services Jonathan Costello, Developmental Services Tabitha Hancock, Developmental Services
Celebrating 20 Years of Service Neanette Atanas, Programs and Training
Celebrating 25 Years of Service Tara Weiderick, Health and Wellness
Celebrating 30 Years of Service Monica Osborne, Developmental Services Farhina Syed, Developmental Services Diane Abraham, Developmental Services Corry Green, Developmental Services
Celebrating 35 Years of Service Tracey Helwig, Developmental Services
Congratulations also to our raffle winners! From the entire team at YWCA Hamilton, we wish you a safe and happy holiday!
Three years ago, Emma Farr started a program that changed her life.
“I was having a really hard time in life,” she said. “I wasn’t doing too good, and I didn’t have that much job experience.”
Emma signed up for an employment program at YWCA Hamilton, which led her to an on-the-job placement at the Casual Gourmet kitchen store in Westdale. Today, she still works at the store as an employee, is studying in a pre-health program, and is working toward a nursing degree.
“I got my life back on track,” she said. “I’m really glad the program existed, because I needed it, where I was at, so badly. It just helped me get a bunch of skills that I still use.”
Emma is one of the many students who has had a placement at the Casual Gourmet through our Strategic Training and Employment (STEP) program, a no-cost course that’s open to any young woman or non-binary youth aged 15 to 30 years old. It helps young people experiencing barriers to employment gain valuable skills in industries they’re interested in, and offers on-the-job, paid training.
Each participant receives up to six weeks of one-on-one job preparation and support to help them prepare to enter the workforce. This could mean anything from First Aid and CPR training, Health and Safety courses, or Smart Serve and Safe Food Handling certification, as well as life skills training, resume building, and interview prep.
The program also includes up to 14 weeks of paid job placement, funded by Employment and Skills Development Canada.
Ilona, centre, with Desteny, left, and STEP participant Shayne, right.
Ilona Santa, co-owner of the Casual Gourmet, says she co-owner Tanis have welcomed STEP program participants since they purchased the business five years ago.
“It can be an act in patience and understanding, but in the end it’s really rewarding. It makes us really happy when we see them progress and move onto to other jobs,” said Ilona.
“Tanis and I have always been big on wanting to give back. We really appreciate the support of the community in terms of shopping local, and it just feels really good to help somebody.”
Desteny, a 19-year-old STEP participant currently working at Casual Gourmet, says she was in a difficult place before she was accepted into the program. Desteny dropped out of school in Grade 11, couldn’t find a job, and was struggling to get by on social assistance.
“We just were making ends meet,” she said.
She spotted an ad for the STEP program on a Caremongering Facebook group. Her reaction, she said, was “Sign me up right now.”
Desteny says she loves working at the Casual Gourmet, and that Ilona and the YWCA Hamilton team have helped her get her life back on track.
“All the help and support that you get from the workers and everybody – you get so much support. I was homeless on Thanksgiving. They were right there trying to help me find a place, giving me grocery gift cards, clothing, keeping in contact with shelters,” she said, adding that she has now found a room.
“I found this amazing job that I wouldn’t have found if it weren’t for the STEP program.”
If you’re interested in participating in the STEP program, or if you’re an employer who would like to get involved, contact Deborah at 905-719-1474 or email dschwientek@ywcahamilton.org.
YWCA Hamilton’s brand-new building is taking shape on Ottawa Street – and members of the community say they’re eager to welcome the new, state-of-the-art facility to the neighbourhood.
After a short delay due to the Covid-19 pandemic, crews are once again working on the new Putman Family YWCA and are on track to finish the building in the spring of 2021.
The six-storey, fully-accessible building will offer affordable housing to women and children, a first for the Hamilton area. The $24 million building – designed as a highly energy-efficient “passive house” – will include 50 units, 15 of which will be dedicated to women with developmental disabilities. It will also include two community spaces, one indoor and one outdoor, as well as a Senior’s and Innovation Centre.
For Peter Rumble, the building has a special significance.
Peter met his wife – the late Jill Rumble, CEO of YWCA Hamilton from 1992 to 2003 – at the Ottawa Street YWCA back in the 1970s. At that time, he was a student in recreation leadership at Mohawk College. He met Jill, an Australian YWCA employee, when he did his first placement on Ottawa Street.
“Lo and behold we met – and she decided to stay in Canada, and we got married,” he said. “Our family has a whole connection. You could say we were a YWCA family.”
A resident of the Crown Point neighbourhood for 35 years, Peter says it’s been fascinating to watch the Putman Family YWCA building take shape since construction began in late 2018.
“I drive by it at least two to three times to day, and it is exciting to see the size of it,” he said. “It’s certainly an anchor on Ottawa Street.”
For James Cairns, who likes to bring his toddler to check out the construction vehicles at the building site, the major benefit of the building is having affordable housing in the neighbourhood.
“We’re very supportive and pleased. If there’s anything that the city needs in general – and this neighbourhood specifically – it’s affordable housing,” he said. “If this can provide that, not only here but as a model for other developments, that’s really great and we’re happy to have it in the neighbourhood.”
Crown Point resident Shannon DeFreitas says she’s also pleased to see more affordable housing – and to have a venue for classes she can take with her young daughter, Liv.
“I’m definitely looking forward to some affordable housing. I think it’s needed in the city, especially in this area,” she said. “It’ll be nice to have an area with community access – the chance for classes will be cool as well.”
As Shannon and James point out, The Putman Family YWCA will help ensure that more women and children can find safe, reliable, affordable housing. In Hamilton, the average one-bedroom apartment costs $1,555 per month – a 30 per cent year over year increase, according to the National Rental report. On any given night in Hamilton, over 300 women experience homelessness.
For Scott Forbes, who owns Hammerhead’s restaurant on Ottawa Street, the affordable housing component provides some a much-needed relief from Hamilton’s rising housing prices.
“We’re surrounded by the GTA, by Niagara, and by expensive real estate, so it’s only a matter of time before ours becomes unaffordable,” he said.
Scott also added that the project hits the right balance between adding density to the neighbourhood while still staying true to Ottawa Street’s architectural character.
“It fits into the fabric of the neighbourhood. It’s medium rise, so it’s not going to dominate the streetscape,” he said.
Steve Sauvé, who has lived in the Ottawa Street neighbourhood for 17 years, says he’s watched Ottawa Street’s unique character change and evolve – and he feels the Putman Family YWCA will help maintain the street’s unique dynamic.
“The demographic here has expanded, but it’s not overly gentrified,” he said. “This building helps to maintain that by giving everyone a chance to participate and be a part of this community – not just people with a little bit of money who can afford it.”
If you’d like to stay up-to-date about the Putman Family YWCA, sign up below to receive email updates about the project.
When the Covid-19 Pandemic hit Hamilton, Steve Park was one of the many Hamiltonians who knew he had to help.
Steve is one of the co-owners of Applied Kinetics, a small engineering and design business based in Ancaster. When Steve heard about the shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the community, he banded together with another engineering company – a bicycle parts manufacturer called 9point8 located in the same office space – to help solve the problem.
Together, Applied Kinetics and 9point8 put their regular manufacturing on hold, and with the help of an internet tutorial, began making face shields. After learning that YWCA Hamilton had a shortage of PPE, Steve and his team donated 100 of their face shields to help protect YWCA Hamilton frontline workers.
“How could I not do something when we had the equipment and the ability, the skills, the capability?” he said. “We just felt compelled to. We had to.”
Face shields donated by Applied Kinetics and 9Point8.
Steve and his team are among the hundreds of donors who answered YWCA Hamilton’s call for donations of PPE. Supplies like masks, face shields, hand sanitizer, and disinfecting wipes have been crucial to ensuring YWCA Hamilton staff can continue to provide care to those who need it, including women and families experiencing homelessness, or adults living with developmental disabilities at our residences across the city .
Since putting out the call for PPE in late March, YWCA Hamilton received 5,399 pieces of equipment – ranging from disposable surgical masks to medical goggles to hand sanitizer – valued at a total of $23,843.30. YWCA Hamilton also received 1,562 homemade face masks, each one homemade by local sewists and quilters.
Face masks sewn by local crafters.
But the community support has extended far beyond PPE. Since the Covid-19 lockdown began, YWCA Hamilton has received over $15,000 worth of in-kind donations from the community. Those donations include personal care items like shampoo and conditioner, items to help keep residents busy in isolation, and day-brighteners such as fresh flowers.
Some examples of these generous in-kind donations include:
Activities and art supplies to help keep women in the Transitional Living Program (TLP) engaged while social isolating, provided by Ikea Canada.
A four-course Easter dinner provided by an anonymous donor in partnership with Carmen’s Group. Carmen’s also donated a meal to TLP residents over Mother’s Day weekend.
Staff meals for YWCA Hamilton frontline workers every Friday in May, provided by the Other Bird restaurant group and the Walters Group.
Grocery gift cards to distribute in the community, including $3,000 from Sobeys to support 120 women experiencing homelessness; $1,200 from Breakfast Clubs of Canada to support 50 kids from Phoenix Place families; and $19,980 from Food Rescue to support 603 women and families across our programs.
Adult colouring books donated to the Transitional Living Program.
Each of these donations enabled YWCA Hamilton to continue to help those who were among the most at risk during Covid-19. We continue to accept donations of PPE to help ensure we have adequate supplies in the future.
Thank you for bringing our community closer together – even while we’re staying apart.
To support women and families in Hamilton, please consider donating to our COVID-19 appeal.
We are entering our seventh week of pandemic measures and many of us might be feeling a bit restless, patiently awaiting the return of our normal lives. As the Province and City work out what that new “normal” will look like, we want to share that YWCA Hamilton non-essential programming and facilities will continue to remain closed until at least May 31, in accordance with the Ontario Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.
Our essential services will continue to operate, as they have since the outset of the pandemic, thanks to the tireless work of our frontline staff. And Carole Anne’s Place, our overnight drop-in centre for women experiencing homelessness, has received yet another temporary extension of funding. Thanks to our partners at the City of Hamilton, our doors will remain open until May 25.
Today I’m also thrilled to share some more happy news. Last week, we welcomed a new baby at Phoenix Place! Both mom and baby are doing well and are receiving great supports from our passionate team of women’s advocates.
The closure of our facilities has not stopped so many of our staff from reaching out to our community in an effort to maintain engagement, reduce isolation and remain active. If you haven’t already checked out our virtual Health and Wellness classes, you’re missing out!
Health and Wellness Manager Marnie Warman shares that a record number of individuals have been regularly participating in 26 classes a week via ZOOM since we implemented the virtual platform a few weeks ago. Classes geared at both Seniors and all-ages communities include Meditation, Mind Busters, Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, Bone Builders, stretch classes and more. They run Monday to Saturday morning, afternoon and evening and attendance in each class varies between 20-48 people. Check the Schedules page on ywcahamilton.org or keep your eye on our social channels (shared below) for details about class availability and how to join in on the fun. For questions about any of our Health and Wellness programming, please contact Marnie at mwarman@ywcahamilton.org.
Yesterday we learned that a client in one of our facilities has tested positive for COVID-19. The client who has been confirmed with the virus is a resident at Wesley Supported Apartments, one of our Developmental Services programs in partnership with Wesley Urban Ministries. This client is experiencing mild symptoms and is self-isolating in their residence.
Family members of the affected clients and staff at both YWCA Hamilton and Wesley Urban Ministries have been notified, as was, of course, Public Health. We are working very closely with our partners at Wesley Urban Ministries to align our efforts and ensure the best care possible for our staff and clients. We are committed to keeping our staff and those we serve safe.
With this news, we have enhanced usage of personal protective equipment (PPE) as identified by Public Health along with strengthened safety measures. Staff who work at the site continue to self-monitor and we have increased our screening procedures to twice daily. Public Health has increased its response to our need for PPE and together we are planning for the testing of staff and clients within the impacted area.
We know how much anxiety this has caused across all areas of our organization. And while we acknowledge that this situation is new ground for us, we continue to work closely with Public Health and our partners to ensure we are equipped should the outbreak spread.
We will continue to keep the public informed as new information emerges.
Last night, I, like many of you, scrolled through story after story that analyzed, examined, made predictions and reported on every angle surrounding the COVID-19 crisis. Almost every angle, that is.
As I read about the line-ups outside grocery stores, about the increased pressures and burdens on caregivers, about the increased needs of frontline workers – including that of our staff teams – about online courses for students across the country, and even lighter posts that offered tips on how to entertain children while managing work responsibilities, a trend emerged.
The COVID-19 crisis is a gendered issue. We know that through this pandemic, women continue to work and carry the vast majority of caregiving and at-home responsibilities. And even more stressful is if you are a woman or family experiencing violence at home and while isolated. Families simply have nowhere to turn. Our partners in the violence against women sector have seen a spike in domestic violence since COVID-19 entered our lives. Together, we are working hard to address their urgent needs.
The life-changing and life-saving programs we offer at YWCA Hamilton have never been as critical as they are now. I know how much you are all dealing with and I too, am feeling this anxiety. We all have the same questions and seek the same answers – how long will this go on? How do we manage the stress? Although we do not have all the answers right now, we do know that we will get through this, together.
Please take care of each other and check in on your family, friends, and isolated neighbours. Remember to wash your hands and practice social distancing. And please reach out to access mental health supports available to you through community resources or your family doctor.
We don’t know how long this will go on. But we do know that here at YWCA Hamilton, we will continue to advocate for all women and families in our community, for equal pay for equal work, dignified care for those who need us most, quality universal child care, safe affordable housing and a right to live free of violence.
We are now three weeks into the COVID-19 crisis and while we try to make sense of rapidly-evolving developments, the deep impact to our community can be felt as we stretch critical resources in ways we had never imagined possible.
In compliance with requests from leading health authorities for all non-essential workers to stay home, YWCA Hamilton non-essential programs and services will remain closed until May 4, 2020, at which point we’ll reassess. Carole Anne’s Place, an overnight drop-in centre for women experiencing homelessness, will remain open until April 30, 2020. And of course, our residential programs, including the Transitional Living Program at 75 MacNab and our residences for Developmental Services, will continue to operate.
We are moved by the generosity of those who have answered our plea for donations of food and other essential items to support the many women and families we serve. And while the COVID-19 situation shifts from day to day, so do the needs of our community.
But in encouraging self-isolation and distancing amongst the 65 residents who call YWCA Hamilton home, and women who are homeless who we are supporting in temporary hotel spaces provided by the City of Hamilton, one harsh reality becomes clear: isolation and hunger are huge threats to safety and well-being. With limited access to food and activities, we simply need supplies to keep those who rely on us active, engaged and fed while isolating in their rooms.
We need your help.
Below is a list of items we are collecting to support the women and families accessing our essential services. Please have a look around your homes for items you no longer use or consider purchasing something new from our Amazon Wish List.
Prepackaged foods like granola bars, fruit cups, cheese sticks
Fruit
Ready to eat meals
Instant noodles
Bottled water
Keep her engaged
Crossword puzzles
Word searches
Decks of cards
DIY crafts (paint by numbers, etc)
Colouring books
Pencil crayons
Puzzles
Beauty face masks
Yoga mats
Keep her healthy
Hand sanitizer
Dish soap
Bar soap
Dry shampoo
Body wipes
Menstrual products
Clorox wipes
Masks
Underwear in all sizes (Small-2X)
We have implemented a safe process for accepting donations. Donations can be dropped off at YWCA Hamilton’s main entrance at 75 MacNab Street South between 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Upon arrival, we ask that you use the call box to notify staff as all of our doors are locked. When a staff member answers the call box, you may share your name and purpose for visit (donation drop off). Staff will buzz you in and if the drop off is of significant volume, you may be asked to drop it off at the loading dock or alternative location in the building.
As we keep saying, this has been an unprecedented week. And every day brings with it new and unexpected challenges and transitions in the face of the COVID-19 virus.
At YWCA Hamilton, we are committed to bringing exceptional service and care to our clients and residents, which means our team continues to work tirelessly around the clock to ensure the well-being of the most vulnerable populations in our community. We stand in solidarity with the front-line workers across this city – including our own – who keep all essential services running, providing shelter, food, compassion and so much more.
As I scroll through social media and read news stories about neighbours supporting neighbours in Hamilton during this time of crisis, I am reminded yet again of this amazing community in which we live, how in the face of uncertainty we pull together instead of apart. At YWCA Hamilton, our passionate and dedicated team seeks innovative ways to encourage connectedness, reduce isolation and keep the community active and engaged.
Because we know that for some, working from home and being out of school is not always ideal or safe. For some, social distancing and self-isolation can be exceptionally stressful and anxiety-inducing. But we are here for all and encourage you to reach out for support, to connect, or just to share a story or photo.
So many of you have reached out asking how you can help during this challenging time – please consider making a donation to ensure we can respond to the increased needs of women and families accessing our essential services.
These women and families need us now more than ever.
We are also working to provide critical supplies for residents of our Transitional Living Program and women accessing our overnight emergency out of the cold shelter at Carole Anne’s Place.
We have implemented a safe process for accepting donations. Donations can be dropped off at YWCA Hamilton’s main entrance at 75 MacNab Street South between 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Upon arrival, we ask that you use the call box to notify staff as all of our doors are locked. When a staff member answers the call box, you may share your name and purpose for visit (donation drop off). Staff will buzz you in and if the drop off is of significant volume, you may be asked to drop it off at the loading dock or alternative location in the building.
We are looking for the following critical supplies:
On behalf of the entire team at YWCA Hamilton and those we serve, thank you for supporting those most marginalized in our community. When we come together in these difficult times, we can make a real difference in the lives of women, children and families.
Quick Escape 
