The Women’s House Serving Bruce and Grey is opening its new four-unit Second Stage Housing in Port Elgin.
Executive Director Casey Weichert says their shelter serves abused women in emergency, short term situations, and the second stage housing allows them to ease back into a regular living situation for up to a year with normal apartment living for them and their children.
The facility also allows counselling to continue during that time.
Weichert says women have much better success if they’re allowed to have a longer period of counselling and support, and it’s important for them and their children to have that opportunity outside of an abusive situation.
The units aren’t furnished, because most women who use the facility will bring their own furniture with them.
However, Weichert says they’d love it if people donated furniture items to be kept in their shelter storage space.
She says it would help women who do need furniture before moving into second stage housing.
The project was made possible from 240 thousand dollars in funding from the provincial and federal governments through Bruce County Housing.
The Town of Saugeen Shores donated the land, and both the town and county waived all planning and permit fees.
Mayor Mike Smith says Women’s House was struggling to raise money and secure land when they wanted to build last year, and council was in full support of helping out.
Women’s House is planning other second stage housing projects in Kincardine and Wiarton. Weichert says early work on those is underway and they should be completed next spring.
Four families are soon going to move into the Port Elgin housing, and Weichert says there is already a waiting list for future openings.