Your Donation Can Help!

Making a Donation will help more Abused Women and their Children in Waterloo Region to find a safe Haven in Cambridge.

To make a donation, click here.

The Campaign to:

"Rebuild Haven House... Rebuild Lives"

The statistics are distressing, the story behind the numbers disturbing, the need is critical.

    Last year 2011-2012:
  • The Waterloo Region Police Services respond to 6,100 domestic violence occurrences per year throughout Waterloo Region
  • Most women who seek emergency shelter do not have police involvement
  • 205 women and children sought emergency shelter at Haven House; 93 of these were children- providing 10,035 days of residential care; this is a 9% increase from the previous year
  • Longer residential stays have been evident for the pat few years, due to the lack of safe, affordable, subsidized housing
  • 979 crisis call were received at Haven House

Haven House: caring in Cambridge and North Dumfries for over 30 years

Support for women and children in Cambridge began in 1978 in a house on Water Street known as the Rotary Family Centre. In 1981, along with the move to Argyle Street, the name changed to Family Crisis Shelter. To keep pace with the growing demand for services the current Haven House was constructed as an 11 bed shelter on Concession Road in 1991 and expanded to 30 beds in 2002. In 2001, to support collaboration and coordination, Anselma House and Haven House merged to form Women's Crisis Services of Waterloo Region. Now Haven House is once again forced to expand to keep pace with the disturbing numbers as the need for help increases and the work of serving women and their children intensifies.

    Reasons to Rebuild:
  • Haven House is in desperate need of more space
  • An individual's privacy is crucial when dealing with a crisis
  • Sharing bedrooms and bathrooms for women and children in crisis is less than ideal
  • Women and families are eating in shifts because the kitchen is too small
  • Living rooms and social gathering areas are too small and cramped
  • Meeting space and children's program areas are inadequate

Meeting the Need

With the shelter once again overcrowded and a projected population growth of more than 33 % (to 173,000 residents) in the next 20 years, a study to determine the feasibility of renovating and expanding the existing shelter was conducted together with the Ministry of Community and Social Services. During the design process it became obvious that the option to renovate and expand would not keep pace with the increasing needs of abused women and their children in Cambridge and North Dumfries. With the existing site confined by easements and the bordering CP rail line the decision was made to "build from the ground up" and construct a new 45 bed shelter in Cambridge. With a total estimated cost of $8.4 million the project will be funded through the sale of the existing property, support from the Provincial and Federal governments and a $2.5 million community based capital campaign.

Much More Than Just Beds

To the women and children fleeing violence Haven House is much more than a 45-bed shelter. The new facility will focus on a nurturing environment to help women and their children fleeing abuse gain the confidence needed to start building a new life and a safe future. It will enhance and facilitate community partnership focused on education and intervention and serve as a catalyst to help break the intergenerational cycle of domestic violence.

    Designed to provide stability and security for women and children in transition the new facility will include:
  • A separate entrance for residents, away from the administration areas, in order to provide enhanced safety, privacy and security
  • A private meeting area for women who walk-in and are in a state of crisis
  • Added space for community partners to provide efficient, seamless and coordinated support resulting in better outcomes for women and children
  • Flexible bedroom layout to allow for expanded space as required
  • Bedrooms with individual washrooms to provide dignity and privacy to women and children
  • Large kitchen to accommodate all residents, and for single or elderly women space to eat free from physical noise and physical constraints
  • Commercial kitchen amenities to support education and life skill programs
  • Resident Servery that is available for use by clients 24/7
  • Enhanced indoor and outdoor children's areas for delivery of groups and recreation in a safe, comfortable, age appropriate environment
  • Music Therapy room
  • Computer/Homework Rooms that provide privacy free from distraction
  • Youth Room
  • Quiet Room
  • Gathering/living Rooms
  • Several meeting rooms in various sizes
  • First Aid/Emergency Room
  • Several storage rooms to increase facility efficiencies and provide unlimited ability to accept and store donations
  • Laundry Facilities

The facility will be equipped with security mechanisms to ensure the safety of women and their children fleeing domestic violence.

    Haven House follows the Guiding Principles which continue to direct the ideology of Women's Crisis Services:
  • Work collaboratively to end Violence Against Women
  • Demonstrate fiscal responsibility and sustainability
  • Provide excellence in service delivery
  • Retain an exceptional team of staff, management and volunteers
  • Enhance and maintain a positive community profile

Building a New Life

"Yesterday I entered the shelter by the back door on my way in to work. A small child with dark curls wearing pajamas and Dora slippers was standing alone on the steps. She looked up at me and said "My Mommy is downstairs crying." I replied "Is Mommy having a sad day today?" she nodded, and then said, "Please go down and help her stop." My heart went out to this tiny tot who already has had to experience such sadness because of violence in her life. But she and Mom are in a safe place now and Mom has someone she can talk to 24 hours a day, whenever she is feeling sad or wants to talk about how to move forward in her life. Never before have I met such caring, helpful, co-operative, professional people. Thank you so much Women's Crisis Services...you are truly life savers."
(Former Resident from Haven House)

Making a Difference - Changing Lives

You too, can be a life saver and make our capital campaign a success. Haven House makes a huge difference in the lives of women and children. Please consider how you can help women and their children.

Your donation will help more abused women and their children to find a safe Haven in Cambridge.

Haven House
562 Concession Road
Cambridge, ON N3H 4L2
P.519.741-9184 ext. 2038
http://www.wcswr.org/havenhouse/hhcc.html
Charitable Registration Number: 10671-6525-RR0001
Thank you for your support!