As the largest women’s emergency shelter in Saskatchewan, we see first hand the homelessness crisis Saskatoon is currently experiencing. The YWCA Crisis Shelter and Residence provides short-term safety and security for women and their children who have no place to go, and longer-term supported living for women and at-risk youth. Whether clients are staying in the Shelter or living in the Residence, they have access to one-on-one and group counselling as well as a variety of life-skills programming. The need is great and every service we provide is consistently and fully utilized every day of the year. Donor support is critical to providing our residents the opportunity to return to successful independent living in the community.

LAST YEAR:

• we served 951 shelter clients (including 353 children), 89 at-risk youth and 22 resident clients
• the average shelter stay was 19 days
• 3,334 women and children were turned away because there was no room
• we provided crisis counseling to 434 women, men and youth over the phone, and
• 11 women moved out of the residence into independent living.