Officials from Orillia's Green Haven Shelter for Women pleaded with city council Monday for "critical" funding for the Sundial Drive facility.
The shelter has 14 beds and is "significantly underfunded," putting a "strain" on operations and services, officials say.
Of the 14 beds at the shelter, 12 are funded by the Ministry of Children Community and Social Services. The other two have been operating without funding since the facility opened in 2020.
Kyla Epstein, the board chair who also serves as chair of the fundraising committee for Green Haven, says the non-profit organization is Orillia's only emergency shelter for women and children.
"Our shelter is designed to provide six weeks of emergency housing," she explained. "Often, women and children come to our shelter via victim services, the police, or they come from another shelter where they have experienced gender-based violence during this current housing crisis."
Linda Reid, executive director of the shelter, says six weeks for emergency housing has become increasingly unrealistic for residents and the demand for their services is growing at an unsustainable rate.
"Often for women with children it's not unusual for them to stay three months or more because of a lack of housing in the community," she explained at Monday's presentation at City Hall.
Already this year, the shelter has turned away 300 women and children due to lack of capacity, housing only 100 of those in need, she explained.
Last year, the shelter was forced to lay off three staff members. It is single-staffed each day from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., posing serious challenges for security, programming, and staff training, officials explained.
The shelter is requesting a one-time $71,500 contribution from the City of Orillia to fund one of their emergency beds for one year. That cost includes staffing, utilities, repairs, food, programming, and all housing-related expenses necessary to accommodate someone living full-time in the shelter.
"By securing this one-time funding, we will be able to not only maintain our current services, but build on the programs and services that we have promised to deliver to this community," Reid said.
"This will directly result in better outcomes for the women and children that we serve."
Reid says the funding request represents an investment in Orillia's future and one that aligns with the city's commitment to community, well-being, and the support of vulnerable populations.
"We are confident that with your support, we can continue to deliver critical services that provide a safety net for those who need it most," she said.
Reid thanked Councillors Jeff Czetwerzuk, Whitney Smith, and Janet-Lynne Durnford for meeting with her over the last few months to learn more about the shelter.
Coun. Tim Lauer thanked shelter officials for their work and inquired about how they may raise funds for the beds in future years. Epstein acknowledged that asking for city funding won't be "feasible" on an annual basis.
"This is a one-time ask, but who knows what can transpire," she said. "We've been working our bums off to fundraise and look for donations."
Council referred the request to its upcoming 2025 budget deliberations.
