If it takes a village to raise a child, it will take a whole community to raise enough money for the Optimism Place expansion.
Despite the steep hurdle, Stratford's first and only women's shelter has reached 20 per cent of its $1 million fundraising goal.
Optimism Place is celebrating 40 years of service and are in the midst of an expansion that will more than double its support.
“We are here and are able to support people 24 hours a day,” Jasmine Clark, executive director, explained. “Not just the women who are residing here but also anyone who needs walk-in support.”
Optimism Place provides shelter and wraparound support and runs a number of programs that operate throughout the county, offering housing, family court support, and programs for children that have been exposed to violence. Optimism Place also runs a crisis line for those that need assistance but do not need or can't access shelter.
The renovation includes 6,500 square feet of residential space and 500 square feet of administrative space.
Located at 270 Freeland Dr. in Stratford, the building was tailor-made for the needs of the day, Clark said, but those needs have evolved. Clark said the issues Optimism Place helps people navigate are only getting more complex.
“We're seeing complexity around mental health, around addiction, the family court system, the criminal court system as well … These are all the systems that women navigate when they're going through an experience of violence, and for years after in some cases … We're seeing more incidents of violence occur in the community. We've seen our crisis calls doubled since 2019.”
Another aspect of the complexity of the issue is affordability, as Clark explained.
“Women used to come into the shelter, in six to eight weeks they could reasonably find an affordable apartment in the community of their choice. Now, they're waiting six to eight months.”
The shelter currently has 13 funded beds, which will jump to 28 after expansion.
Such a drastic expansion is a long time coming, Clark reasoned. The shelter has been over capacity for quite some time. Last year on 335 occasions they were full when someone called for space.
“It sounds like a huge leap from 13 beds to 28, but I would not be surprised if they are full.”
The idea for expansion came around about five years ago. In the Fall, Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) released funding to support overburdened shelters.
Optimism Place received $4 million from CMHC, or about 80 per cent of the total needed for the project.
In September, Optimism Place launched its Building on Hope Capital Campaign to raise $1 million by August.
Most of their fundraising plans are scheduled for the spring. They will have a Perth County cycle tour and are currently hosting the Artists Inspiring Hope and Healing, a fundraising effort that will help raise money and to make the new space more feel more like a home.
They are looking for artists who are interested in creating art to adorn the walls in the new space, with the artwork to be sold and donated back to the shelter. Currently they have around 20 artists and hoping to have at least 50 pieces of art.
Once construction is complete, Clark said they hope to have a 40th year anniversary celebration at the new build.
Overall, Clark said that while they are making good progress in achieving their goal, they are inviting the community to contribute in any way they can.
“It takes a community to end violence against women and this campaign is really about reaching as many people as we can and inviting them to support the work we're doing.”
For more information on the capital campaign, visit Building on Hope website.
