Leaving an abusive relationship is one of the most courageous and difficult decisions an individual can make. At YWCA Westman, that first step toward safety is met with compassion, shelter, and 24/7 support.

But the journey doesn’t end when someone leaves the shelter—starting over is just beginning. Thanks to the continued generosity of the Brandon Area Community Foundation (BACF), the YWCA Westman’s New Start program provides essential household items to survivors of gender-based violence as they transition into new, independent lives.

These items—everything from bedding and kitchenware to cleaning supplies and shower curtains—do more than fill a home; they restore a sense of normalcy, dignity, and hope.

“Many of our residents enter our shelter with only a few personal items,” said Lois Ruston, YWCA Westman’s Executive Director. “Without the BACF program, they would be moving out to an empty apartment.”

Ruston further noted as a transformative example a mother and her two children who arrived with only the clothes on their backs and received basic household supplies. “This resident was incredibly grateful to the BACF program… she was extremely emotional upon receiving the essential items and expressed her gratitude many times.”

Each package provided by New Start lifts a burden and reaffirms to survivors that they are not alone. Ruston said one family, fleeing from another community for their safety, arrived in Brandon with only a few personal effects.

The BACF-supported program gave them the resources they couldn’t afford, making their empty apartment feel like a true home. Over the past two years, New Start has become a cornerstone of the YWCA Westman’s continuum of care.

Beyond emergency shelter and crisis counselling, it offers survivors the tools they need to break the cycle of violence and create safer, more stable futures for themselves and their children.

With continued community investment, the program has the potential to grow. “Providing small furniture items such as mattresses and kitchen tables further supports our clients as they begin their journey of independent living,” Ruston said. “No one should have to choose between safety and survival.”

Through BACF’s partnership, each New Start story becomes one of resilience, healing, and hope—empowering women and families to write their next chapter on their own terms.

For nearly 120 years, the YWCA Westman has served women and families in Brandon and western Manitoba. The organization helps estimated 500 clients each year and delivers more than 10 different programs dedicated to providing safety for women and those individuals marginalized by gender who experience intimate partner, domestic and family violence. Learn more here: https://ywcawestman.ca

Follow the YWCA Westman Facebook page, here: https://www.facebook.com/YWCAWestman/

To apply for funding from the Brandon Area Community Foundation, visit our website, here: https://www.bacf.ca Our grant application portal opens on August 5 and closes on September 22. City of Brandon – Local Government YWCA Canada #YWCA #ywcawestman