NYWC Updates

NYWC’s Madeline Lemire reflects on the defining passion of her life and career. My name is Madeline Lemire, and I am thrilled to be starting as the Manager of Volunteer Resources for the North York Women’s Centre! I have been living in Toronto for 11 years now and have heard…

Volunteering at NYWC makes a difference. You may have heard about the 1:1 support service that we offer at North York Women’s Centre but aren’t aware of the type of assistance we provide. (In addition to our other programs and services.) With the help of staff and volunteers, we respond…

Shazma Nafis, a former NYWC intern and peer support worker, reflects on the process of moving from online to in-person services. Connecting with participants at our very first in-person event since the start of the pandemic, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of happiness. For the last two years,…

Rachelle Beswick shares how NYWC supported her healing and growth. Chi-Miigwetch to the team at the North York Women’s Centre for creating such a supportive community during one of the most difficult years of my life. Although I had become accustomed to living with a certain level of stress, I…

Two recent NYWC events explored our strategic priorities moving forward. North York Women’s Centre couldn’t be more grateful for the tireless work of our team and volunteers over the past two pandemic years. On May 7th, we had an ideal opportunity to express that gratitude, celebrate our progress and discuss…

Every May, we’re delighted to welcome summer interns to NYWC. It’s a win-win scenario in which students gain meaningful learning and practicum experience while offering invaluable help to our organization and the women who participate in our programs. Read on to hear what some past students have to say about…

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a human rights violation, yet it is all too common in Canada. When someone is abused or assaulted because of their gender, gender identity, perceived gender or gender expression, it’s gender-based violence. Women, Indigenous women, Black women, women of colour, 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, transgender and gender diverse…

Shazma Nafis, a former NYWC intern peer support worker, reflects on a crucial issue. Black History Month started as a one-week celebration in 1926 to honour Frederick Douglass, an African American abolitionist. It has since evolved into a month-long celebration of Black men and women and encouraged much-needed conversations on…

One NYWC group participant* shares her healing journey. “A few years ago, I was googling resources that help women. I was very intrigued by the digital flyer advertising the NYWC Women’s Empowerment Series with three 9-week modules. I started with Discovering our Power, the first part of the series. Zoryana…

NYWC’s 2021 message from Elissa Podolsky, Chair of NYWC’s Board of Directors and Iris Fabbro, Executive Director of NYWC. The global COVID-19 pandemic presented us with new challenges – as a society, as an organization, and as individuals. The pandemic exposed stark inequalities in our society. It exacerbated poor social…