The Mountain Rose Women’s Shelter Association not only strives to help individuals escape abusive domestic situations, but also offers a variety of services and resources.
Cindy Easton, the non-profit’s executive director, recently offered council some insight on the organization’s progress since first being incorporated in 1990. Its first facility in Rocky Mountain House opened in 2005, and “the minute we moved in, it was already too small,” said Easton during the March 18 meeting.
The registered charity’s goal is to provide resources to individuals and families impacted by domestic violence and serves a large area from Sundre to the south, Drayton Valley to the north, Jasper to the west and Eckville to the east, she said.
Currently providing a 10-bed emergency shelter, the organization has at times found itself over-capacity in the past couple of years, she said, adding 165 families were helped last year alone. Although more than 300 women had to be turned away, every effort is made to refer those in need somewhere they can be accommodated, she said.
Because of the organization’s name, people tend to think its service caters specifically only to women who are seeking shelter from domestic abuse, which while often physical or verbal can also sometimes be sexual, emotional or financial in nature.
The group also offers outreach services such as counselling, peer support groups, court funding application assistance, housing support for people who are homeless or near homeless, as well as a 24-7 crisis line, 1-877-845-4141, which last year received 635 calls, she said.
Exploited seniors who are taken advantage of financially — often by their own children or grandchildren — are also offered assistance, she said, adding such instances are becoming increasingly frequent with an aging population.
“In summary, we are so much more than a shelter.”
The focus does largely revolve around making available a “lifeline” for women and families impacted by violence at home, she said.
A 21-bed building called the Clearwater Abuse Centre is currently under construction and will eventually feature apartments to assist families escaping domestic violence as well as help them transition to a new home, she said.
The non-profit group’s $1.1-million budget is in large part funded by grants but fundraising efforts are always ongoing, including an upcoming gala in September, she said.
Coun. Charlene Preston inquired whether any statistics were available on the number of Sundre-area residents who have sought the shelter’s service.
Easton said a community member has joined their staff as a crisis worker, but did not have specific numbers detailing how many people from the area have received assistance. The shelter receives anywhere from about five to 10 phone calls a year from the Sundre Hospital and Care Centre on average, she said.
Mayor Terry Leslie expressed appreciation for the information presented to council, and said he looked forward to hearing more about the impending opening of the new facility later this summer.
Preston’s motion to accept the presentation for information carried unanimously.
