Alternatives for Women is fundraising for a new transitional housing building.

“We started this new development that has already broken ground and we anticipate it will be done around August of this year,” said Julie Watson, Executive Director of Alternatives for Women. 

An anonymous donor through the County Foundation committed to matching $50,000, a goal AFW has just about reached. “We still have a ways to go,” she said.

Meanwhile, funding from both the province and the federal government is retracting, in spite of the clear need for affordable housing. “We’re not seeing the same corresponding funding from our usual provincial sources,” Ms. Watson notes.

The federal department, Women and Gender Equality Canada, is facing an 81 percent budget cut in the 2027-2028 fiscal year.

Yet the need to provide respite for victims of intimate partner violence is only growing. “It’s the only violent crime that increases annually in the County,” notes Ms. Watson, citing reports from the OPP. 

“Transitional housing can be life saving.”

A Long History

Established in 1987, Alternatives for Women provides a range of services and support for women experiencing intimate partner violence. A key component is transitional housing, sometimes referred to as second stage housing, an affordable and safe stepping stone for women and their children. 

The first stop after leaving an abusive partner is usually an emergency shelter where survivors might stay for up to around six weeks before moving into transitional housing. 

“Transitional housing can really be the difference between whether a person stays in that kind of abuse or is able to leave,” Ms. Watson said. 

A survey by the Canadian Centre for Housing Rights shows 17 percent of respondents returned to living with an abusive partner after leaving an emergency shelter because affordable housing was unavailable. 

Alternatives for Women offers transitional housing to women, children, and pets for around a year.

“During that time we help with some of those life skills maybe they’ve been isolated from, and offer housing support,” Ms. Watson explained. 

The current building is 60 years old, and requires costly and time-consuming maintenance. 

The new building offers a fully accessible suites, six two-bedroom units and one three-bedroom suite. 

“We’ve come into situations with women who have a lot of kids and we’re putting them in a two-bedroom apartment,” Ms. Watson noted. 

The Alternatives for Women housing program is funded through donations and rent-geared-to-income from residents. 

A big push is underway to meet their $1.5 million fundraising goal. On May 2nd, AFW will host the third annual tattoo fundraiser at Picton Tattoo Club.