Velma’s House Update – December 2024
December 2024 – Thank you for your ongoing support of Velma’s House – a nurturing 24/7 safe space led by survivors, where women can access basic needs, resources, compassion, and connection to culture.
Thousands have found refuge at Velma’s House since it opened in 2020.
Velma’s House has had a couple of homes since it started. Most recently, three years ago, with the support of community and governments we purchased the former Ronald McDonald House on Bannatyne. This home has served the community well but is no longer adequate for the increased need we’re seeing. In an average month, Velma’s House sees between 2,800 and 4,300 visits.
To be able to provide the wrap-around supports and services the growing number of women need, we require a different kind of space.
With that in mind, we are now planning a move.
We want to be sure you know that our commitment to community has not changed, and we will not move from Bannatyne without another location already open. We understand people need to know where they can go to access safety and resources.
We have experienced some staff shortages recently and have had to adjust our hours accordingly, but please know we are committed to keeping the doors open 24/7 – and doing so safely. Like many other social service organizations have noted, it can be difficult to find qualified staff with lived experience.
Our ideal next home would still be in core area where community needs us most and would be at a more commercial or industrial area. We have identified a potential location, and it will need some renovation to make it into community’s ideal space. We will likely need a temporary location in the meantime. We will keep you posted on the location and the timelines.
We are committed to serving women in emergency situations, and we cannot do it alone. As you know, there’s a growing social crisis in Winnipeg. All the in-community organizations are facing similar and alarming issues of increased need, mental health concerns and drugs so toxic that they can withstand 10 or 15 doses of Naloxone without having any affect. This was not the case two years ago.
We also know that as a community we continue to lose women to suicide and murder and that Velma House is needed more than ever.
We continue to be guided by the vision of our cultural leaders and community who want Velma’s House to be a short-term haven for women with immediate safety needs, who need something to eat or drink, who need clothing or to use a washroom, or to start a deep cultural connection. We know these small things save lives – we see it every day. We will also continue to offer referrals and help women navigate other health, employment and housing systems. Velma’s House’s dedicated team and community have been proudly living up to Elder Velma Orvis’s vision and will continue to do that with love and kindness for many years to come.
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