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The Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health™ – the charitable arm of Shoppers Drug Mart® – announced a $1M donation granting Women’s Shelters Canada and Canadian Women’s Foundation each with $500,000 to support a variety of gender-based violence initiatives. This $1M donation kickstarts a month-long fundraising campaign known as Giving Shelter, which runs from September 9 to October 6, providing customers the option to support more than 300 local women’s shelters by simply purchasing one of several icons in-store or online at ShoppersFoundation.ca. One hundred per cent of donations made in-store and online during the Giving Shelter campaign will go directly to a local women’s shelter.
The annual Giving Shelter campaign is one of the most prominent campaigns initiated by Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health™, as it works to foster health equity by making care more equitable and accessible for all women in Canada.
How to support the Giving Shelter campaign:
In-store: Customers can donate at any Shoppers Drug Mart® store location by purchasing one of several icons at cash or self-checkout – a blue heart hand for $2, red heart hand for $5, dark blue heart hand for $10 and a purple heart hand for $20.
Online: Customers can donate to the Giving Shelter campaign online at ShoppersFoundation.ca(Open in a new tab).
At any time throughout the year, customers can also donate to Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health™ in-store via self-checkout, online at ShoppersFoundation.ca(Open in a new tab) or by donating PC Optimum™ points at PCOptimum.ca(Open in a new tab).
How will the Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health™ Grants be used:
Women’s Shelters Canada will apply the $500,000 grant to:
Its Shelter Ready program, which supports local women’s shelters
Research and policy development to help recognize and better understand, at a national level, the scope of services and supports provided to women and children fleeing violence
Canadian Women’s Foundation will apply the $500,000 grant to:
Its Teen Healthy Relationships program, which provides young people between the ages of 16 and 24 with the practical tools needed to build healthy, abuse-free relationships
Research and policy development aimed at addressing increased demand service providers are facing in response to the rising rates of gender-based violence
Quotes:
“While not a solution to the complex issue of domestic violence and women’s health equity, this funding serves as an important step to support systemic changes needed to help women and families across Canada,” said Jeff Leger, President, Shoppers Drug Mart® and Chair of Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health™. “We’re proud to work with Women’s Shelter Canada and Canadian Women’s Foundation to help drive these important changes and also contribute to the Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health™ ongoing commitment to advance women’s health equity.”
“The increase in violence against women and intimate partner violence that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic has not slowed as the pandemic has eased,” said Lise Martin, Executive Director, Women’s Shelters Canada. “Pre-pandemic, one woman was killed by a current or former intimate partner every 6 days. That number is now every 5 days. Femicides are but the tip of the violence iceberg. Underneath, there are tens of thousands of women and children in Canada experiencing violence in the place they should be safest: their homes. Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health™ helps Women’s Shelters Canada provide key supports to the shelters who work tirelessly to keep women and children safe.”
“Gender-based violence is a crisis that touches everyone, with 44% of women in Canada experiencing some form partner abuse in their lifetimes,” said Paulette Senior, President and CEO, Canadian Women’s Foundation. “With the support from Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health, the Canadian Women’s Foundation helps prevents the cycle of abuse from beginning in the lives of young people and ultimately helps diverse women and Two Spirit, trans, and non-binary people break free from violence. It helps us advocate for change to advance safety and gender equality and justice across Canada.”
“Many of us may not realize that a friend, neighbour, or coworker could be affected by domestic violence, and these women need support now,” explains Paulette Minard, Director, Community Investment at Shoppers Drug Mart. “Every dollar raised through the Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health™’s Giving Shelter campaign will directly help local shelters support women experiencing violence.”
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