Beyond Shelter: Genesis House’s Commitment to Women and Independence

Funding provided through Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy.

Located in Winkler, Manitoba, Genesis House has been supporting women experiencing abuse by partners or family members since 1994. It provides a place to stay for 100 to 135 women and children each year and offers various counselling services for both residents and non-residents. Whether through one-on-one counselling, either over the phone or in person, or through support groups or programs, women experiencing violence at home can find the support they need through Genesis House.

Since 2020, Reaching Home has provided funding to Genesis House to enhance its services through support groups and individualized coaching. These support groups, held several times a year, provide access to important life skills coaching, from building self-esteem and budget-friendly cooking to financial planning. Parent-child attachment counselling is also offered, where women learn how to become the parent that they want to be. These sessions are aimed to empower women to escape immediate danger and build a foundation for lasting success and independence.

While group sessions support a common goal, the individualized coaching, provided through dedicated outreach and support workers, takes a more focused approach to ensure the safety of women and children. Reaching Home funding has helped workers collaborate with more women to create short and long-term goals, equip them to recognize signs of violence, guide them on where to seek help, and advise on essential items if they need to escape. Support workers can also accompany women to court, to meet with lawyers, or help them find appropriate services, such as medical, vision, or dental care, or other supports that lead to maintaining safe and long-term housing.

Federal funding has played an important role in ensuring that programs offered through organizations like Genesis House receive the support they need to make a lasting impact in women’s lives.

Quick facts:

• Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy is a community-based program aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness that provides funding and support to urban, Indigenous, territorial, and rural and remote communities across Canada.
• Reaching Home supports the goals of the National Housing Strategy which recognizes that safe and affordable housing is at the heart of every strong community.

For more information, visit:

• Genesis House
• About Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation