Federal funding to assist victims of violence through ETA Vaughan Women’s Shelter

Vaughan Weekly
March 12, 2014
By Angela Gismondi

A women’s shelter in Vaughan is getting a helping hand from the federal government.

Julian Fantino, Vaughan MP and Minister of Veterans Affairs, was joined by Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, to announce federal government funding to the Empowerment Through Achievement (ETA) Vaughan Women’s Shelter to provide a series of “Munch and Learn” workshops to support women and girls who have experienced family violence. Funding for this project totals $74,190.

“Our government continues to support efforts to end family violence in Canada and to support those who need assistance steering their way through the justice system,” said Fantino. “This initiative will help to connect women and girls in the Vaughan area with the help, information and assistance they need to get ahead.”

The workshops will be funded under the Family Violence component of the Justice Partnership and Innovation Program and will provide public legal information on legal rights, the justice system and processes, so that women and girls can make more informed decisions about their options.

“Our workshops will help educate our clients to become familiar with the legal process, language, and rights and how to regain their confidence through knowledge and return to the community and begin their new lives,” said Marie Fiorellino-Di Poce, chief operating executive director of ETA Vaughan Women’s Shelter.

“This contribution will enable us to implement and expand the program on numerous complex issues such as legal, accounting and real estate for those who have been part of a domestic violence situation.”

She thanked the federal government for its support and the Department of Justice for recognizing the work ETA Vaughan does to support women, children and youth who are escaping or experiencing abuse.

“We at ETA Vaughan, are extremely grateful and encouraged to receive this contribution from the Justice Partnership and Innovation Program - Family Violence Initiative,” said Fiorellino-Di Poce. “Our work with abused women and children at the shelter has been an accomplishment as we have helped many families start a new life. Most importantly, it is the work after the client leaves the shelter, and the knowledge they can acquire prior to leaving the shelter on what they will deal with and encounter in their new lives, that also needs to be considered.”