By Liam Verster

Supporting domestic abuse survivors

Adopt a Family program to provide Christmas to families escaping domestic violence

Oct 22, 2020 | 2:24 PM

The Odyssey House is running it’s annual Adopt a Family program, and is calling for donations to help provide Christmas to families in need.

The program sees individuals, groups and organizations make donations and sponsor a family, and support them by buying gifts for the children and mother, and buying the family a grocery gift card, so they can have a big holiday meal together.

Makayla Marcotte, the Communications Director for Odyssey House, says this program is mainly designed to support families who have recently departed their shelter services.

“That means that perhaps they were staying in our emergency shelter, and we were able to support them in finding a space for living that is affordable and safe for them,” says Marcotte. “Or they were in our second stage shelter, and then again we were able to secure some low-income housing in a safe and secure area.”

She adds that this program can also help families who may not have needed to use the shelter, but while escaping from a situation of domestic violence did access the supports or services they offer, such as trauma counselling, legal aid, or child care, and are now trying to get back on their feet.

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“Typically it’s their first holiday season on their own, so it’s kind of their first Christmas in their own space, in their own home outside of our space.”

Marcotte says in 2018 this program supported 36 families by providing them with christmas gifts and food, and last year they saw over $14,000 in donations support 77 families.

People can sponsor families through donations, with the associated cost of a sponsorship dependant on the size of the family.

“A family size of two to three people ranges from $375 to $600, and that’s the cost of gifts, groceries, everything total,” says Marcotte. “A family of four to five individuals can range from $575 to $950, and a family of six or more people can be anywhere between $775 and $1,150.”

Those who get involved with the program will receive some information about the family, such as the age and gender of the children. Odyssey House asks that the donated gifts be age appropriate toys for the children, and that gifts for the parents should be something practical and useful.

People who want to help but can’t meet the full sponsorship requirement can still donate a portion. They will then be partnered with others to ensure a family is supported through joint contributions.

Marcotte says this year they would like to see more donations than last, especially because the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns led to increased rates of domestic violence and people accessing their services.

“COVID was kind of the perfect storm for domestic violence in a way,” says Marcotte. “Individuals who perhaps were employed before were laid off, and now instead of a perpetrator of violence being home for the evening and the early morning, they’re home all day potentially.

“Then with spaces like coffee shops and gyms and things like that being closed, women who typically would use those spaces as their ‘break,’ they couldn’t really do that anymore.”

Marcotte adds that work was also a space of escape for women, who were then laid off or couldn’t go in to work due to the novel coronavirus. She also says schools and day cares being closed potentially put children at risk of being trapped in an unsafe environment.

The Odyssey House also launched a text line this year, as many people weren’t able to call the crisis phone line because their abusive partner was in the house, and they didn’t want to be overheard trying to access supports and escape a violent situation.

Anyone interested in supporting these families can do so by emailing Nancy with Odyssey House at reception@odysseyhouse.ca or by calling 780-538-1332 ext. 101.