Photo Courtesy EverythingGP

By Tanner Smith

Women's Shelter Movement

Odyssey House featured in new book We Need To Do This

Oct 25, 2023 | 3:02 PM

Grande Prairie’s women’s shelter is featured in a significant new book that traces the history of the women’s shelter movement in Alberta.

Written by journalist Alexandra Zabejek We Need To Do This highlights significant figures in the shelter movement from across the province and in the Peace region.

The first Grande Prairie women’s shelter, Odyssey House, alongside other Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters, is showcased in the book.

The book uses dozens of in-depth interviews to tell the stories of women who may never have otherwise been heard from, highlighting their struggles and tireless efforts to make a difference.

In a release, Odyssey House explains that We Need To Do This shares the experiences of many pioneers in the shelter movement and the backlash they experienced. That includes entry-level workers at fledgling shelters battling the assumption that their facilities would create crime, small-town shelter directors forced to self-censor or lose community, and financial support, and Indigenous women fighting to serve their sisters in Indigenous spaces.

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An official book launch event was held earlier this month for We Need To Do This at the Muttart Theatre in Edmonton

The book is now available for purchase online, at retailers in Edmonton at Glass Bookshop or Audrey’s Books, or in Calgary at Shelf Life Books.