Nova
House is a safe refuge
for women and children
traumatized by violence.
Since opening in 1981,
Nova House has housed
more than 5000 women and
children, in several different
houses. In 2003, with
support from all three
levels of government,
community groups, businesses
and many individual donors,
CHIMO built and fully
equipped a beautiful new
purpose-built permanent
facility for Nova House.
Our
Goal: $60,000 to support
women and children fleeing
violence
In
British Columbia, transition
houses and other critical
services for women and
children fleeing violence
are funded, in part, by
the provincial government.
But, these funds are not
enough to cover the operating
costs. In fact, the shortfall
grows every year, as costs
go up while funding stays
flat.
We need our community
to join with us to support
women and children in
trouble. Our fundraising
goal for Nova House for
2006 is $60,000. The Nova
House Community Campaign
is an opportunity for
every business, individual
and family to be involved
in this critical work.
Nova
House is temporary refuge
for up to ten women and
children at a time. They
can stay in this protected
family environment for
as long as four weeks
while they are making
critical decisions in
their lives and plans
for the future.
Nova House is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Workers at Nova House speak more than 10 different languages, including English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Punjabi. The main job of staff is to provide emotional support to residents and to help with immediate practical concerns such as health, legal issues, housing, financial needs, schooling, child care, and transportation. A child support worker helps make the children’s stay
at the house comfortable
and positive.
Women
of all ages, from all
walks of life, cultures,
educational and economic
backgrounds live with
violence in their intimate
relationships. In Canada
1 in 3 women experience
violence from a man who
is close to them at some
point in their lives.
Sometimes the violence
gets so bad that women
must flee for their lives
and for the safety of
their children.
Transition houses all
over British Columbia
offer safe, supportive
temporary shelter for
women and their children
escaping violence at home.
They are a place of refuge,
and give women the time
and space to consider
their options and make
important life decisions.
Nova House is that place
of refuge in Richmond.
[top]
|
|
|
|
| |
Jackie's
Story...
With
her
two
young
children,
Jackie
escapes
her
home
and
husband
in
Steveston
after
being
beaten
yet
again.
The
verbal
and
physical
abuse
had
been
going
on
for
years.
This
time,
as
usual,
Jackie
fled
to
a
relative’s
home
nearby,
but
after
several
threats,
she
knew
this
was
no
longer
a
safe
place.
The
three
of
them
have
just
arrived
at
Nova
House.
The
children
are
frightened
and
wary.
Jackie
knows
that
for
the
sake
of
her
children
and
herself,
she
must
make
some
tough
decisions
and
radical
changes
in
her
life.
She
needs
legal
help,
which
has
been
difficult
to
locate
in
the
past.
She
must
find
affordable
housing
quickly.
And,
she
has
to
get
critical
financial
resources
in
place
so
she
can
begin
to
be
independent
of
her
abusive
husband.*
Jackie
has
addressed
many
of
her
legal
issues,
including
the
court
serving
her
husband
with
a
‘no
contact’
order.
Jackie
and
her
children
have
received
counselling
to
help
cope
with
the
violence
they
experienced,
and
the
kids
are
doing
just
fine
in
school
now.
She
is
on
social
assistance
and
plans
to
upgrade
her
nursing
qualifications
and
return
to
practice
within
two
years.
She
knows
finances
will
be
tight
until
then,
but
she
is
positive
and
encouraged
by
the
changes
she
has
made
and
the
continuing
support
from
CHIMO’s
counsellors.
*
For
confidentiality
reasons,
Jackie’s
story
is
a
composite
case
study
of
a
typical
Nova
House
resident.
|
|
|
|
|
|
