Charity helping women flee violence awarded YMCA Peace Medal

A charitable organization that helps women fleeing situations of gender-based violence was recognized for its work.

The Shelter Movers – with a newly launched chapter in Montreal – were awarded a Peace Medal at Tuesday’s YMCA of Québec Foundation ceremony.

“A woman is killed every other day in Canada,” said Marc Hull-Jacquin, the executive director and founder of Shelter Movers. “That’s an unacceptable statistic that we cannot take for granted. Shelter Movers is a way for our communities to assemble around women and children and give them a safe way to flee.

“In Canada, the home is the most dangerous place for women and girls.”

Shelter Movers facilitates moving families to a safer place with their belongings.

“Shelter Movers faces a number of pretty serious challenges because we’re growing so quickly,” said Hull-Jacquin. “We’re looking for businesses, specifically storage facilities or trucks and moving supply companies and every-day regular citizens who want to get involved in a very tangible and practical way.

“And of course, moving a family internally costs us about $250 to gather security personnel, language interpreters, pet-fostering services, trucks and volunteer movers. Of course, our service is always free to survivors, but donations in that amount can ensure that at least one woman and her children can get to a safe place.”

The charitable organization won this year’s YMCA Peace Medal in the “organisation for peace” category.

“The YMCA Peace Medals are really the top, say, individual moment on the calendar every year where peace is celebrated and where peacemakers from our city and beyond are given a spotlight, where they’re celebrated, where they’re acknowledged, and where more supports can be generated and these peacemakers really get a much deserved recognition,” said Brian Bronfman, the co-president of the YMCA Peace Medals organizing committee.

“We look at the impact that the Peace Medal would have on their work. And in going further with their work and on maximizing the impact of the work.”

Brian Bronfman, the co-president of the YMCA Peace Medals organizing committee, on Oct. 18, 2022. (Credit: CityNews/Fariha Naqvi-Mohamed)

Montreal branch started two years ago

The Montreal chapter of Shelter Movers began in 2020, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. It joins a Canada-wide network established in 2016.

There are 150 volunteers part of the Montreal branch. They’ve helped complete 300 moves since the launch two years ago.

“Violence against women is a community problem,” said Hull-Jacquin. “The onus should never be on women to find their own way out when we all have a responsibility to provide her with that opportunity.

“Despite all the challenges of the pandemic, our community rallied and came together. And since then, we’ve moved 300 families, and we’re very proud of that.

“This award means so much to us, the Transit Secours, Shelter Movers, because it is an indication that our success serving survivors in the Montreal region can and should and must be replicated across Quebec.”