‘A seat at the table’: Shield of Athena’s fundraiser calls on Montrealers for support
Posted June 9, 2025 6:41 pm.
Last Updated June 9, 2025 9:38 pm.
For more than 20 years, Athena’s Kitchen at Shield of Athena’s emergency shelter has offered more than just meals. It has been a place of comfort, routine, and healing for thousands of women and children escaping violence.
Now, after decades of daily use and increasing demand, the kitchen is in urgent need of repair.
The Shield of Athena Family Services is asking Montrealers to help raise $100,000 to renovate and restore this essential space.
A space that brings people together
When women and children arrive at Athena’s House, they are stepping out of crisis and into the unknown. The kitchen is often the first space where fear starts to ease and healing begins.
“Ever since a woman might come into the shelter—since the point that she does come into the shelter with her children—there’s the beginning of community life at the shelter. And, of course, we all know that the center of community life anywhere is somebody’s kitchen, where we share our meals, we share experiences, and we bond,” said Melpa Kamateros, executive director and founding member of the Shield of Athena family services.
That sense of connection, she said, can be transformative.
“Meeting in front of a kitchen, sharing your stories, breaking the isolation that a lot of the women bring in with them. When they first come to the house, they don’t know what to expect, they don’t know how it’s going to be, who the staff is going to be. And it’s part of, once they pass through the kitchen and find warmth and nurturing—I mean, that’s part of what matters in helping them during their stay there.”
Worn down by years of use
The shelter first opened its doors in 2004. Since then, thousands of women and children have passed through its kitchen.
Over two decades, regular wear and tear have taken a toll, but the pressure intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the shelter was forced to double its capacity.
“You have the usual wear and tear that takes place in a normal kitchen, but perhaps a thousand times over,” Kamateros said.
“Cupboards are falling, doors are out of their place — the kitchen really needs fixing.”
The organization completed phase one of an expansion project earlier this year, which increased shelter capacity, but there were not enough funds left to renovate the kitchen. That work now forms the focus of phase two.
Fundraiser to support urgent repairs
To help meet its $100,000 goal, the Shield of Athena will hold A Seat at the Table, its annual membership fundraiser, on Wednesday, June 11. The event will take place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Portovino Ristorante on Décarie Boulevard.
Tickets are $150, with proceeds going directly toward the kitchen renovation. Guests will enjoy dinner, live music, and stories shared by shelter staff, including Shelter Coordinator Maria Cocoris, who will speak about daily life at Athena’s Kitchen.
The evening will also include the launch of the organization’s new cookbook, Recipes and Stories from Athena’s Kitchen, which features recipes and personal reflections from former residents.
“Our event is called A Seat at the Table and we’re inviting also participants, part of our supporters, to come and partake of the wonderful food and to hear about the experiences in Athena’s kitchen,” said Kamateros.
“On one side it’s to inform our supporters, but on the other side it’s also to benefit the people that come through our doors, that do pass through our kitchen. So we’re inviting all of them, both of them, to take a seat at the table and become part of this adventure.”
More than repairs — rebuilding a lifeline
While repairs to broken doors and worn floors are badly needed, the renovation is also an opportunity to reimagine the space. The organization hopes to build a central island where mothers and children can sit together, talk, and connect.
“That would be something great for us if we could afford to do that. And unfortunately, that takes a lot of money. And as do the replacement of the kitchen appliances and any other costs that are associated with the kitchen, such as the flooring, you know, might entail,” Kamateros said.
The entire $100,000 raised will go toward those kitchen improvements.
A call to take your seat
Kamateros said that while the event is nearly sold out, the need for public support remains critical.
“Please take a seat at the table, Montreal,” she said.
“Even if we block our event — because I think we’re pretty close to sold out — you can still donate, go to our Facebook pages, call the organization. We still need your donations in order to make Athena’s Kitchen retain its previous glory.”
The meaning behind the event’s name is intentional. Kamateros said it reflects a broader call to action.
“Everybody has a place and everybody has a seat and it’s everybody’s responsibility to try and eliminate violence against women. So we’re inviting everybody to take a seat at the table.”
Help is available
As the organization works to restore the kitchen, it is also reminding the public that support is available for anyone facing violence.
“If you know a victim or if there’s a victim listening to this newscast, kindly take the effort and look after yourself,” said Kamateros.
“Call 911 if you’re in immediate danger. Call SOS Violence Conjugale. Call 514-274-8117, which is the Shield of Athena. There is help. Do not be scared.”
