Shelter Movers is one step closer to supporting survivors across Canada who are experiencing abuse. Shelter Movers remains the only service of its kind in Canada, we are excited to announce the launch of Shelter Movers Nova Scotia this July, 2019.
The Nova Scotia chapter marks our third expansion outside Toronto and our first in the Maritimes. Shelter Movers Nova Scotia (SMNS) will begin by serving clients in the Halifax Regional Municipality (Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford and Sackville). The current three-year plan includes growth to serve survivors from across Nova Scotia as the chapter establishes a larger base of volunteers and staff. As SMNS grows, our sights are set on serving more rural and remote areas across the province, to ensure anyone experiencing abuse has access to our free and secure moving and storage services.
The expansion to Canada’s East Coast has been welcomed by a host of support agencies, YWCA Halifax, Alice House, Bryony House and Housing Nova Scotia, to name a few. It is our honour and privilege to work with our partner agencies to assist women through this small but critical part of their journey. As we continue to establish ourselves in the community, SMNS will strengthen its relationships with other regional women’s shelters, transition houses, and support agencies in order to serve more women experiencing abuse.
It is worth noting that Shelter Movers does not discriminate based on gender. Abuse affects all Canadians,and our services are open to all.. However, the overwhelmingly majority of our clients are women. Our priority is therefore to align with the existing violence against women sector in Nova Scotia to ensure we are meeting the needs of the group most likely to require our services.
The successful expansion to Nova Scotia has not been possible without the generous support of the business community. Our corporate partners understand that giving back to the community is part of running a smart, successful, and ethical business. A huge thank you is due to Avis Budget, Apple Storage, JOLCAR Security and Creative Curve Media Group. Their donations have given SMNS access to critical components of Shelter Movers operations, namely vehicles to complete our moves, secure storage units to store our clients’ belongings and security personnel to ensure the safety of our clients and volunteers. Please give special consideration to these local businesses in your future business or personal plans. They care about the community!
MNS would also like to extend a special thank you to Scott Wellenbach and Lisa Murphy from the J&W Murphy Foundation for their generous donations. Mr. Wellenbach has financially supported many organizations world-wide throughout his career but supporting his hometown of Halifax remains a priority. The J&W Murphy Foundation funds various social causes throughout Nova Scotia including education, art, and public health. SMNS is grateful to both Mr. Wellenbach and Ms. Murphy for recognizing the need that Shelter Movers will be filling in the community and choosing to support.
If you have any questions regarding SMNS or are interested in supporting us contact info.ns@sheltermovers.com. If you would like to volunteer and become part of our team, please reach out to volunteerns@sheltermovers.com.