2 NEWS SECOND MATERNITY HOME OPENS FOR YOUNG WOMEN IN NEED i 2 SHIFRA HAS SHAD NEARLY } 200 REQUESTS 3 FOR ADMISSION 3 THIS YEAR ry = KATHY YANCHUS & kyanchus@metroland.com No sooner had Shifra opened the doors of its sec- ond maternity home for xperienc- ing homelessness than its beds were filled. "I could probably au at least two or three m¢ homes right now,” said the Burlington-based home's executive director, Nancy Romic. Escaping troubled, often tragic pasts, most of Shi- fra's residents have been abandoned by family. They live on the streets or in rs; some couch surf. In one case this year, a young mother- to. ec, covered sleeping in a ham- mock in the city's woods. some as youn: destitute and frightened, without any trust in those who should protect them, depleted. Whether taken in from Oakville, other parts of the region or beyond, Shifra of- fers" 1asafe place tolay their down, take a breath With the purchase ofa second location, gutted, Graham Paine/Metroland Ashley holds four-month-old daughter Tiger Lily in the family room of the newest Shifra home. renovated and furnished in little over a month, Shifra can now accommodate a to- tal of 10 residents. ere, food, clothing and medical care for the women and teens and their babies are assured. Under the guidance, support and nur- turing of kind-hearted staff ind a small army of volun- teers, each of these young n will learn parent- ing ‘and life anskills, pushed to finish their edu- cation and have the chance to change the trajectory of their future. "Shifra is a real home where I feel welcome,” said current resident Judith. "It de to feel com- arable “loved and part ofa family. It is not at all what I expected. You forget about your problems and your past. The stress and wor- ries are taken care of, al- lowing me to just enjoy ev- ery day. Inow have hope for a wonderful future with my child.” In 2021, Shifra had 89 re- quests for admission from throughout the region and well beyond; with less than a month left in 2022, that number has soared to 179, in part because similar homes in southwestern On- tario have closed their doors, said Romic. le are continuously full with waiting There's just nowhere to for these young pregnant women and moms. Honest- “They show you the love and respect that you deserve when the rest of the world looks at you like you're broken beyond repair.” ly, it's devastating; the need 18 sc so great. The funding is inishing everywhere.” one joy of opening a sec- ond home is tempered only by the fact the bottom line will be doubled. Costs are currently just under half a million to operate one home, and staff are dipping into reserves to run the sec- ond. Shifra relies heavily on. It's not just the basic neces- sities of life required, buta myriad of in-house sup- ports such as psychothera- addictions counsel- Hope program, which offers support to for- mer residents as they tran- sition back into the com- munity. With backgrounds that can include addic- tions, mental health nissues, even human fic] q “it's a lifetime Aas helping, assisting, until you know that they're on their feet ~ Keisha, former resident and they've healed, and ev- erybody heals and recovers at a different pac "I have a mission that I foster that this is always home for these girls and ba- fra, I would be homeless and just going to drop-in centres to get food and sup- port,” said former resident Keisha. "They actually care. They show you the love and respect that you deserve when the tothe world looks uu like you're broken beond re- pair. “Without Shifra, I can honestly say I wouldn't be clean and sober. I wouldn't have my kids and, as much as I hate to admit it, I prob- ably wouldn't be alive right now." STORY BEHIND THE STORY: With a second maternity home opening for young homeless moth- its efforts to help those in need. FP _ eo) a] Se Simple Cremation Package Includes All disbursements & Crematorium Fees - Monthly Payments Starting at *45 CREMATIONHELP.ca ».X. DERMODY by 905-512-5799 « info@cremationhelp.ca tion