14-The Canadian Champion, Friday, JuIy 23, ~outne," r aat (t advemtsang soone r rIter *10ds irseif, immnnre f0 buoiric.." FAMWILY CHIROPRACTIC CM(E under my roof c4nge1ka 311 Martin Street, Milton (905) 878-5165 Raisins: Raising chiropractie drugfree kids. 2004 -/Halton Women's Place optimistic fundraising goal will be reached Leam how to talk to others about their smoking. CAIL THE CANADIAN CANCER SOCIETY'S TOti FREE SMOKERS' HELPLINE 1-877-513-5333 By WILMA BLOKUIS Inada&dtiont b proVtdtng sale refuge ta hundreds of abused women and their children, Halton Women's Place (HWPj must also fundraise $420,000 just to keep the door open. "We receive 75 per cent af our funding from the Ontario Mmnistry of Community and Social Services, and the remainmng 25 per cent has ta corne fromn our own fundrais- ing," said HWP executive director Cheryl Taylor. "Last year we fell short of our goal, for no reason other than there's strong competition for fundraised dollars in H-alton. 'Mis year we're fairly strong." Ms Taylor is hopeful this year's goal will be met. HfWl> provides 50 heds at two sites in Halton - 20 at its new north facility that opened in town two years ago, and 30 at its south shelter in Burlington, which was built in 1994. "Cribs and cots can add lO to 15 occupants when yau include small children and infants an a daily basis," said Ms Taylor. -We have newboms ta I 6-year- alds. We've had women give hirth at the shelter. We sec ail sectars af society, everyhady from wamen withaut money ta thase with no access ta maney." Bath shelter', have handicapped facilities. are offered there. "A large number ai wamen who access aur services in Burlingtan and Milton came fram Oakville." HWP is usoally full, said Ms Taylor, and peak periods include early summer when wamen make a move ta leave the famnily home without having ta disrupt their kids' school. Ibis creates anather prablem, as Haltan is "lacking in affordable, social hausing that is subsidized, creating a big viciaus circle around the needs ai the community around social hausing," said Ms Taylor. "There is no second-stage haus- ing in Haltan unfortunately," she larnented. Playroom for children HWP prides itself in not anly praviding a playraom that's open 24 haurs a day, but it alsa provides an interactive children's pragram resembling sommer camp - everything fram crafts ta day trips for thase for wham it's safe ta yen- ture away. under supervision, fram the shelter. The shelters have large secored fenced yards and videa surveillance. "We are strangly safety ariented when it cames ta the kids," said Ms Taylar, emphasizing "they're still kids and we need ta filI their need for sommer fon- and famîly ion - despite the famiiy being an crists. at IIWP wuc counseled oa uatter- standing abuse, how ta face the future should they retum ta an abu- sive situation, and that the abuse isn't their isuit. 'Me shelter's sumîner programn relies on community support, such as donated tickets to pools and for day trips ta the African Lions Safari or Canada's Wonderland. "We leave the chaice ai whether the kids go out ai the shelter for swimming or day trips with the mams," said Ms Taylor. "Some men will go out Iookmng for their kids, and some dan't.- Mathers and children can stay at the shelter for a maximum ai six weeks. "The greater number stay the maximum six weeks because they feel they have no place ta go. Because there's no hoosing for them, they do the 'shelter shuffle.' They mave fram shelter ta shelter while looking for a social safety net," said Ms Taylor. The average length ai stay has increased ta 25 ta 28 days ftom 17 ta 21 days. Same wamen only stay far a couple ai days. H-WP will celebrate its 25th anniversary next year. Its tirst shelter was an aId farm- hause in Milton. "We've been providing shelter far ahused wamen since 1980," said Ms Taylor. -J 1