Naomi’s understands the deep support our community has shown for our work, programs and services — and we’re grateful for it. Giving back isn’t separate from our mission; it’s part of how we live it out. Beyond providing shelter and support to women and their children, we invest in the community around us in the following ways.
1. Public Speaking and Education
We’re honoured to be invited into conversation with the people we serve alongside. A representative from Naomi’s is available to speak at your next gathering or event, offering a perspective on benevolence, women’s issues, or the realities faced by vulnerable people and victims of violence. Throughout the year, we take part in local groups, service clubs, schools, and community gatherings, including International Women’s Day events, to help keep these conversations part of the public dialogue.
Interested in having a speaker at your event? Contact us to arrange a visit.
2. Bright Futures Annual Bursary Awards
Naomi’s understands the importance of knowledge and education in helping people build lives of stability and independence. Each year, we proudly offer two bursaries to graduating students — one each at North Dundas High School and St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic High School — recognizing students who have demonstrated potential and self-determination in the face of adversity.
We also invest in our own team: staff members are offered a bursary to further their post-secondary education in the social services sector, helping ensure the people who support our clients continue to grow in their own knowledge and skill.
3. Mentorship
Through the Canadian Women’s Foundation, Naomi’s participates as a mentor in The Rosie Project, a career development initiative that pairs experienced women leaders with women who are new to careers in the non-profit sector. It’s a meaningful way for us to support the next generation of leadership in a field built on compassion, resilience, and advocacy.
4. Gender-Based Violence Forums
Naomi’s is proud to represent the voices of rural women and their dependents in local, regional, and provincial forums, ensuring their unique circumstances are reflected in the broader conversation around gender-based violence. Our participation includes organizations such as Women’s Shelter Canada, the Ontario Association of Interval and Transitional Housing, and Provincial VAW Conference Planning, among others — work that helps shape policy and services across the sector.
Naomi’s is proud to call this community home, and we remain committed to strengthening it — not only through the doors of our shelter, but through education, mentorship, advocacy, and partnership. If you’d like to learn more about our community involvement or invite us to your next event, please contact us.