We Are Still Here. And We Are Still Fighting.
Why Ernestine’s Food Bank Is Closing — And Why It Matters
At Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter, we’ve spent decades standing alongside women, children, and gender-diverse people who are rebuilding their lives after experiencing violence. We’ve provided emergency shelter, Child and Youth supports, legal support, trauma counselling, and a wide range of holistic services and supports.
And for many years, we’ve also offered something simple but vital: food.
Our food bank has been a lifeline — not just for people living in our shelter, but for hundreds of families across our community. Every week, it has helped put nutritious meals on tables. It has helped mothers feed their children with dignity. It has offered a small sense of stability in lives that have often been uprooted by abuse, poverty, racism, and systemic neglect.
That’s why it breaks our hearts to share this news:
We will be closing our food bank permanently, effective June 30, 2025.
This Was Not Just a Food Bank
Food insecurity affects millions of people in Canada — and it’s not just about hunger. It’s about inequality. It’s about power. And for survivors of violence, it’s often about control.
In abusive homes, food can be used as a weapon:
Withheld to punish and manipulate.
Distributed unequally, leaving people hungry.
Tied to financial abuse, where survivors have no money or means to access food on their own.
Turned into a tool of fear, where even meals are traumatic.
When survivors finally leave, they often do so with nothing. No safety net. No groceries. No extra cash. Many are still managing trauma while also trying to navigate housing, immigration systems, child protection, and legal battles.
Our food bank has offered more than just calories. It has provided dignity, choice, and community care in a system that often dehumanizes and forgets our most vulnerable community members.
Why We Had to Make This Decision
We didn’t want this. But we have to be honest: we can no longer sustain the food bank.
The reasons are complex:
Soaring food prices have made it harder to purchase essentials.
We can’t keep up with demand
Funding has not kept pace with rising operational costs.
Limited staffing and space have stretched our capacity.
“This was an incredibly difficult decision, but our mission has always been to help survivors move beyond violence. Right now, that means focusing on our Child and Youth Program and our Life Without Violence initiative — because healing, prevention, and long-term stability are more important than ever. We will continue to support our food bank and have prepared community resources that include community foodbanks and additional services.”
What Happens Now?
Ernestine’s Work Continues
Ernestine’s is still here. And we are still fighting — every single day — for a world where women, individuals and children can live free from violence.
We continue to offer:
24/7 shelter and crisis support for women, gender-diverse individuals, and their children.
Legal, housing, and immigration support tailored to survivors’ complex needs.
A growing Child and Youth Program to help children heal from the trauma of witnessing or experiencing violence.
A proactive Life Without Violence initiative, aimed at preventing violence through education, culturally responsive programming, and community partnerships.
We are grounded in equity, anti-racism, and trauma-informed care. And our commitment to transforming lives beyond violence has never been stronger.
Thank You to Our Supporters
To our volunteers, who sorted and packed thousands of food hampers.
To our donors and community members, who dropped off groceries, diapers, and fresh produce.
To our corporate partners, who helped fill the shelves year after year.
To our clients, who trusted us to support them with dignity and care.
Your contributions helped nourish lives. You were part of something sacred.
Even as the food bank closes, your impact lives on.
🖤 We are still here. And we are still fighting.
For justice. For dignity. For safety. For change.