Mother Strong Fund

Armagh’s Mother Strong Fund is designed to provide the comprehensive, survivor-centric programs and supports that women and children need to rebuild their lives and rediscover their own strength, power, and value.

The need is urgent:

  • Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an epidemic in Peel — as declared by Peel Regional Council on June 22, 2023. In 2023, police in Peel responded to just over 16,000 incidents of family and IPV — 44 disputes every day, almost 2 every hour (and most incidents are not reported).

  • Many women return to their abusers. When they don’t have access to necessary resources and supports, women often feel they have no other choice. Intimate partner violence is a leading cause of homelessness among women.

  • Children who live with situations of family violence are at serious risk for short and long-term physical and mental health problems. Without intervention, the cycle of violence may continue. 

  • Isolation and survival mode make planning for the future impossible. Women escaping IPV often feel trapped, with diminished self-worth and no sense of direction or possibility. 

  • Funding gaps. Ontario second stage shelters lost their funding in 1995, when the provincial government terminated that financial support. While Armagh currently receives funding from all three levels of government, we rely on fundraising to bridge the gaps and meet our operating costs.

The Mother Strong Fund helps Armagh:

  • Provide a space that feels like home—fully furnished apartments with little touches that let moms and kids know that there is care and love within Armagh. 

  • Offer holistic wrap-around supports—from therapy and legal advocacy to financial education, employment supports and life skills training, to referrals and knowledge on systems navigation, our expert staff meet each woman and child where they are and help them take their next step forward.  

  • Foster belonging and connection. Building community around shared experience is a significant component of healing; isolation is replaced with a supportive community that understands and uplifts each individual on their unique journey. The support network created at Armagh extends beyond their time with us. 

  • Adapt to evolving needs. Flexibility ensures we’re able maximize resources to meet current resident needs for: life skills, self defense, healthy relationships, art therapy, parenting programs and more.  

Using a trauma-informed, strengths-based, and goal-oriented model, Armagh creates a foundation where women and children can heal, rediscover their inherent worth, and build a future filled with hope and possibility.