$118,000 investment will support community initiatives that help prevent violence and support survivors in Newmarket
| NEWS | July 24, 2025 |
NEWMARKET — The Ontario government is taking action to prevent and address gender-based violence and support survivors in Newmarket by investing $118,00 over two years in Abuse Hurts and their new project New Beginnings: Life Skills for Healing and Independence that will provide life skills training as a complement to Abuse Hurts’ Delivering Hope Program. This program addresses the root causes of abuse and supports survivors in rebuilding their lives with dignity, resilience and respect. The goals of this initiative are to strengthen survivors ability to navigate life independently and safely, improve economic opportunity and literacy, build confidence, self esteem and healthy boundaries and provide survivors in the program with essential items such as clothing, housewares, toiletries and personal care items to help them rebuild their lives.
“Our government is continuing to take action to end gender-based violence in all its forms,” said Michael Parsa, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. “I’m proud that Ontario is funding new and innovative projects across the province that will prevent gender-based violence before it occurs. These projects tackle the root causes and are critical to breaking the cycle of abuse. Together with community partners, we are supporting local solutions and building safer and healthier communities for generations to come.”
This investment is part of Ontario’s actions to better respond to violence, build safer and healthier communities, and support women’s well-being and economic opportunities through Ontario’s action plan to end gender-based violence.
“I’m proud to see the Government of Ontario investing $118,000 through the Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence to support the life-changing work of Abuse Hurts,” said Dawn Gallagher Murphy, MPP for Newmarket–Aurora. “A huge thank you to the leadership and vision of Ellen Campbell and Helena Kameka, Abuse Hurts has become a vital source of strength and healing for survivors of abuse across York Region and Ontario. This funding recognizes the organization’s powerful impact their educational programming has on the most vulnerable in our community.”
Quick facts
Ontario is investing approximately $98 million in up to 83 new initiatives across the province that will focus on building safer communities, stopping gender-based violence before it happens, and helping survivors to recover and rebuild their lives. The ministry is currently working to confirm project details and funding agreements with the organizations that will deliver the new initiatives.
This funding builds on Ontario’s existing investments of $1.4 billion over four years in community support programs that prevent gender-based violence and support survivors. The investment is part of Ontario’s $162 million agreement with the federal government to implement the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence.
Quotes
“By strengthening community-based services and improving economic security for survivors, our government is continuing to help prevent violence and support survivors so they can heal, rebuild their lives, and achieve financial stability for themselves and their families. I look forward to seeing how these new projects and their innovative approaches will help address gender-based violence in communities across Ontario.”
– Charmaine Williams, Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity
“This is something we have wanted to do for some time so we are thrilled and grateful for this opportunity. It’s the kind of expansion we needed for our Delivering Hope program so that we could provide more than material needs. The program will now also provide life-long skills that could help women take what started off as hope and see how it can materialize into effectual change for a better future.”
– Helena Kameka, President