Finding Peace at Emma’s Place
Trudi was welcomed into Emma’s Place with open arms, a much easier transition than she expected.
As you walk into the new space for Emma’s Place Shelter, you are immediately struck by a newfound sense of peace. There is less foot traffic, voices are more hushed, and the only sounds are the hum of the washing machine, the drone of the lounge tv, and the occasional jingling of keys as support workers make their rounds. For shelter residents, it’s a welcome change.
“It was really hectic, but now it’s a quieter atmosphere,” said Trudi, who has been staying at Emma’s since October. “You can sleep if you want, you can go in and watch TV, or you can just have a coffee. It’s calming, very calming.”
Emma’s move coincided the Willow’s Place Drop-in Program shifting to a 24/7 schedule during the winter months. From December through March, Willow’s Place will also be used as a warming centre to help those who have nowhere else to go. With a sudden influx of extra women taking shelter at Willow’s, it meant a lot more commotion while the women at nearby Emma’s were trying to sleep.
Beginning December 1st, Willow’s Place opened up 45 additional overnight spaces for women and gender-diverse people, helping keep them out of the cold. This 300% increase in overnight clients means more staff and more resources are needed. In the first month of the program, Willow’s Place saw 111 unique women using the overnight service, with over 300 using the regular drop-in.
“We still haven’t met all the women who need help in the city,” said Lindsay, Manager of Community Services and Outreach Programs at Willow’s and Emma’s Place. “That number just keeps increasing.”
Emma’s Place didn’t move far, just to the other side of the central hall from the previous location near the Willow’s Place Drop-In Centre, but for clients and staff it was a necessary change that has made a huge difference already.
“When we moved everybody and put the shelter area on the other side of the hallway, it created a sense of peace,” Lindsay said. “As workers, we can sit down and really get to the heart of finding out how we can help the women.”
Sheryl, Director of Community Services, added that the quieter area allows the women to focus on taking the next step, whatever that may be.
“In the drop-in space, there’s a lot going on, so it’s easy for the women to get distracted,” she said. “At Emma’s, it’s quieter, and they’re able to focus on themselves and what they want to do.”
The goal of both Willow’s and Emma’s Place is to provide a safe, low-barrier space for women and gender-diverse people to escape the pressures of the streets and find peace and hope.
When Trudi came to Mission Services in October of 2023, she originally braced for a difficult transition. However, she was welcomed with open arms, and soon realized that she didn’t need to fear.
“I didn’t want to come here. I was so afraid, but it’s been the best experience of my life, and the staff have made it happen.”
While the space may have changed significantly in the 10 years that Willow’s Place has been operating, the staff’s commitment to the residents has remained the same.
“The direction of our support has never changed, but the population has,” said Lindsay. “We’ve grown from five hours a day, Monday to Friday, to now being a full 24/7 service, because we’re always adapting with the needs of the folks that we serve.”
“We’ve stayed true to our core values of why we’re here,” added Sheryl. “The needs in the community are always changing, but at our heart, we are a community of women helping women, genuinely caring about their well-being, and that’s what is important.”
It’s through the power of community that programs like Willow’s Place Drop-In and Emma’s Place Shelter are able to continue to run. As community members partner with Mission Services of Hamilton, they are able to help people like Trudi find safety, shelter, and peace, away from the outside world.
“Getting out of the noise is how I’d describe it,” Lindsay said. “There’s so much chaos outside, and we can bring them in and help them be safe.”
