A $50,000 donation from the RONA Foundation will go a long way for a Saint John not-for-profit.
Hestia House offers secure shelter space and programs to abused women and their children.
Executive Director Jana Comeau said they will use the money for their Zen Den project to build a programming space.
“Right now, most of our space is taken up with bedrooms and common living spaces but we don’t have a space where we can specifically allocate to women to go to just relax, to heal,” Comeau told our newsroom.
“The goal is that we’ll be able to bring in programs into the house that will be aimed at helping them heal and move through their trauma in a positive way.
Hestia House is one of seven organizations to receive a combined $1 million in funding through the second edition of the RONA Foundation’s Build from the Heart program.
The program aims to support non-profits in carrying out construction or home improvement projects to revitalize living environments or make it easier to access housing for Canadian populations in need.
In particular, the program seeks to help victims of domestic violence and their children, low-income families, and people with disabilities or mental health issues.
“We had received a little bit of money already for the project through the 100 Women Who Care initiative here in Saint John but we still had a pretty big gap to fill,” said Comeau.
She added that support like this is critical as much of Hestia House’s funding comes from donations and through fundraising efforts.
Comeau said they are hopeful that the construction work will take place over the winter months.
