If I could be absolutely everything for my daughter… I would be so  happy. I would be thrilled. I would feel like my mission in life was complete. But that's not a thing. That's simply just not possible. 

I’ve done what I could with what I have. I’m on a fixed income. I stretch it as far as I can, and sometimes it still isn’t enough. I’ve helped when I could, even when it meant doing without myself. But the kind of support my daughter really needs... that’s bigger than groceries or a bit of gas money. It’s stability. It’s a place where her kids can sleep through the night without hearing yelling or feeling afraid.  It’s genuine safety.

My daughter has had her struggles. A lot of them. I’ve lost sleep more nights than I can count. I’ve cried until there was nothing left. And part of me still carries this guilt, because the kind of relationship she ended up in - the way he treated her - it reminded me of things she saw growing up. I did my best, but there were things I couldn’t shield her from. And those things shaped her. 

So when she finally got the courage to leave... when she finally asked for help, all I could feel was relief. And then fear. Where would she go? How would she manage? I couldn't take them in. Not in my current financial state or with the logistics of my apartment. With 4 kids and herself, we would never be able to fit into the studio I'm currently in. Not with the stress she's already carrying. I felt helpless.

That’s where your program in West Niagara stepped in – the transitional housing one. I didn’t even know something like that existed. But she was accepted, and now she’s there. The kids are there. They’re getting help. They're healing. They’re figuring it out, day by day. 

I can breathe again. 

I still worry - I always will, I’m a mom - but now there's this solid foundation underneath to quiet it. A steady place. She has trained staff right there in the program, people who understand the trauma she’s experienced and the challenges she’s facing as she rebuilds her life. They work with her, not just for her, encouraging her to keep going even on the days she feels like giving up or doubts herself. They notice her progress and celebrate it. They help her set goals and believe she can reach them. Without that kind of ongoing, one-on-one support, I know she wouldn’t have this chance to truly heal. That’s why keeping this program matters so much — so she, and others like her, always have that lifeline.

And the best part is, they didn’t have to leave their whole world behind. The kids are still in their school. They still see their friends. They get to stay in the community they grew up in. That might not sound like much, but it’s everything. There’s comfort in not having to uproot their lives because of their current situation. There's familiarity. Routine. Things that help you feel normal again after life has been anything but. 

I only hope my daughter sees her true worth. I really do. That’s something I figured out way too late in life. But I see it in her. She is strong. She’s breaking a cycle I didn’t know how to break. She is changing the future for those kids, so they grow up with a different story. One where they don’t think love means fear. 

And if that’s not something to be proud of, I don’t know what is. 

Janice

When I hear stories like this, I feel so grateful that we’ve built a place in our community where families can turn for safety, stability, and hope. And I’m even more grateful that it exists because of YOU. Together, we get to be the best for them when they need it most. Your support of YWCA Niagara Region helps families just like these find their footing again.

Grateful for you,

Elisabeth Zimmermann

YWCA Niagara Region Executive Director

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