Nellie’s

Founded in 1973, Nellie’s is Toronto’s first women’s shelter. Named for Canada’s pioneering suffragette, Nellie McClung, it was co-founded by a group of female activists including June Callwood. Nellie’s began as a shelter with 16 beds for homeless women, fleeing domestic abuse. Today, Nellie’s is a 36-bed emergency shelter for women leaving domestic violence and also other issues like poverty and mental health. Its goal is to ensure the women it serves move on to safe and affordable housing so they do not return to violent situations. Nellie’s is a community-based feminist charity that sees itself as anti-racism and anti-oppression. It is committed to social change through education and advocacy, to achieve social justice for all women and children.