SUDBURY -- For the past 40 years, the Sudbury Women's Centre has been helping women facing difficult times. To celebrate -- and to continue to grow – the centre has launched a virtual campaign called, '40 years, 40 days, 40K.'

It kicked off Wednesday and will wrap up on International Women's Day on March 8.

"We will be celebrating different ways that we have worked with community partners, how they have assisted us to be able to assist our clients in the Sudbury area," said Giulia Carpenter, the executive director of Sudbury Women's Centre.

"We will also have some history, little tidbits that come out, such as in 1981 we started off with a group of women coming together looking for support in someone's home and look at where we are now."

The centre offers a number of programs to help women facing difficult times with emotional support and connects them with community resources.

"That's to goal here at the centre, to help anyone who is struggling with any of their life circumstances and that can range from domestic violence, unemployment, housing," said Tracy Speirs, program coordinator at Sudbury Women's Centre. "We just want women to thrive as much as possible."

The centre is funded by government grants, community foundation funding, private donations and fundraising.

"Through the pandemic, we have been successful in acquiring some relief funding and that has helped go towards basic needs items like grocery gift cards, hygiene items and baby supplies like diapers and formula," said Erin Medakovic, development officer.

The centre also operates My Sister's Closet, where gently used women and children's clothing is distributed.

"We often say to everyone is our women deserve better, so we try very hard to have a good range of clothing, from business wear, active wear -- anything that the women would need,'' said Speirs.

Over the past two years, the centre has helped more than 12,000 women. It has plans to expand, with a vision of becoming part of a community hub with a number of services all under one roof.