Sudbury Women's Centre is helping more clients than ever

The Sudbury Women's Centre has been helping women for 42 years; however over the last year it has seen a surge in clients.

"We always hear that it's safer to stay at home with the coronavirus and that is not always the case with our clients. So there is a lot of abusive relationships," said the centre’s executive director, Giulia Carpenter.

"We have mental health that is happening a lot of addictions and homelessness. There are so many different things that are happening right now in our community and we are a place to start."

As the number of women accessing services grows volunteer numbers have dropped dramatically. Pre-pandemic, there were 15 dedicated volunteers; that total is now down to three. Officials with centre told CTV News they are hoping to bridge that gap.

"If that is looking at a strength in social media or helping sort some clothing in our closet in our My Sister's Closet program or anything in between," Carpenter said.

The centre relies heavily on fundraising to meet the growing need.

The Strength in Sisterhood Gala, the Sudbury Women’s Centre’s largest fundraiser of the year, is set for March 11 at the Caruso Club where the dance band, Sugarboom will be headlining.

More information on the centre’s programs and fundraising activities can be found on their Facebook page.