So we are taking action.
To address one of the most common and urgent needs expressed by survivors, YWCA Quebec, with the support of YWCA Canada, launched the National Survivor Emergency Support Fund (NESS Fund). This initiative provides women, people of diverse gender identities, and their families with financial support to leave unsafe homes or emergency shelter/ precarious housing situations and begin their healing journey. The fund is only available to people in the Capitale-Nationale territory.
You are a victim of violence, we are here to help you.
Learn more about the National Survivor Emergency Support Fund - NESS Fund:
The YWCA’s NESS Fund provides one-time financial support to victims of gender-based violence to help them leave abusive living conditions, emergency shelters, or precarious living situations such as staying temporarily with friends/family or living without housing.
The fund is open to women, trans, two-spirited, or gender diverse individuals 16 years of age or older. Applicants must be seeking assistance to leave abusive living conditions, emergency shelter, or precarious housing conditions (staying with family/friends, living on a couch, or living without housing) that they had access to as a result of violence. They must not have previously received support from the NESS Fund.
Gender-based violence is an umbrella term describing harmful acts directed at an individual based on gender. It is rooted in gender inequality, abuse of power and harmful norms. It includes domestic violence and abuse, intimate partner violence and family violence.
The fund is designed to help survivors exit violence and establish safe and stable housing. You can apply for assistance with:
- First and/or last month’s rent;
- Unpaid rent that prevents you from signing a new lease;
- Set up expenses for utilities;
- Unpaid utilities (electricity, internet, telephone) that prevent you from setting up new utility contracts;
- Moving expenses;
- Warehouse costs;
- Essential furniture for a new home;
- Travel expenses (bus, train, plane);
- Gender-affirming care and services based on the needs of trans, two-spirited, and gender diverse people;
- Expenses related to obtaining permanent resident status or Canadian citizenship;
- Other essential expenses related to exiting violence and establishing safe and stable housing.
