The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted marginalized communities across the country and the organizations that serve them. This has only heightened during the 3rd wave.
That’s why YWCA Canada is so grateful to Vistaprint for its donation of nearly $60,000 CAD in essential supplies to keep communities safe from COVID-19. The donation will directly support 14 YWCA locations across 6 provinces and 1 territory. From coast to coast to coast, the donation of Vistaprint’s masks ensures community members and YWCA workers alike are able to protect themselves against the COVID-19 pandemic. This donation allows the YWCA network across Canada to continue to operate essential services like shelters, housing programs and child care services.
“During the pandemic, we’ve seen the organizations that support marginalized communities being pushed to the brink. Vistaprint’s donation will allow us to keep our essential services going,” Maya Roy, CEO of YWCA Canada said. “The vital masks will go directly to the children, women and gender-diverse people we serve every day.”
YWCA Canada has been calling for concrete action to address the dire gendered impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Donations such as this will work towards stopping the rollback of gender equity and advancing a feminist recovery by putting women, Two-Spirit and gender-diverse people at the centre of efforts to build back better post-pandemic.
Vistaprint’s donations will directly support communities accessing our essential services and programs such as our permanent supportive housing programs, child care centres, COVID-19 isolation sites, and programming we run on-site. As workers do community outreach, the donation of vital masks will keep them safe. We also support women and children fleeing violence who stay in our emergency shelters and young people at risk of experiencing homelessness. These masks will help them with their appointments, job interviews, as well as other meetings they have to attend in the community.
“As we begin to see restrictions lifting and communities reopening across Canada, we know we need to continue doing whatever we can to keep each other safe,” Vistaprint North America President Emily Whittaker said. “We’re proud to partner with YWCA Canada to provide face masks and filters to thousands of team members, volunteers and program participants as they support and serve communities throughout the country.”
Right now, charities across the country are delivering essential services but that can’t continue without urgent support. Vistaprint’s generous donation shows how pivotal partnerships are to keeping our communities safe. That’s why YWCA Canada is encouraging others to follow in their footsteps and support communities across the country.
If you want to do your part and contribute to YWCA Canada’s COVID-19 Emergency Response, visit here: https://ywcacanada.ca/online_gifts/covid-19-emergency-response/
YWCA locations receiving Vistaprint’s donation include:
- YWCA Agvvik Nunavut
- YWCA Banff
- YWCA Brandon
- YWCA Cambridge
- YWCA Halifax
- YWCA Hamilton
- YWCA Lethbridge & District
- YWCA Muskoka
- YMCA-YWCA National Capital Region
- YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin
- YWCA St. John’s
- YWCA Sudbury
- YWCA Toronto
- YMCA-YWCA Vancouver Island.
About YWCA Canada
