YELLOW BRICK HOUSE is pleased to announce that our
Second Shelter, Second Chances Capital Campaign was successful!
Our second shelter opened in February of 2012. Thank you to everyone who supported the Second Shelter, Second Chances Capital Campaign – you have helped save lives!
What is a Capital Campaign?
Definition: A capital campaign is a time-limited effort by a nonprofit organization to raise significant dollars for a specific project.
What is Second Shelter, Second Chances?
Yellow Brick House, in its 33rd year of operation, is in the first stage of a two year Capital Campaign to build a second shelter in York Region. A second shelter is a second chance for abused women and children. The following represents a breakdown of the Capital Campaign goal of 4 million dollars:
$1,900,000 Construction of New Shelter
- $500,000 Cost of Purchasing Property (based on ½ acre)
- $900,000 Cost of Building (4,000 sq. ft. building, 20 beds, 5 cribs)
- $500,000 Capital Furnishings to Set-Up New Shelter (furniture, appliance, security, etc.)
$1,300,000 Cost of Operating the New Shelter for Two Years
- property taxes, staffing, utilities, groceries, basic hygiene provisions, maintenance, etc.
- these developed funds will ensure full operations until core funding is secured.
$800,000 Fundraising Required to Sustain Existing Agency Operations for Two Years
- the agency’s leadership has also incorporated two years of Operational Funding for the existing agency operations – Emergency Shelter, Reta’s Place and Outreach – into the Capital Campaign. This figure represents funding required beyond the support received from government, to offset the obvious and measured costs of agency operations (utilities, food, maintenance, etc.)
UPDATE on the CAPITAL CAMPAIGN:
Yellow Brick House proudly celebrated the announcement of the purchase of the property that will be our second emergency shelter. Many Yellow Brick House staff, volunteers and community supporters were present to share this important milestone in the Second Shelter, Second Chances Capital Campaign.
Among the special guests were York Regional Police Chief Eric Jolliffe, Bill Fisch, Chairman and CEO of the Regional Municipality of York, and Lina Bigioni, Director of Government Relations and assistant to the Chairman and a long time supporter and advocate for Yellow Brick House.
Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti, Chief Jolliffe and MPP Reza Moridi shared words of support and congratulations. Executive Director, Lorris Herenda and Board Chair, Nora Priestly thanked the community for the incredible generosity and support extended to Yellow Brick House from the community. Both Nora and Lorris shared that although the property has been purchased, there is a need to close continue with the challenge of the Campaign to raise the critical dollars needed to open and operate the shelter.
We are almost there! Please support our Campaign to open the second Yellow Brick House shelter!
Why does Yellow Brick House need a Second Crisis Shelter in York Region?
In 2007, Yellow Brick House commissioned an independent Capital Needs Assessment to study and suggest how best to address the increasing demand for shelter beds. The Assessment established the occupancy rate at the shelter for the year 2006/7 as 93%. The study noted that women and children who could not be accommodated within the current shelter facility were forced to find shelter in other parts of the province – or worse stayed in the abusive relationship waiting for an available shelter bed.
It was further identified that the southern part of York Region had zero service for abused women and their children. The Assessment concluded with the recommendation that Yellow Brick House move forward with the creation of a new shelter in the south end of the Region through the implementation of strategies needed to secure both capital and operational funding.
In the two years that have followed the completion of the Capital Needs Assessment, the shelter occupancy rates have escalated. In 2007/8 the figure rose to 100.3% almost mirrored in 2008/9 which recorded an occupancy rate of 100.6%. These figures are achieved by the fact that in dire circumstances we are forced into overflow status and they certainly support the case for a second shelter in York Region.
A second facility will accommodate more than four hundred women and children annually for whom we are not currently able to provide shelter. The additional facility will also prepare the agency to plan ahead for the accommodation of a predicted 2026 regional population of 1,500,000 – a 63% increase from January of 2006.
A second facility will offer a second chance.
A second facility will offer hope and rebuild lives.
A second facility will save lives.
Help Support our Capital Campaign.
