About Us
Vision:
Freedom from violence.
Equality for all.
Mission:
Values:
For generations, women have experienced personal, societal, and institutional abuse, discrimination, and oppression. Women often receive less education, have less access to information, earn less money and have less input into government and governance structures. Women are disadvantaged as a group and disempowered individually. The personal and social context of each woman’s life will influence, if not determine, the particular barriers and disadvantages she faces throughout her life. This world view is based on a sexist, or male supremist, perspective – i.e., a belief that men are superior to women. It promotes a pattern of male aggression and female submission.
Violence and abuse against women and children reflect and reinforce the power imbalance between men and women. It is an expression of women’s disadvantaged status and a coercive tool used to ensure its perpetuation.
Violence and abuse serves to control women and protect male power, as evidenced by the fact that the overwhelming majority of victims are women while offenders/perpetrators are most often, though not exclusively, men.
Yellow Brick House is committed to challenging and eradicating the beliefs, values, systems and structures which support and perpetuate sexism and violence against women. To this end, the organization, its Board of Directors, employees, and service volunteers shall:
Promote and respect diversity, equity, and inclusivity
Demonstrate respect for the abilities, opinions, and needs of women and children
Demonstrate an overarching commitment to confidentiality and safety in relation to the women and children we serve
Bring integrity and compassion to all that we do.
Our Story
In the late 1970’s
Five people who had devoted their careers to helping others found each other – and their purpose – when they began sharing stories that were remarkably similar and equally heartbreaking.
Told to them in whispers, they were the pleas of women desperate, afraid and seeking help. Each had done what they could – as a police officer, nurse, and three social workers would naturally do. But it wasn’t enough. As their paths crossed at meetings and in the community, their frustration grew.
“We’ve got to be able to do more.”
The Rose family heard about the need and the plans,
and the decision was an easy one to make:
Their yellow brick house would continue to be
a place of caring, hope and love.
In the decades since, women and children have found their way to the doors of the yellow brick house on a journey that often starts with fear but ends in hope. Our five founders may have had the inspiration, but it is the community of caring and committed donors and volunteers that have allowed Yellow Brick House to continue to put out the welcome mat day after day, year after year. And we continue to draw inspiration from our amazing donors, our tireless volunteers, and the women whose determination and resilience show us again and again that we are each capable of making a difference, but together, we can make change for today and the future. Thank you!
With the support of our amazing community members like you, our dedicated staff provide life-saving services for women and children escaping domestic violence in York Region.