When Karla was referred to the Community Foundation’s Emergent Women and Children’s Fund administered by YWCA Regina, she and her two children were living in a second-stage domestic violence shelter. A full-time student and single mother, Karla was doing everything she could to hold her family together—pursuing her education, caring for her children, and trying to build a life free from violence. But the financial aftermath of fleeing abuse—including rental arrears, utility debt, and unpaid internet bills—threatened her ability to move forward.

This emergency grant helped Karla address those critical gaps. With the support, she paid off past-due rent, cleared utility bills, and restored internet access—an essential resource for her education, her children’s schooling, and staying connected to the outside world.

“Receiving this grant made a huge difference in my life during one of the most difficult times I’ve ever faced,” Karla shared. “Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to secure safe housing for us.”

The grant gave her a bridge out of shelter and into long-term stability. It enabled her to begin rebuilding with dignity and without the looming fear of where they would go next.

“This support helped keep us afloat,” she wrote. “It gave us the chance to start again, to feel a sense of hope, and to know that we’re not alone.”

Today, Karla says things are “much better.” She feels safer, more stably housed, and better able to care for her children. With her debts cleared, she can focus on her studies and on healing.

“This money gave us more than just financial help. It gave us a chance to move forward, to breathe, and to begin building a new chapter with dignity and hope.”

Her story demonstrates the profound and immediate impact of direct emergency funding—especially when it’s paired with trust, low-barrier access, and a belief in every woman’s right to start again.

The emergency funds helped Sarah clear what she owed, covering her rent and utility bills just in time to stop her eviction. That one act of support opened a door she thought had already closed. “I can get sober now,” she shared. “I can stay here, and I won’t be homeless.” Having safe, stable housing gave her the foundation she needed to focus on healing, on her journey of growth, betterment, and becoming the parent she wants to be. After months of surviving in crisis mode, this gift gave her room to breathe and begin again.

“I can get my baby back,” she said through tears. “That’s the big thing.” This was not just about shelter. It was about rebuilding a life. About hope, and the chance to create a safe, loving home. “I was on the verge of a downward spiral,” Sarah admitted. “This just changed everything for me. I’m so thankful.” The Emergent Women and Children’s Fund did more than keep a roof over her head. It gave her the power to stay, to grow, and to reclaim her future.