Southwestern Ontario

Home Sweet Home Gingerbread House Competition

November 28th, 1 pm, Catalyst Commons

Live NoW

Comfort of Home Virtual Silent Auction

November 20 - 26

Live NoW

Shelter Movers Southwestern Ontario provides free moving and storage to those in need, in partnership with local community organizations and business partners. Shelter Movers aims to make the community a safer place to live by supporting women and children transitioning away from a home characterized by violence.

Originally established in December 2020 as Shelter Movers Waterloo Region, the Chapter launched to address the high need in the area, as Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge are the least safe communities for women among urban areas in Canada, according to a report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

As the Chapter continues to grow and conduct moves outside Waterloo Region, the transition to Southwestern Ontario was made to better reflect the current geographic area served.

Volunteer

Give back, make friends, learn new skills, and help shape the future of Shelter Movers.

Careers

We are currently seeking applicants for the following roles:

Chapter Director

No open positions at this time.

Shelter Movers Southwestern Ontario is dedicated to helping families transition to a life free from violence. With your continued support, we are able to provide moving services, store clients’ cherished belongings, and empower survivors of abuse. As a monthly donor, you are making moves to end gender-based violence and make our community a safer place to live. Learn more.

Southwestern Ontario Blog

Building Resilience: Mental Health Support for Survivors

2 October 2023

Survivors of gender-based violence exhibit incredible strength in the face of adversity, but the emotional scars left by such experiences can be profound. Beyond the physical harm, survivors often grapple with the lasting impact on their mental health. At Shelter Movers, we understand the importance of addressing these mental health challenges and fostering resilience in

Keeping Moves Safe in Southwestern Ontario

5 September 2023

The number one priority of Shelter Movers Southwestern Ontario (SMSWO) is keeping our volunteers and clients safe on moves. SMSWO conducts three types of moves: low, medium, and high-risk. To ensure everyone’s safety, our chapter enlists the help of either security or police services during medium and high-risk moves. Security or police are always present

Volunteer Spotlight: Jess

11 July 2023

Meet Jess, a volunteer with Shelter Movers Southwestern Ontario! Jess started volunteering with Shelter Movers because she was passionate about making a difference in her community. Altruism has always been very important to me. I am particularly invested in gender based issues, and Shelter Movers offers me the opportunity to help others, and see the

In Other News

The group has been operating in the region since December, with an event marking the first move held January 21. “The goal of the launch event really is to introduce ourselves to the community. We look to work very closely with social service agencies in the unique communities that we were in. Therefore, we want to make sure that we have a presence there and that they’re aware of that we’re in the area so that we can communicate, and work together to really fill any gaps that might be existing in services already,” said Levine.

Women’s Crisis Services chief executive officer Jennifer Hutton said Shelter Movers complements the work done at the agency to empower women and children to move beyond violence by providing emergency shelter and support services. “By working with Shelter Movers, along with other partners in our region, we can provide additional support to women and children moving beyond violence in Waterloo Region,” Hutton said in an email.

An initiative aimed at helping victims of domestic violence has opened a new location in Waterloo Region. Chapter Director of Shelter Movers Waterloo Region, Amanda Levine said they have closely aligned with partners in the area. "So that would include Women's Crisis Service or any of the other shelters or any other social service agencies in the area. We are also in talks with the local police because during some of our high-risk moves, there's a chance that the abuser may be present so we do need police presence or private security."