Why Support Kingston Interval House
A woman is killed every 2.5 days in Canada, with more than half killed by current or former intimate partners.
On any given night in Canada, 3,491 women sleep in shelters to escape abuse.
On any given night in Canada, 2,724 children sleep in shelters to escape abuse
67% of all Canadians personally known at least one woman who has experienced physical or sexual abuse.
Safe Shelter & Community-based Counselling For Women
Kingston Interval House (KIH) provides 24-hour safe emergency shelter, community-based counselling services and Second Stage Housing to women, youth and children escaping violence. Since 1975, KIH has been responding to the needs of abused women and their children, and youth, in our community.
Annually on average KIH:
How We Support Women
When a woman arrives at the shelter, they will be greeted by our professional staff who will invite them to a comfortable room for an intake interview. Their children/youth will be cared for by a Children/Youth’s Service Worker while they meet with one of our counsellors. Once settled in to a comfortable, quiet room, we will have some questions to determine how we can be of assistance. We will ensure their needs are addressed. We will provide food if they are hungry, a rest if they need it and above all a staff member to whom you can share your story. Confidentiality is of utmost concern to all staff at Kingston Interval House.
We provide a bag of personal care items (shampoo, soap, toothbrush, tampons, pads etc.) and a room. You will then have some time to get settled. Staff will go over the routines of the shelter within the first day with us.
Our professional staff are always on hand to assist the residents with whatever needs arise.
We help with:
Children/Youth At The Shelter
When children and youth arrive at the shelter, they will be welcomed by our professional staff and, brought to our designated play space to spend some time with a trained Children/Youth’s Services Counsellor while mom meets with one of our counsellors. Your children/youth will be safe and will be with staff until mom is ready to collect them. At no time will a child or youth leave the buildings without mom’s knowledge.
Children/youth and moms are assigned the same room so there is no separation while at the shelter. Depending on the age of the children/youth they will be provided with some basic necessities as well (tooth brush, diapers, formula). Children and youth can accompany mom on the shelter tour.
We encourage and support moms to spend as much quality time with their children/youth as possible. We offer many mom/children and youth outings throughout the year. Monday to Friday the Children/Youth’s Services Counsellors provide moms who are interested; a two hour respite care in order to attend appointments at the shelter or to make telephone calls to housing, lawyers, police, doctors, etc.
There is also specific programming available to youth who are 12+ years residing in the shelter.
