RJC volunteers at The Sonshine Centre

A group of eight volunteers from the RJC Calgary office recently spent three consecutive days cleaning, painting and outfitting a 2-bedroom suite at The Sonshine Centre. The centre provides second-stage shelter spaces for women and children fleeing domestic violence. This secure facility is located in a quiet neighbourhood, has easy access to schools, transit, and community programs.

The essential 24-unit facility offers a vast array of services to residents including:

• Full year residential program
• Quality, safe and low-cost housing
• Individual counselling
• Individual goal setting and mentoring
• Life-skills groups
• Art and fitness group activities
• Parenting education
• On-site child care
• Counselling and play therapy for children
• Access to resources such as healthcare, addictions services, peer support and legal support
• ESL and language translation services as needed
• Practical support such as help navigating government support services, grocery runs, etc.
• Six months of follow-up counselling and support to safely transition back into the community after they leave Sonshine

When we heard the on-site pantries available to all residents were running low, RJC stepped up our efforts with a non-perishable food drive. In the end, not only were we able to fully re-stock the pantries, finding a place to put all the extras is now the challenge! 

RJC is proud to sponsor a suite and to continue to aid in assisting women and children in need through this worthy program.