Who we are:
Ingamo Family Homes is a 21-unit second stage housing project that provides safe affordable housing to women and their children who have experienced abuse at the hands of an intimate partner.
We provide temporary (up to 1 year) affordable housing in a more secure townhouse complex along with individual and group supports to assist women in accomplishing short and long-term goals.
We can assist with ongoing safety by:
- developing individual safety plans
- providing information, support and advocacy with the systems that impact on women’s lives
- developing an understanding of what has happened
- accompanying women to justice-related, social service or legal meetings
- assisting with completion of forms and applications
- helping to accessing community support
- support with different life challenges and successes
- finding and securing financial resources
- assisting in securing permanent affordable hosing
- providing parenting support
- providing children’s activities and programs
In addition to Ingamo’s experiences managing the DART (Domestic Assault Review Team) funds, Ingamo has managed a number of other successful projects. In February, 1990, Ingamo Family Homes began a pilot project offering pre-employment training over a 20-week period to 14 abused women on social assistance. Funding for this project came from Employment and Immigration Canada. The success of the pilot mushroomed to a year-long program where 407 women participated in the first year. The program grew out of its original location and has relocated as a walk-in centre on Dundas Street, Woodstock, under the new name of Women’s Employment Resource Centre.
In 1992 Ingamo initiated a study through the Ministry of the Solicitor General to investigate the unique needs of rural women and explore options for developing community-based services appropriate for the rural environment. The report entitled “Cultivating Courage: The Needs and Concerns of Women Who were Abused by their Partners” contains 19 recommendations for improving services in rural areas.
The 1995 year was a significant year for all second-stage housing providers as the Ministry of Community and Social Services cut all program funding. Since this time the Board of Directors has made a commitment to maintain second stage housing that can provide programs to abused women and their children in an effort to break the cycle of abuse.