Our Services
Emergency Shelter
We operate a 10-bedroom facility in Hay River. We primarily serve communities in the South Slave region, however, also provide assistance to other provincial and territorial shelter networks. We accept self-referrals, and referrals from Health and Social Services, the RCMP, and other community organizations.
The shelter provides beds, meals, personal support, and liaison with other community services.
Crisis Line
Our 24/7/365 crisis line provides telephone support to women experiencing violence at home. Experienced shelter workers help women understand their situation, provide options, make referrals, and assist with safety planning.
Outreach
While the shelter and crisis line are essential, our goal is to help create communities where all women and children are safe. We provide education and awareness to foster healthy families.
Our Organization
The Family Support Centre is a non-profit society funded by Canada's Family Violence Prevention Program, the Government of the Northwest Territories, and private donors.
The organization thrives under the leadership of an exceptional volunteer Board of Directors, with some members serving for over a decade. Our Executive Director and employees demonstrate equal dedication, playing a crucial role in achieving the organization’s objectives.
Our History
The Family Support Centre (FSC) was established as the Women’s Shelter in 1989 and was at that time a network of women helping women to escape family violence in private residences. Over the past 30 years, the organization has grown, evolved, and changed its name to the Family Support Centre.
The organization had a 5-bedroom residence (shelter) that provided safe emergency shelter for women and children escaping violent family situations. Over its history, as resources have allowed, the Centre has provided a range of intervention and prevention for women, children, and families. For example, at times in its history, the Family Support Centre worked in close partnership with schools to provide anti-bullying educational programs.
Approximately 30 years ago, the FSC purchased a 5-bedroom facility which allowed it to evolve from a network of safe homes to a centralized shelter. Over its lifetime, due to the aging of the building, it became a facility that was no longer safe for clients or staff to occupy. The Board and Staff worked hard to ensure adequate maintenance through contribution agreements, was undertaken, but it became too difficult to do as time progressed.
In the summer of 2017, the shelter moved from its facility to a temporary location provided by the Town of Hay River. This building was a 3-bedroom bungalow and though it was a safer facility, did not allow the organization to provide the services required in the community due to its physical limitations.
In 2018, the Family Support Centre had the 5-bedroom (and offices) facility demolished. The organization retained the land for the construction of a new facility.
In the past 3.5 years, the organization has sought and secured funding through various sources for the re-construction of the new centre. Sources included private donors, Diavik Mines, Government of the Northwest Territories, as well as Government of Canada.
After an exceptionally long design and construction process, the new building was opened in 2023. The new building has 10 bedrooms and will serve as a haven for women and children escaping domestic violence. As a natural extension to these services, assistance for unhoused women and children can now be provided.