The Medicine Hat Women's Shelter Society kitchen may see some renovations thanks to a $50,000 grant from the Rona Foundation. (CHAT News File Photo)

By Chris Brown

Women’s shelter to make upgrades with $50,000 Rona Foundation grant

Jul 24, 2023 | 2:15 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A Medicine Hat not-for-profit is one of just six organizations in the entire country receiving funds in the first year of a national company’s philanthropic program.

The Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter Society has been granted $50,000 from the Rona Foundation’s Build from the Heart program.

Executive director Natasha Carvalho says they plan to make overall improvements at the shelter, like doing some work in the kitchen and on the HVAC system.

She says the facility was built in 1998 the demand for shelter space and services has increased dramatically but the building itself hasn’t grown or changed with it.

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“We just really want to make sure that spaces are just more accessible and just being able to store belongings. People come in with their things, where do we put those things,” says Carvalho.

“So just looking at some of those revamps and just some of those kinds of places where we can make sure everything’s safe and flowing freely and accessible and people can move around and be comfortable. Because it’s a communal space so you’re already you know sharing a lot of common spaces and when you’re in crisis and that you just need a little bit of breathing room so that’s really what we’re trying to do.”

Carvalho says none of the work they’ll be doing is “the fun stuff” but is stuff that needs to be done in an aging facility that’s starting to show some wear and tear.

The women’s shelter was chosen out of more than 100 funding applications the Rona Foundation received. The goal of Build from the Heart is to help not-for-profits revitalize living environments or make it easier for Canadians in need to access housing.