YWCA Regina works to raise $5 million for Centre for Women and Families

The YWCA Regina kicked off a new capital campaign on Tuesday as it works to open its new Centre for Women and Families.

The campaign – dubbed “Here for Her” – has an ambitious goal of $5 million.

The centre will include 72 supported housing spaces, 41 emergency shelter spaces, two childcare centres, an outreach centre, a sweat lodge, a community playground and more.

Chelsey Lemke, the organization’s senior director of development, said costs of the project quickly skyrocketed over the initial estimates due to the high inflation rates that followed the COVID-19 pandemic. Even with a 30 per cent contingency fund, the YWCA found itself short by $16 million.

“We were devastated,” Lemke said in a statement.

“It felt like overnight we went from fully funding a substantial campaign of $54 million to being short $16 million. It was heartbreaking.”

While that shortfall has been pared down to $5 million thanks to plenty of support from donors, Melissa Coomber Bendtsen, the YWCA’s CEO, said there’s still a long way to go before the centre opens its doors on Sept. 1.

“With only 15 weeks until our women and children are welcomed into their new home, and $5 million to raise, we are eager to share this campaign with the community,” she said in a statement.

“It’s a short time, and a big number but when people are united in a shared vision of change, amazing things can happen.”