Dear [Donor’s Name],

Thank you very much for sponsoring a team at our annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event! This lighthearted but poignant event provides essential funding for our ongoing efforts to provide emergency housing, counselling support, and essential resources to women experiencing domestic violence. Without your generous support, women in desperate situations would have nowhere to go.

However, sadly, the need continues to grow. On any given night in Canada, 3,491 women and their 2,724 children sleep in shelters because it isn’t safe for them at home, while approximately 300 women and children are turned away because their local shelters are already full. In 2023, we were forced to turn away ten women and their children because all of our beds were already occupied. In 2024, that number rose to sixteen. We expect the 2025 number to be even higher because, unfortunately, we are at or near capacity almost every night.

Turning women away from shelters often places them in an extremely dangerous situation. Attempting to leave an abusive partner typically incites increased violence, so when women are rejected by shelters, they are often forced to return to an environment that is now even more unsafe than it was before they left. That’s why moving into a larger facility to increase our number of shelter spaces is absolutely vital.

Our goal is to increase our shelter spaces by at least 25% by the end of this year to serve our community’s needs now and ideally by 50% to serve our community’s needs in the years to come, but we won’t be able to accomplish that without your help. I am kindly asking you to please give what you can. Donations can be made on our website at [URL] or by mailing a cheque (payable to: [Women’s Shelter Name]) to us at [mailing address]. All donations will receive a tax receipt and our deepest gratitude!

We want to save as many lives as possible. Your continued generosity will help us do that. Thank you in advance for any support you’re able to give.

Sincerely,

[Executive Director’s Name and contact info]