Our CRA Charitable Status Number: 74037 8724 RR0001

Airdrie P.O.W.E.R. (Protecting Our Women with Emergency Resources) was founded in 2015 by Crystal Boys. P.O.W.E.R.'s mission from the beginning has been to bring resources, education, and support to the community of Airdrie around the issue of domestic violence. The dream of opening a shelter right here in Airdrie was shared by many, and through volunteers, board members, and many donations, P.O.W.E.R. continued to speak out about the needs and issues of domestic violence here in the city.

From small beginnings, P.O.W.E.R. continued to grow, and to dream. When the idea for the Day Shelter was born, P.O.W.E.R. became even more determined to make this a reality. Finding a location, raising funds, drawing up blueprints, all became the new challenge for the small board team.

It was a huge task; the enormity of what needed to be accomplished was daunting. Despite the difficulty, P.O.W.E.R. continued to move ahead. With a location secured in early 2019, the board was eager to begin renovations. However, issues with zoning and permits continued to push the start date further back.

Groundbreaking on the location happened in September 2019. With smiles and hardhats, the P.O.W.E.R. board watched MP Blake Richards take the first sledgehammer swing at the wall. Hopes were high, excitement was strong. Construction was moving full speed ahead, when asbestos was found. Everything ground to a halt, and all proper abatement protocols were followed.

The budget skyrocketed, the timeline increased. Setbacks became a daily struggle. Still, things were moving forward until March 2020 hit. Just like everyone else, P.O.W.E.R. felt the effects of the pandemic and lockdown as things once again came to a halt. Time and patience were wearing thin, but through the summer volunteer groups came in as they could and helped move things along. The community pitched in with amazing generosity, and finally, finally, P.O.W.E.R. got occupancy of the finished facility in December 2020.

After some time to furnish and prepare, the Day Shelter was opened to clients in February 2021. Since then, the Day Shelter has served many women and children, offering supports, services, and resources to help them build safer lives. We have added a monthly legal clinic, and continued to grow our partnerships with other agencies in Airdrie, Calgary, and beyond. We have seen many women come through our doors, and met each woman as an individual with a unique story. Through supportive listening, we are able to tailor our support to the needs of each person and meet them where they are at. We are so proud of the accomplishments and hard work of both our team, and our amazing clients who do the hard work of building new lives each and every day.

We continue to strive to help as many women as we can, and look forward to expanding and growing our services. There are still many more women to help and many more needs in the community to meet and Airdrie P.O.W.E.R. will rise to the challenge, with the help of our community, to end domestic violence in our city.

Airdrie

P.O.W.E.R.

Our Story