Chelsey Lemieux (Senior Director of Development) and Melissa Coomber-Bendtsen (CEO) from the Regina YWCA spoke to the club about the services in a “wrap-around” model that will be provided from the new building due to be completed in late 2024. Melissa Coomber-Bendtsen is the youngest CEO in the 110 year history of the YWCA in Regina. Melissa spoke generally of the important role the YWCA plays in our community providing support in multifaceted ways to Regina’s most vulnerable women and families. Melissa introduced Chelsey Lemke, senior director of Development for the Regina YWCA. Chelsey spoke to us about the Centre For Women and Families now under construction.
The Centre is a 93,000 square foot project with an initial budget of $54 million which was fully funded before construction most of which came from the Government of Canada. The Centre will be the first of its kind in Canada offering wrap around services to its residents/clients/participants. Unfortunately, the overall cost has increased to $70 million and while the gap has narrowed they are still looking for a remaining $12 million dollars.
There will be 108 beds, including 68 supportive housing suites, 40 emergency beds, 108 childcare spaces, outreach and counselling, a commercial kitchen, multipurpose community space, social enterprise space, Administrative and front of house supports and an indigenous healing lodge.
Once running the Centre will save community costs calculated at $86,000 per woman per year through decreased use of emergency services and police calls, decreased turn aways from shelters, reduced number of children in care, reduced sexual assault and intimate partner violence, strengthening of community collaboration and support for women and children health.