The National Council of Jewish Women of Canada, Toronto (NCJWC, Toronto) has undertaken a Turning The Page project– building children’s libraries in shelters for abused women and their children. They transform a space in women’s shelters in Toronto into a library that will be a haven of warmth and security for the children.

A woman and her children who are fleeing an abusive situation will often have only the clothes on their backs and a few of their personal belongings with them. While shelters struggle to provide clothing, food, and support

to these families, they seldom have the resources to provide the educational benefits and quiet comfort of a library. Turning The Page was conceived to fill this gap. “This is a healing place, a place of inspiration and motivation, an oasis in the midst of chaos.” (Executive Director, Nellies Shelter, the fourth Turning The Page Library site)

Shelters are temporary and transitional facilities. Therefore, the goal is to enable each child to be gifted with their favourite book(s) on leaving the facility and continually restocking the bookshelves. Additionally, NCJWC, Toronto is exploring collaborative programs of reading, writing, and a homework club to enhance the library experience. There are unfortunately many women’s shelters in the GTA, and their goal is to provide each one with a Turning The Page library.

RTO/ERO District 23, North York is working with the NCJWC, Toronto to create one of these libraries as a Project Service to Others in 2018/19. We will provide pocket pillows created by our Needlework & Craft Group to hold the gifted books and promote the involvement of members in the collaborative programs. We applied to the provincial office for a PSTO grant of up to $4000 for this project, and are pleased that we received it. In addition, we will donate money raised through the work of the Needlework & Craft group.

 

Maureen Capotosto – Convener