Walk a Mile in Their Shoes
Presented By Meridian Credit Union
Why We Walk
YWCA Cambridge has seen a dramatic increase in the need to support to participants who are experiencing social isolation, increased stress of financial insecurity, mental health concerns, challenges to care giving and child care constraints, limited access to food and household essentials and increasingly, individuals who are experiencing violence in their homes because of their gender identity.
Similarly, youth in our programs increasingly need support as they experience many of the same stressors, all while being heavily relied upon to care for siblings. They are often struggling with their own mental health and navigating living in unsupportive and unsafe homes, which are sometimes not accepting of who they are.
While gender-based violence (GBV) is finally getting the air time it deserves following its staggering increase during the pandemic, we still are not seeing a concerted effort to put an end to it. A 2021 Canadian Women’s Foundation report found that 64% of people in Canada know someone who has experienced physical, sexual or emotional abuse.
These problems existed for women, girls and gender diverse individuals before the pandemic but COVID-19 has compounded them to levels that we have never seen before.
Our community is struggling but YOU can help.
A New Name for Walk A Mile
Walk a Mile in Her Shoes has been an annual fundraising event for people of all ages, gender identities and abilities to increase awareness of the impacts of gender-based violence, while raising much needed funds to support our GBV prevention work. We walk in solidarity with survivors of violence because each year in Canada, over 75,000 women and their children flee their homes to escape violence and the pandemic has seen that number raise.
This year, we made the decision to change the name from Walk A Mile in Her Shoes to Walk A Mile in Their Shoes. We have done this because we recognize that gender-based violence does not only impact women. In fact, 2SLGBTQ+ individuals experience far greater rates of gender-based violence.
Thank you to our presenting partner, Meridian Credit Union, for your continued support of our work and commitment to ending gender-based violence in our community.
Together, we will make a difference
Our GBV prevention programming receives no core funding so we rely on funds from Walk a Mile to support prevention and advocacy work, with the goal to end gender-based violence and reach gender equity. With funds raised, we provide free programming for women, children and gender diverse individuals who are facing increased marginalization, isolation and are at an increased risk of violence in the home.
Funds raised by walkers and community partners allows us to provide a safe(r) space for participants to access to staff and peer supports, crisis intervention and outreach services, community resources and programs designed to uplift and empower.
To help YWCA Cambridge continue to deliver these essential prevention programs and outreach services, we need you to walk with us!
Let's Walk together again, Cambridge!
Without the support of our incredible community champions, our work would not be possible. Without core funding for our violence prevention work, we rely on the support of donors and funders to help those most at risk of gender-based violence. So thank you for walking alongside us all these years.
This year’s walk will take place on Saturday, September 24, 2022 at 12p.m. at Cambridge City Hall Civic Square.
Registration: 11-11:45a.m.
Walk: 12p.m.
Lunch and award ceremony: 12:45p.m.
To register:
Click on the Register To Walk button. You will be redirected to the main fundraising page for the event on our secure fundraising platform CrowdChange. Click the Register To Walk and select either Join A Team, Start A Team or Create A Personal Page. The system will direct you to your own personal crowdfunding page. You can add a photo and update the copy to reflect your personal reasons for walking.
Your personal page link can then be emailed out to your friends, family & colleagues to solicit support for your walk.
If you have any questions or concerns about setting up your page or if you would like to sport the red heels this year, please contact us at info@ywcacambridge.ca
Sponsor the Walk
Now, more than ever, people are looking to the business world to identify and align with causes that create real change and make our society a better place in which to live. By sponsoring Walk a Mile in Their Shoes, your company demonstrates its commitment to ending gender-based violence.
Event sponsorship provides a meaningful and memorable way to engage your staff and contributes to a community that’s free of hate and violence.
If your team would like to work with us to raise your profile in the community, create a unique employee team building event or chat about creating a corporate partnership that meets your marketing objectives, please contact Caroline Barker, Director of Philanthropy, at 519.222.6405 or via email at c.barker@ywcacambridge.ca
Be A WAM volunteer!
Walk a Mile in Their Shoes will be in-person this year, and we need your help! Join us on event day to bring this event to life. We need volunteers to register walkers, collect donations, hand out shoes and more. Have any special face painting skills? We need you! Get in touch with us at c.barker@ywcacambridge.ca to learn more.
Christine and Chris Vigna
Darryl Law
Chief Larkin
Kevin Sinclair
Get In Touch
Have a Question Or Need Assistance?
If you have a question about YWCA Cambridge, our programs or events, or simply want to get involved, please give us a call or send us an email.
Contact Us
Address: 102-55 Dickson Street, Cambridge, Ontario, N1R 7A5
Office Hours:
Monday to Friday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Saturdays, Sundays & holidays: closed
Tel: (519) 267-6444
Main Email: info@ywcacambridge.ca
W Programming Email: thew@ywcacambridge.ca
Shades’s Mills Camp Email: camp@ywcacambridge.ca
WIGG Email: wigg@ywcacambridge.ca