Red Thread Refuge Society(Canada): Building What I Wish Existed

There is a moment after a woman leaves abuse that no one talks about.

The shelter stay ends.
The crisis line stops ringing.
And she is left standing there with her children, a suitcase, and nowhere stable to go.

That gap is where many women fall back into danger.

I know this because I lived it.

Red Thread Refuge Society (Canada) was born from that gap, the terrifying space between “You’re safe for tonight” and “Now what?”

I am building secure second-stage housing in Northern Ontario for women, children, and pets leaving domestic violence.

Not an emergency shelter.
Not a temporary bed.

A place where survivors can stay 6–24 months while rebuilding their lives with safety, stability, and dignity.

The long-term vision is a secure campus with 150 family units, designed with discreet safety features and on-site supports that help families rebuild independence.

But every large solution starts with the first step.

Why This Matters

'Across Canada, hundreds of women and children are turned away from shelters every day because there simply isn’t enough space.'

This $5,000 makes the Red Thread Refuge Society an official, legal entity, which is the mandatory first step before we can acquire land or secure government grants. By funding this phase, you are literally laying the legal foundation for 150 families to have a safe home.

$10 - The Spark Keeps our momentum alive. Your $10 covers the essential, everyday outreach - calls, printing, and community connections - needed to get this lifeline off the ground and ensure our progress doesn't stall.

$25 - Making It Official Funds the critical legal steps to officially register the Red Thread Refuge Society. You aren't just paying a filing fee; you are buying the legal foundation we must have before we can start building safe homes.

$50 - Unlocking the Big Grants Government grants and major partners require strict, professional policies before they will invest. Your $50 helps us build that rock-solid structural framework so we can confidently secure the massive funding needed to build this campus.

$100 - Designing the Sanctuary Directly funds the blueprints for our security and service plans. You are helping map out the discreet safety features, trauma supports, and recovery spaces necessary to protect women, their children, and their pets for a 6 to 24-month stay.

$250 - Founding Supporter Turns our vision into an actionable, organized reality. This meaningfully accelerates our timeline by covering the vital professional consultations required to take second-stage housing from an urgent community need to an active, shovel-ready project.

$500 - Catalyst Sponsor You are laying the cornerstone. This level of support clears our biggest early hurdles, giving us the professional credibility required to approach major community partners, explore land options, and finally open our doors.

This groundwork is what allows a project like this to become real.

If you believe survivors deserve more than a temporary escape - if you believe they deserve a real path to stability, I invite you to help build this with me.

Your support helps turn a vision into something that can save lives.

Warmest Regards, Carole Willow-Rae Denis
Founder, Red Thread Refuge Society(Canada)