Homeward Family Shelter (now operating as Julliette’s Place) began in June 1990 as a not-for-profit collective, offering emergency shelter and support services to abused women with children and homeless families in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. The 35-bed facility was one of the first of its kind in the Greater Toronto Area designed specifically as a shelter. Initiating its development were several community minded individuals who later served as volunteers on the Board of Directors and Operations team.

Shortly after launching, the organization altered its mandate to focus on assisting abused women and children only; and eventually in 1994, the first Executive Director was hired and the workplace became unionized.

In 1997, Homeward Family Shelter was granted the legal right to operate as “Julliette’s Place”, honouring the memory of former resident Juliet Reynolds who on Mother’s Day in 1996 was murdered by her estranged partner and abuser.

Julliette’s Place has proudly broken ground in the shelter sector over its 30+ years ‘herstory’, including: accepting male children over the age of 16 years; expanding management and staff complements in programming and diversifying service delivery (including legal /court support, children’s advocacy, and outreach); and offering barrier free access (elevator and ramp) and visible smoke alarms.

Funded through a combination of government, corporate and individual partnerships, Julliette’s Place remains as the only shelter in North East Scarborough where women and their children fleeing domestic violence receive the necessary help and resources in their time of crisis.

Residents (many who remain connected over several years) remark on the “safe and supportive” environment Julliette’s Place offers, where women can start assessing their situation, plan the next steps for themselves and their children, and initiate the healing journey.