A second transition house for women fleeing domestic violence has quietly opened in Delta.
Its exact location not disclosed, W.I.N.G.S. (Women in Need Gaining Strength) in collaboration with a North Delta church is using a spare house on the church property for second stage housing, where vulnerable women and children can stay for up to a year. It’s a valuable addition to the Delta community, states a staff report to city council which provided an update on social planning activities and initiatives in Delta.
W.I.N.G.S. opened Delta’s first transition house in 2017, also in North Delta, called Azure Place. It’s a first stage transition house by the organization which also provides transition house services in New Westminster. B.C. Housing had allocated $1.8 million to purchase and renovate the eight-bedroom house in for the service in Delta. The report to council notes Azure Place is working at capacity but was able to expand its number of beds from eight to 12 by repurposing the two-bedroom secondary suite in the home.
Transition homes provide emotional support, crisis intervention, safety planning and temporary accommodation. First stage home stays typically last 30 days. The facilities provide help accessing support services and housing, financial, medical, counseling and legal assistance.
When it opened, it was reported that more than 12,300 women and children were assisted by provincially-funded transition houses, second-stage housing and safe homes.
Delta police Chief Neil Dubord at the time said that women fleeing abusive situations in Delta usually had go to a facility in Richmond, but often “the inn is full” there, meaning they sometimes had to stay in places like the YWCA or even be put up in a hotel room.
All women and their dependent children who are at risk of violence or have experienced violence and require services are eligible. Women can call the shelter directly or be referred by anyone in the community, according to the City of Delta, adding that during a time of crisis often police, friends, or social workers may bring women and their children to a safe place to meet with staff who then bring them to the transition house.
Women staying at the Delta shelter receive services offered by W.I.N.G.S., housing staff, Deltassist, police, victim services and other social service agencies. Families also receive support in finding new housing if necessary and may be offered second stage housing as part of the process.
A newsletter by the non-profit society late last year noted “In our first year at Azure Place in Delta, we served approximately 130 women and children, yet we turned away almost 600.”
As far as the second stage transition house which opened last October, the society noted, “The church is launching a redevelopment process and wanted to use this resource to provide meaningful help to their community over the next several years. We have just moved three families into the house…This is a wonderful opportunity to house some of our client families for short periods of time, supporting them while they get back on their feet and look to the future.”
The second stage transition house is called Wings Place in Delta.
