A Women’s Transition House, constructed by Aryze.
Building Community from the Ground Up
Completion is a huge milestone for any project, but this one is really close to our hearts. With the support of local businesses and suppliers we built Anawim’s first Women’s House which provides much-needed support for at-risk women.
The Women’s House
Housing is a human right—intrinsic to a person’s sense of health, safety and place. What’s often overlooked is the importance of placemaking in private spaces, too. Our emotional connection to place and community is strengthened when our house feels like home.
We know fostering community is about more than just building houses, but creating a sense of place. When Anawim reached out about building a comfortable and safe Women’s House that provides much-needed support for at-risk women, we were honoured to work with the organization and take a positive step forward in addressing the need for transitional housing in our city. In 2020, the Greater Victoria Point-In-Time Homeless Count & Needs Survey reported 487 homeless women in the city; of those, 243 were in transitional housing, a hotel or someone else’s home.
With the support of many local businesses and suppliers, we built a 4,500 sqft, two-storey home that’s secure, women-only and accessible—on a property gifted to Anawim by an anonymous donor. Led by our Construction Project Manager, Michelle Griffin, the home features seven bedrooms, including a wheelchair-accessible unit, shared bathrooms, a communal kitchen and living spaces.
"This house was built by the hands of many and it shows in all of the work.”
– Siewuke Stoppel
The Women’s House functions similarly to Anawim’s Men’s House in using the ‘Family Model’, which emphasizes everyone’s responsibility to contribute equally for a healthy, productive living environment; the same expectations you would have of your own family.
“Everything was so heavy during the pandemic, but every person I reached out to immediately wanted to help.”
– Michelle Griffin
Michelle has led several community projects at Aryze, including the Anawim Women’s House, the Fernwood NRG renovations and a playground space at the Victoria Native Friendship Centre’s XaXe SŦELITKEL Childcare Centre.
Anawim Society
The Anawim society is a not-for profit organization that helps vulnerable women who are living on the streets of Victoria, giving them a chance to break their poverty cycle.
Anawim houses provides food, shelter, sanitation and counselling services for all women who seek this refuge.
The project received a staggering number of donations. From insulation and drywall to countertops and flooring, community partners stepped up to get this home built as soon as possible with a care to include the highest quality in design and materials. What’s more, the new Women’s House received support from the City of Victoria Housing Reserve Fund, the Carole and Clint Forster Foundation at the Victoria Foundation and individual donors.
From the raised garden beds to the awe-inspiring kitchen that floods with natural light, the quality of gracious donations and careful attention to detail carries throughout the home.
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