Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter Named Curious Public’s 2025 UPLIFT Recipient

Toronto-based shelter to receive pro-bono marketing and communications services to help more women and children escape violence.

Toronto, ON, March 3, 2025 – Today, Curious Public announced its partnership with Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter through UPLIFT, the firm’s annual pro bono marketing and communications services program. 

Through the partnership, Curious Public will work with Ernestine’s to tell its story clearly and better support its strategic goals. The work will help Ernestine’s execute a strong communications strategy that will help the Toronto shelter amplify its messages across digital and traditional channels to grow and diversify its audience and funding opportunities.  

Our donor community is fantastic, but we need more Canadians to know about this rising crisis and what we’re doing to help its victims. Focused communications and marketing support will help Ernestine’s provide advocacy, crisis intervention and shelter for vulnerable communities escaping violence.” 

“The Canadian government has declared inter-partner violence an epidemic. The UN reports that, globally, a woman is killed by her partner every 10 minutes. Yet the shame and stigma around this type of violence stops victims from coming forward and prevents a needed national conversation about prevention and support,” said Sharlene Tygesen, Executive Director, Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter. “Ernestine’s is one of only a few shelters in Canada with a mandate to support victims of gender-based violence, including women, trans, gender diverse, Two-Spirit and nonbinary folx and their children. Breaking the cycle of violence takes incredible funding for everything from providing food and shelter to immigration and legal services. Our donor community is fantastic, but we need more Canadians to know about this rising crisis and what we’re doing to help its victims. Focused communications and marketing support will help Ernestine’s provide advocacy, crisis intervention and shelter for vulnerable communities escaping violence.” 

Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter has been a non-profit organization that provides a safe haven for women and gender-diverse people and their children fleeing violence and abuse since 1983. Ernestine’s offers onsite immediate shelter with its 32-bedroom facility to clients as they secure long-term housing. It also supports more than 700 adults and children across the Greater Toronto Area with a range of services, including 24-hour crisis intervention. 

“We’re honoured to partner with Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter for this year’s UPLIFT. We’re grateful for the opportunity to support the organization by helping them spread the word about their important work. Together, we’ll ensure Ernestine’s can help more people by sharing its story and putting this urgent conversation front and centre with people who can make a difference,” said Lloyd Rang, President, Curious Public. 

Curious Public is in its sixth year of supporting a locally focused Canadian non-profit or NGO with marketing and communications support. Past recipients include Learning for a Sustainable Future, Urban Alliance on Race Relations, the Scarborough Women’s Centre, Hospice Mississauga, and last year’s recipient, Summer Music Society. 

“We’re grateful to have been Curious Public’s 2023 UPLIFT recipient. The team’s work streamlined our operations, modernized our website, and made it user-friendly. We’re now reaching more people and sharing our story with ease because of the refreshed branding, clear messaging, and compelling narrative Curious Public gave us. The team exceeded our expectations—thank you, Curious Public, for your belief in us and your outstanding work!” Robert Burns, VP, Summer Music Society.

Curious Public and Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter have already begun their work together with Senior Consultant and Writer Shannon Currie, who is leading the project. 

“I’m honoured to work with an organization like Curious Public that so deeply values giving back to its community. This project with Ernestine’s gives me the chance to apply my marketing and storytelling skills in an area of urgent need,” said Currie. “Interpartner and gender-based violence often exists behind closed doors, making it extremely difficult for people who have not experienced this kind of abuse to understand the overwhelming difficulty of trying to escape it. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to do all I can in support of Ernestine’s important work.”  

Applications for UPLIFT 2026 will be available in the summer of 2025. 

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About Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter:
Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter has been on a mission to interrupt violence through education and advocacy for social justice since its inception in 1983. The shelter offers advocacy, crisis intervention and shelter to Women, Two-Spirit, Trans, Non-binary and Gender Diverse individuals and their children escaping violence. Ernestine’s gives clients access to homecooked meals, a food and clothing bank, activities and daycare for their children and a range of support services such as counselling, legal assistance, housing and immigration advocacy. All services are evidence-informed and driven by values of inclusion, anti-racism, anti-oppression and respect. 

About Curious Public:
Curious Public Content and Insights is a leading marketing and communications firm specializing in strategy, narrative development, issues management and media training. Curious creates compelling, tailored content and offers specific, strategic advice for organizations that want to stand out. 

Media Contact:
Tracey Sobers
Principal and Chief Operations Officer
tracey@curiouspublic.com