Chrysalis House is a 25-bed emergency shelter supporting women, gender diverse individuals, and their dependents who are fleeing gender-based violence. Serving both families and single residents, the shelter works to meet people where they are during moments of crisis, offering safety, stability, and compassionate support as individuals begin the process of rebuilding their lives.
The Growing Up Safe Partnership
We recently spoke with Erin Baydak, Manager at Chrysalis House, about the shelter’s approach to supporting women and children and its involvement in the Growing Up Safe partnership. Erin has worked at Chrysalis House for more than a decade and has spent her career supporting women who have experienced violence. Her reflections highlight a deeply relational, trauma-informed approach rooted in care, connection, and dignity.
Supporting Families, Not Just Individuals
Chrysalis House welcomes the whole family unit of a person fleeing violence, recognizing that safety and healing do not happen in isolation. Families may include children, extended family members, or other dependents, and there is no limit placed on who can be supported. The shelter provides a wide range of services, including crisis intervention, individual and family counselling, therapeutic and recreational programming for children, and systems navigation support. Some residents focus on immigration or legal matters, others on school transitions or housing, while some simply need time to rest and have their basic needs met. Support is guided by what is most pressing for each family in the moment.
Meeting Families Where They Are
At the heart of Chrysalis House is a feminist, trauma-informed philosophy that prioritizes safety while also creating a space that feels like home. Erin shared that despite the seriousness of the work, laughter is a constant presence. Many staff members have been with the organization for years, creating a close-knit team that is deeply committed to the families they serve. Staff aim to be accessible and human, supporting residents not only through formal meetings but also through everyday moments conversations in the kitchen, shared coffee, and simple check-ins that build trust over time.
Care That Adapts to Each Family’s Needs
For families arriving at the shelter, one of the biggest challenges is the sudden disruption of their lives. Many come with very little, having left behind homes, routines, schools, comfort items, and community connections. Children may struggle with missing familiar toys, switching schools, or adjusting to communal living. Erin emphasized that feeling safe both physically and emotionally is the most critical need for children during this time.
Children are fully integrated into the life of the shelter and are never treated as an add-on to adult services. Each child is connected with a Family Support Counsellor, and staff take time every day to acknowledge, listen to, and engage with them. Small, consistent gestures remembering what matters to a child, making time to hear their stories, maintaining routines, and being honest and predictable help children build trust and regain a sense of security. Familiar foods, snacks, toys, and bedtime rhythms all contribute to helping children feel grounded during a period of upheaval
Everyone Deserves a Safe Place
Chrysalis House is a newer partner in the Growing Up Safe collaboration with Crossroads, and Erin described the partnership as a meaningful addition to the shelter’s supports. Having Crossroads clinicians on site creates an additional layer of care focused specifically on children’s emotional needs. It also allows families to talk openly with someone outside of the shelter’s daily structure, making it easier to express frustrations and feelings about communal living. Just as importantly, the partnership helps reduce barriers to accessing longer-term mental health support, both during a family’s stay and as they transition into the community.
Erin spoke with pride about the staff team and their shared commitment to ending gender-based violence. What keeps them grounded, she shared, is a deep belief in the work, balanced with the understanding that joy, humour, and humanity are essential in such emotionally demanding roles. Residents may not connect with every staff member, but they can always find someone who feels right for them.
Erin shared a clear and heartfelt message for readers: everyone deserves a safe place. Shelters like Chrysalis House exist because gender-based violence exists, and until that changes, communities must ensure that support, safety, and compassion remain available to anyone who needs it.