United Way and Area has announced a $20,000 grant to the Elizabeth Fry Society of Saskatchewan to support the weekend staffing of a new 10-bedroom transitional housing program for women who are criminalized or at risk of criminalization.

United Way’s Sheri Bensen says it is an investment in stability and hope for women that will help address immediate need. The goal of the transitional housing program is to address the demand for stable housing. The news release from the United Way points to correctional institutions operating at double capacity, often housing women who are on remand-charged but not yet convicted-primarily due to a lack of stable housing.

Nicole Obrigovich, Executive Director of the Elizabeth Fry Society says, “When people are properly supported in community, they are less likely to reoffend.”

The United Way grant, by funding weekend staffing, will allow the Society to demonstrate the program’s impact and secure permanent funding in the future.